European forests

Conserving biodiversity through sustainable forestry management

260.000 jobs in Europe

Bringing social and economic added value to rural areas

Use more wood

Reduce CO2 emissions and tackle climate change

Building with wood

A natural, strong, durable and recyclable material

BREXIT: Wood packaging material-trade implications

02.04.2019

BREXIT: Wood packaging material-trade implications

Importing and exporting plants and plant products if the UK leaves the EU without a deal. The GUIDANCE. 

  • How to trade in plants and plant products inside and outside the EU if the UK leaves the EU in April 2019 with no deal.

Wood packaging material (WPM) moving between the UK and the rest of the EU can currently move freely without checks or controls.

WPM includes:

  • pallets
  • crates
  • boxes
  • cable drums
  • spools
  • dunnage

In the event of no deal, all WPM moving between the UK and the EU must meet ISPM15 international standards by undergoing heat treatment and marking. All WPM may be subject to official checks either upon or after entry to the EU.

Checks on WPM will continue to be carried out in the UK on a risk-targeted basis only. The plant health risk from WPM imported from the EU is not expected to change as a result of an EU exit.