Enforcement, effectiveness, costs, and benefits of the phytosanitary measures relating to imports into the EU: the Phytosanitary Certificate case

This report constitutes a technical analysis of the responses to the phytosanitary certificate (PC) questionnaire concerning import measures under the new Plant health Legislation as provided by several stakeholders. The questionnaire - sent in February 2021 - was answered by 126 respondents including National Plant Protection Organizations (NPPOs), certification Competent Authorities, operators, associations, and the general public in 24 different EU Member States, and NPPOs in 24 different non-EU countries. This report is an analysis of policy aspects related to the effectiveness and enforcement of the import measures addressed in the questionnaire, carried out by DG SANTE, and a cost benefit analysis of those measures carried out by the JRC. Results show the stakeholders’ views on the costs and benefits of the extension of the PC requirement to cover newly regulated commodities [Regulation (EU) 2019/2072]. The results also include the evaluation of other relevant policy aspects and alternatives as perceived by the stakeholders – the possibility of PC exemption for more commodities, the possibility of using the CHED-PP (Common Health Entry Document-Plant Products) for the newly regulated commodities, the electronic certification, and the certification use in e-commerce. This report is one of four reports drafted for the preparation of the report to the European Parliament and to the Council according to the legislative obligation of the Commission laid down in Article 50 of the Plant Health Regulation (EC 2016/2031).