Pre-export certificate for the transport of plants and plant products within the European Union prior to their export to a third country
Last update
If you are sending plants or plant products to a third country via another Member State of the European Union, a pre-export certificate is necessary for transporting plants and plant products through another EU Member State with the objective of exporting them to a third country.
This document is issued in Luxembourg by the Administration of Agricultural Technical Services (Administration des Services Techniques de l'Agriculture - ASTA). It confirms to the other Member State's national authority for plant protection that the merchandise has gone through a phytosanitary inspection and lists the harmful organisms that were tested.
This document does not replace a phytosanitary certificate for the export or re-export issued by the Member State from which the merchandise will be exported outside the European Union.
Who is concerned
Companies that export or re-export plants, plant products or wood packaging materials originating from or transformed in Luxembourg to a third country via another Member State can request a pre-export certificate for the following products, among others:
- fruit and vegetables other than those preserved by deep freezing;
- tubers, bulbs, rhizomes;
- cut flowers;
- leaves, foliage;
- seeds;
- plants intended for planting;
- wood;
- wood packaging material or wood used to wedge or support cargo.
In order to import and export plants and plant products for the purpose of research, a business must apply for a letter of authorisation for the introduction/circulation of plants for research purposes from ASTA instead of the communication document.
In order to import and export protected plant species, the business must apply for a CITES certificate in addition to the pre-export certificate.
Prerequisites
Preliminary steps
To access the online application form, your professional eSpace must first be certified by the Administration of Agricultural Technical Services.
To have your business eSpace certified, you must attach:
- a certification from the employer specifying that the employee has power of signature and acts in the interest and on behalf of the company (scanned document in PDF format);
- a copy of the company's business permit (scanned document in PDF format).
The operator must notify his activities to ASTA's Plant Protection Service (ASTA).
Operators whose activities include the introduction, dispatch, production or/and distribution of plants or plant products must register.
Applicants must check with the authorities of the country of destination to get to know the list of harmful organisms which will be inspected by ASTA within the context of phytopathological analyses and the issue of the document.
Deadlines
The applicant must submit the application for a pre-export certificate at least 3 working days prior to the export of the products.
How to proceed
Filing an application
The exporter must send an application for a pre-export certificate to the Administration of Agricultural Technical Services (ASTA).
Conditions for denial
ASTA will deny the issuance of the document if:
- the harmful organisms indicated in the application are present in the goods;
- all the required testing has not been done;
- all the documents required are not provided;
- some documents are not compliant.
Online services and forms
Online services
Who to contact
Plant Protection Service (ASTA)
-
Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Viticulture ASTA - Plant Protection Service
- Address:
-
16, route d'Esch
L-1470
Luxembourg
Luxembourg
B.P. 1904, L-1019 Luxembourg
- Phone:
- (+352) 45 71 72 200
- Fax:
- (+352) 45 71 72 180
- Email address:
- phytopathologie@asta.etat.lu
Related procedures and links
Procedures
Links
Further information
-
Plants & plant products
on the Single Window for Logistics website
-
Seed potatoes
on the Single Window for Logistics website
Legal references
-
Règlement grand-ducal du 9 janvier 2006
fixant les mesures de protection contre l'introduction et la propagation d'organismes nuisibles aux végétaux ou aux produits végétaux
-
Règlement (UE) 2016/2031 du Parlement européen et du Conseil du 26 octobre 2016
relatif aux mesures de protection contre les organismes nuisibles aux végétaux
