Bringing in or ordering plants and plant products to Sweden as a private individual
To protect plants from various threats, there are rules that apply when you are moving or ordering plants and plant products, both within the EU as well as to and from the EU. The plant health rules are intended to prevent the spread of plant pests. This includes e.g. insects, bacteria, virus and fungi. To protect endangered species, there are rules that limit how you may trade with those species. There are also rules that apply to so-called invasive alien species.
Buying or moving plants and plant products within the EU
When you are buying or moving plants or plant products for personal use within the EU, you do not need a certificate showing that they are healthy. This works the same way as when you move or buy plants within Sweden. You should still always be attentive to the health of the plants and plant products which you wish to bring into Sweden. Even if there are not always requirements that you obtain any particular document, or that some authority should carry out a check, it is always prohibited to spread so-called quarantine pests. Quarantine pests are plant pests which are not established within the EU, or are present only to a limited degree, and which may have unacceptable social, environmental, or financial consequences if they do spread.
You need to be attentive to local information, as there are certain areas of the EU where there are ongoing outbreaks of quarantine pests. Follow the instructions of local authorities to mitigate the risk that you will bring quarantine pests with you home.
The Canary Islands belong to the European Union, but in the context of plant health, the Canary Islands are considered outside the EU. This means that if you want to bring plants or plant products from the Canary Islands, you will need to follow the same rules as when trading with a country outside the EU.
Norway is considered the same as any other country outside the EU, as plant health is not part of the EEA treaty.
There are also rules that apply to protect endangered plants and rules to prevent invasive alien species from spreading.
- Endangered plants and products thereof – CITES – in Swedish
- Do not spread invasive alien species (naturvardsverket.se)
Bringing or ordering plants and plant products from countries outside the EU
Certain plants and plant products may not be brought into Sweden
Some plants and plant products may not be brought into Sweden at all if they come from countries outside the EU, because there is a considerable risk that quarantine pests will spread. The same rules apply to the whole EU.
The import ban applies to for example plants of many conifers, citrus plants and seed potatoes.
There are also some import bans on fruits, vegetables and seeds. In some cases, the ban is contingent on the country from which the product is coming.
Please note that the United Kingdom is no longer in the EU.
Plants and many plant products must have phytosanitary certificates
This video summarises the risks of plant pests and what applies when you are bringing plants, including fruit, vegetables and cut flowers, from countries outside the EU.
The main rule is that all plants and many plant products shall have a phytosanitary certificate when they come from a country outside the EU, except Switzerland, Liechtenstein, and Northern Ireland.
A phytosanitary certificate is a document issued by the plant protection organisation in the country of origin, after they have inspected the plants or the plant products. The phytosanitary certificate certifies that the plants or plant products meet EU requirements on the absence of plant pests. Phytosanitary certificate is called sundhetscertifikat in Swedish, often abbreviated PC. You will likely need to pay a fee to obtain the certificate.
The requirements for a phytosanitary certificate apply to
- any plant for planting, including all seed intended for sowing
- all living parts of plants, that is, fresh fruit, vegetables, cut flowers, and other living parts of plants, except fresh fruits of pineapple, banana, coconut, dates, and durian
- grain of wheat, rye and triticale from certain countries
- wood and bark from certain tree species from certain countries (does not apply to finished wood products, such as furniture or ornamental items)
- used agricultural and forestry machinery.
The Swedish Board of Agriculture will carry out a plant health check at the border
All plants for planting, including many seeds, must be checked at a border control post in Sweden, or in the first EU country to which they arrive.
These goods must be notified for plant health checks at a border control post
- All plants for plantings except seeds intending for sowing.
- The seeds intended for sowing which are listed in Regulation (EU) 2019/2072 Annex XI part A.
- Seeds intended for sowing of Castanea spp. from all third countries and of Pinus spp. and Pseudotsuga menziesii from non-European third countries.
- The plants, i.e. fresh fruit, vegetables, cut flowers and other living and plant products, which are listed in Regulation (EU) 2019/2072 Annex XI part A.
