BRUSSELS (ChatnewsTV) — The Council of the European Union has today adopted a targeted revision of the EU plant health law, enhancing efforts to protect plants from harmful pests, ensuring safer plant imports, and simplifying regulatory procedures.
“This regulation will ensure a continued high level of plant health protection throughout the EU and protect us from phytosanitary threats,” said István Nagy, Hungary’s Minister for Agriculture.
“The revision also cuts red tape and streamlines the existing rules, which will benefit both national authorities and operators in the sector.”
Key changes in the revised law include the establishment of a Union plant health emergency team. This group, made up of plant health experts, will provide rapid assistance in the event of pest outbreaks within the EU and offer support to neighboring non-EU countries to prevent pest entry. The creation of the emergency team is aimed at improving the EU’s ability to respond swiftly to emerging threats.
The new regulation also addresses administrative burdens, extending the duration of multiannual survey programs from five to ten years. These surveys, which monitor plant health across the EU, will now be reviewed and updated when necessary to ensure timely pest detection and response. Increased digitalisation is expected to streamline processes for both operators and national authorities.
The revised regulation is now set to be signed and published in the Official Journal of the EU, with enforcement scheduled to begin 20 days after its publication.
The law is part of the EU’s broader effort to safeguard against the spread of plant pests, including those classified as ‘Union quarantine pests’—threats that could harm EU agriculture. The legislation has been in place since 2019 and now enters its updated phase, following a proposal submitted by the European Commission in October 2023 and a final agreement between the Council and European Parliament in March 2024.
