The UK is taking advantage of Brexit to tighten phytosanitary controls on xyla

Brexit allowed the United Kingdom what it had already experienced while it was inside the European Union: to require more phytosanitary controls on Xylella in importing plants and to protect itself from the risk of Xylella entering. That is why, on March 4, new measures went into effect affecting the trade in bacteria susceptible species.

In March 2020, the United Kingdom adopted additional phytosanitary passport measures for some species sensitive to Xylella bacteria, appealing to Article 52 of Regulation 2016/2031, which states that member states can adopt interim measures to prevent the entry and reproduction of plant pests. Or disease on its territory. However, the European Commission agreed to cancel these measures, which came into effect on April 21, based on the same article, considering them disproportionate or insufficiently justified, according to phytoma.com.

Now, outside the European Union, the United Kingdom has announced the implementation of these new measures, As of March 4th. Thus, it bans the import of Polygala myrtifolia and coffee plants in the countries where the pest is found, and tightens the import requirements for olives, almonds, lavender, oleander and even rosemary, which are not considered dangerous vegetables by the European Union.

To allow imports, the British phytosanitary authorities must be notified of the list of authorized nurseries, their facilities and at least 200 meters around them must be inspected one year before export, further samples and demands analysis, visual inspection immediately prior to export, phytosanitary treatments against disease vectors must be sealed Trees individually, among other measures. The Valencian Community anticipated this position and had already sent to the UK a list of 52 licensed nurseries, the Phytosanitary Service had prepared to comply with the new requirements.

In a letter sent to members of the International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC), Nicola Spence, Head of the UK government’s Plant Health Division, justifies the new rules and phytosanitary controls for Xylella, highlighting the UK’s concern about the possibility of xylell occurringa Reaching islands “in very dangerous hosts, such as olive trees, and plant species usually associated with buds. Long latency period for Xyla This means that without additional requirements, it can be transferred to uninfected countries through plant imports long before infection is identified. “