Plant Protection Act, no. 10 of 2024.

This Act, consisting of 68 sections and divided into eight parts, provides for: controlling the spread of plant pests, by preventing their entry into the territory of the country; protecting plant resources; facilitating the movement of plants and plant products within the country. The Act defines the following relevant terms: area of low pest prevalence; contamination; disinfection; disinfestation; endangered area; export; import; free circulation; germplasm, as a plant intended for use in breeding or conservation programmes; inspection; invasive alien species; standard containing general requirements for the competence of testing and calibration laboratories; packaging; pest; pest risk management; phytosanitary action; phytosanitary certificate; plant products; quarantine; regulated non-quarantine pest; risk assessment and management; soil; transshipment. Part II of the Act concerns administrative matters and focuses on: powers of the Minister; establishment and designation of functions of the National Plant Protection Organisation (NPPO), including: preventing and controlling the entry and the spread of regulated pests, including invasive alien species of agricultural concern; appointment of phytosanitary inspectors; carrying out surveillance of any growing plant, including areas under cultivation and wild flora; requiring phytosanitary action as conditions or prohibitions of import of plants and plant products and other regulated articles; disinfesting or disinfecting consignments of any plant and plant products; protecting endangered areas, and designating, maintaining and surveying pest free areas; specification of investigative powers of phytosanitary inspectors; plant protection coordination mechanisms; establishment of phytosanitary emergency fund; principles for the approval and implementation of phytosanitary measures.
Part III concerns import measures and focuses on: issuance of import permits; restrictions on importation; inspection of plant and plant products for importation; phytosanitary actions on imports; restriction of certain imports; plant quarantine stations and other facilities. Part IV focuses on export, re-export, transshipment and consignments in transit. Part V concerns control of pests and focuses on: phytosanitary control measures; declaration of regulated pests; declaration of provisional quarantine; procedure when quarantine pest is on premises; duration of quarantine notice; declaration of phytosanitary emergency; declaration of pest free area or area of low pest prevalence; duty to report pests; emergency response plans. Part VI concerns: treatment of plants, plant products or other regulated articles circulating within the Economic Union Area; phytosanitary certificate; network of Agriculture Health and Food Safety competent authorities; plant products and other regulated articles not permitted to circulate freely in the Economic Union Area. Part VII concerns enforcement measures; confiscation and disposal of plants, plant products; offences and penalties; compensation.