EU Phytosanitary Correction 2026: what importers and nurseries must review

Key data

Importers and professional operators of plant material are facing a regulatory change that can directly affect their border operations. The correction of the Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/2072, published on 24 July 2026 in the EU Official Journal, rectifies the uniform conditions governing European phytosanitary measures against harmful organisms for plants.

This regulation is the reference standard for any company that imports, exports or markets plant material within and outside the EU. A correction in its annexes can change which pests are regulated, which countries of origin are subject to additional controls and what requirements each consignment must meet before crossing the EU border.

What does this regulation establish?

The Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/2072 establishes the uniform conditions for applying EU phytosanitary measures, in implementation of Regulation (EU) 2016/2031 of the European Parliament and of the Council. Its main function is to define:

• The lists of regulated pests (harmful organisms whose introduction or spread in the EU is prohibited or subject to control).
• The import requirements applicable to plants and plant products from third countries.
• The conditions for introduction of plant material into the EU territory, including phytosanitary documentation and border controls.

The correction published in July 2026 rectifies errors or updates in the original text published in OJ L 319 of 10 December 2019. According to available information, this rectification may modify:

The corrected regulation repealed Commission Regulation (EC) No 690/2008 and amended Implementing Regulation (EU) 2018/2019, consolidating the current European phytosanitary framework.

Economic and operational impact

The economic impact of this correction depends on which specific annexes have been modified, information that operators must verify directly in the published text. However, the potential operational consequences are clear and can be very costly:

• Retention of goods at the border: If an imported plant product does not meet the new phytosanitary requirements, customs authorities may retain it until compliance is demonstrated or, in the worst case, order its destruction.
• Destruction of consignments: Non-compliance with the conditions of introduction may result in the destruction of the goods, with total loss of the value of the consignment and associated transport costs.
• Review of suppliers and countries of origin: If the correction affects usual countries of origin, the operator may be forced to seek alternative suppliers or obtain new phytosanitary documentation.
• Additional certification costs: New requirements may involve obtaining additional phytosanitary certificates at origin, with the associated cost and time.

Who does it affect?

• Importers of plant material that introduce plants, plant products or plant reproduction material into the EU from third countries.
• Exporters that send plant material from the EU to third countries and must comply with phytosanitary certification requirements.
• Professional operators in the agricultural sector: farmers, cooperatives and agri-food companies that work with regulated plant material.
• Nurseries and plant traders that import or market plants, cuttings, seeds or other plant reproduction material.
• Customs agents and freight forwarders that manage the clearance of plant material consignments at the border.

Practical example

A Spanish nursery that regularly imports ornamental plants from a third country (for example, from a regular supplier in Asia or Latin America) must verify whether the corrected annexes of Regulation (EU) 2019/2072 affect any of the species it imports or the country of origin of its suppliers.

If the correction introduces a new regulated pest associated with that plant species or country of origin, the nursery will have to require its supplier to provide an updated phytosanitary certificate certifying the absence of that pest before the consignment reaches the EU border. If the consignment arrives without that documentation, the border inspection point may retain it or, in serious cases, order its destruction, with the total economic loss that this implies for the importer.

Preventive action—reviewing the updated annexes before the next order—can avoid losses that in a medium-sized consignment of ornamental plants can amount to several thousand euros.

What should companies do now?

1. Access the full text of the correction published in the EU Official Journal (OJ L, 24 July 2026) and identify exactly which annexes of Regulation (EU) 2019/2072 have been modified.
2. Review the updated lists of regulated pests to check whether any of the new or modified pests affect the plant species or products that you regularly import or market.
3. Verify the usual countries of origin to determine whether the changes in import requirements affect current suppliers or established supply routes.
4. Communicate the changes to suppliers at origin so they can prepare updated phytosanitary documentation (certificates, pest absence declarations) before the next shipment.
5. Inform your customs agent or freight forwarder of the new requirements applicable to the affected consignments to avoid retention at the border.
6. Consult with a specialist advisor in phytosanitary regulations if there are doubts about the interpretation of the annexes or about the requirements applicable to specific products or countries of origin.

Official source

Consult the full regulation at the official source

Notice: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. For specific decisions, consult a qualified professional. Source: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/./legal-content/AUTO/?uri=OJ:L_202690626