Introduction to PM 3 Standards on Phytosanitary procedures

EPPO Standards are approved by the EPPO Council. The date of approval appears in each individual Standard. In the terms of Article II of the IPPC, EPPO Standards are Regional Standards for the members of EPPO.

EPPO Standards are subject to periodic review and amendment. The next review date for this set of EPPO Standards is decided by the EPPO Working Party on Phytosanitary Regulations.

Amendments will be issued as necessary, numbered and dated. The dates of amendment appear in each individual Standard (as appropriate).

EPPO Phytosanitary Procedures are intended to be used by NPPOs in their capacity as bodies responsible for the inspection and testing of plants and plant products moving in trade, or for the implementation of surveys against quarantine pests.

These definitions are extracted from the Glossary of phytosanitary terms (IPPC, 2024):

Inspection: Official visual examination of plants, plant products or other regulated articles to determine if pests are present and/or to determine compliance with phytosanitary regulations.

Monitoring: An official ongoing process to verify phytosanitary situations.

Phytosanitary procedure: Any official method for implementing phytosanitary measures, including the performance of inspections, tests, surveillance or treatments in connection with regulated pests.

Survey (of pests): An official procedure conducted over a defined period to determine the presence or absence of pests, or the boundaries or characteristics of a pest population, in an area, place of production or production site.

Test: Official examination of plants, plant products or other regulated articles, other than visual, to determine if pests are present, identify pests or determine compliance with specific phytosanitary requirements.

EPPO Standards on phytosanitary procedures describe the methods to be followed for performing inspections or tests of commodities moving in trade, or surveys against quarantine pests.

Methods to be followed for performing treatments of commodities and treatments of crops for containment or eradication of regulated pests are included in series PM10.

EPPO Standards on phytosanitary procedures arise from the programmes of activity of the EPPO Panels on Phytosanitary Measures, on Phytosanitary Measures for Potato, and on Phytosanitary Procedures.

The full list of phytosanitary procedures Standards (Series PM3) is available at https://www.eppo.int/RESOURCES/eppo_standards/pm3_procedures with direct links to the Standards in the EPPO Bulletin.

This issue of the EPPO Bulletin includes one new Standard on phytosanitary procedures; PM 3/94(1) Inspection of places of production- Citrus plants for planting.