- The grain subject to requirement of a phytosanitary certificate.
- Such wood and bark subject to the requirement of a phytosanitary certificate.
- Such operated agricultural and forestry machinery subject to the requirement of a phytosanitary certificate.
In Sweden, the checks are carried out by the Swedish Board of Agriculture. We are to check the goods even if they are sent by mail or some other method of freight.
Contact the import and export control unit to request the form which you need to fill in for the check. The check costs SEK 1,000.
Plants and plant products which do not require a phytosanitary certificate
There are no rules for phytosanitary certificates, plant protection checks or plant protection fees when you, as a private individual, bring or order the following plants or plant products for your own use:
- fresh fruits of pineapple, banana, dates, durian or coconut
- dried seeds which are not intended for sowing, such as popcorn, beans and rice (phytosanitary certificates are, however, required for wheat, rye, and triticale from certain countries)
- other dried products such as dried fruit, coffee, tea, spices and similar products
- frozen fruit, vegetables, and other parts of plants
- processed products such as juice, jam, preserves, biscuits, and similar products
- furniture and ornamental items which are produced from wood.
Bring or send plants or plant products to countries outside the EU
The requirements that apply to plants and plant products are determined by the authorities in the country to which you are moving the products. You may be required, for example, to have a phytosanitary certificate. The plant protection organisation in the recipient country can provide information about the import requirements that apply.
Phytosanitary certificates are issued by the Swedish Board of Agriculture. When you know which import requirements apply, you shall contact our import and export control unit. To be able to issue phytosanitary certificates, we may need to carry out an export check on site. We may also need to conduct laboratory analyses. You can read more about how these checks are carried out and what the costs will be on our page about phytosanitary certificates and other measures against pests.
Rules to protect endangered plants
Many plants and tropical wood species are endangered as a consequence of extensive trade. The global community has come to agreements to limit the trade in these species in order to protect them and promote biodiversity. The agreement is called CITES.
When trading with these species within the EU, the main rule is that they must have a legal background. Some species must also have a so-called CITES certificate when being traded within the EU.
Some species require a CITES permit to be brought into the EU, and the import of some species into the EU is banned altogether.
Questions and answers
What counts as plants and plant products?
You can see here what counts as plants and plant species in the plant protection regulations:
- Plants refer to living plants and living parts of plants. Living parts of plants include for example fresh fruit, vegetables and cut flowers. Seed used for sowing is also included.
- Plants for planting are for example whole plants, cuttings, planting bulbs, tubers, rhizomes, and scions. Seed used for sowing also counts as plants for planting.
- Plant products are materials from plants. They may for example be dried, frozen or preserved plant parts, seed not used for sowing and wood.
Which areas in the EU do not count as part of the EU when it comes to plant health rules?
The Canary Islands, Ceuta, Melilla, Guadeloupe, French Guyana, Martinique, Mayotte, Réunion, Saint-Barthémely and Saint-Martin count as countries outside the EU when it comes to plant health rules. If you are bringing plants and plant products from any of these areas, you must therefore follow the rules that apply to countries outside the EU.
Which countries outside the EU are subject to the same plant health rules as other EU Member States?
Switzerland and Liechtenstein have special agreements with the EU which mean that they are subject to the same plant health rules as within the EU.
The United Kingdom has left the EU. However, there is a special agreement to the effect that Northern Ireland complies with the same plant health rules as the EU. England, Scotland, and Wales are not part of that agreement, and thus count as countries outside the EU.
What is the status of the United Kingdom when it comes to plant health rules?
The United Kingdom has left the EU. However, there is a special agreement to the effect that Northern Ireland complies with the same plant health rules as the EU. England, Scotland, and Wales are not part of that agreement, and thus count as countries outside the EU.
What is the status of Norway when it comes to plant health rules?
Norway is considered the same as any other country outside the EU, as plant health is not part of the EEA treaty.
