The Plant Health (Wood and Bark) (Amendment) Order (Northern Ireland) 2001

Explanatory Note

(This note is not part of the Order.)

This Order implements Commission Decision 2001/219/EC of 12th March 2001 (O.J. No. L81, 21.3.2001, p. 39) on temporary emergency measures in respect of wood packing comprised in whole or in part of non-manufactured coniferous wood originating in Canada, China, Japan and the United States of America. The Decision requires measures to be taken to protect the European Community against the pest Bursaphelenchus xylophilus (Steiner et Bührer) Nickle et al., the pine wood nematode.

This Order amends the Plant Health (Wood and Bark) Order (Northern Ireland) 1993 (“the Order”) by creating additional items and conditions of landing under Schedule 4, Part A, Section 1. It prohibits the landing in Northern Ireland of certain wood packing material originating in Canada, China, Japan and the United States of America and despatched to the European Community after 30th September 2001 which does not comply with certain treatment and stamping requirements (Article 2(7)(c)). Such material originating in China must be accompanied by a phytosanitary certificate (Article 2(3)). Wood packing material made from wood which is manufactured by a process involving glue, or heat combined with pressure, is not subject to the requirements of this Order. The Order makes consequential amendments to the definition of “dunnage” (Article 2(2)(a)), “wood” (Article 2(2)(b)) and to other parts of Schedule 4, Part A of the Order (Article 2(7)(a) and (b)).

This Order also imposes a requirement on importers landing wood packing material from any part of China to retain the phytosanitary certificate accompanying the material for a period of one year after the date of landing, and to produce the certificate to an inspector authorised by the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development immediately on request (Article 2(4) and (5)).