Labels plant passport: the new European phytosanitary discipline
The plant passport: visible and long-lasting label to accompany plants in their movements
The new European regulation, which entered into force on 14 December 2019, has amended the current regulatory framework for the plant protection sector by identifying commitments and obligations for each entity involved in the new management, from the Central Phytosanitary Service to end users.
All professional nursery operators must be registered in the RUOP, or the official register of professional operators. Registration with the RUOP is the basic requirement to be able to carry out their activities, but not enough: in order to be able to move the plants from the implant and the herbals that require it, the authorization to issue the plant passport is also necessary.
he operator registered with the RUOP who is authorised by the Regional Plant Health Service to issue plant passports is defined as an authorised operator. The nurseryman is therefore a professional operator, registered in the RUOP and authorised by the competent authority to issue plant passports.
A nursery producer must issue a passport for all plants that he moves to other professional operators.
The plant passport for travel within the territory of the European Union consists of five elements:
• The words 'Plant Passport' in Italian and English
• The flag of the European Union, printed in color or black and white
• The letter A, followed by the botanical name of the species and optionally the name of the variety
• The letter B, followed by the RUOP code of the operator issuing the passport
• The letter C, followed by the traceability code identifying a batch of plants
• The letter D, followed by the name of the third country of origin of the plant or the two-letter code of the member state of the union of origin
There are also two types of passport: normal passport and passport for protected areas that has the same structure but with some variations.
The plant passport shall consist of a separate label, made on any media suitable for printing, provided that it is clearly distinguishable from any other information. The rule does not provide for minimum passport size but must be easily visible and legible, unalterable and durable.
The plant passport must be issued every time the plants are moved, or when they are marketed, except for movements between sites of the same farm placed a short distance or when they are given to an end user.
The passport must be affixed to the unit of sale of the plants, whether it is a single plant or a group of plants homogeneous in its composition, its origin and other elements.
Agraria Checchi has a thermal transfer printer that allows us to create custom labels on request to meet the needs of our customers.
For more information on the plant passport and how to make Contact us.
