|
|
|
|
Surveillance and Inspectorate Unit
The aims and objectives of the Inspectorate and Surveillance Unit (Plant Quarantine) are: 1. Preventing the entry of harmful organisms through examining imported consignments from third countries through identity and physical checks, and accompanying documentation. 2. Monitoring and surveillance of a. intra-trade EU commodities (plant and plant products) and b. Local production of plants and plant products (surveys regards EU obligations, plant passports, etc..) to maintain the plant health status of Malta. This unit also helps traders and local producers obtain export certification and facilitate export of their produce.
The role of the Inspectorate and Surveillance Unit, as regards interception and routine sampling of plants and plant products, is basically the stepping-stone to diagnostic investigations in the virological, bacteriological, mycological and entomological fields.
The Inspectorate and Surveillance Unit (Plant Quarantine) in collaboration with available diagnostic facilities, is expected to promote quality phytosanitary standards and boost agricultural trade in and out of Malta.
Responsibilities
This unit is made up of professional officers including Scientific Officers, Agricultural Officers and Inspectors. The main duties and responsibilities under this unit are:
1. To maintain a Phytosanitary certification system for exported agricultural commodities.
2. To provide technical expertise to government, industry, and foreign officials, on interpreting the intent, scope and applicability of plant health requirements for agricultural commodities imported into the country or exported to foreign trading partners.
3. To maintain the importation procedures including fees and administrative work, including documentation and record keeping.
4. To develop the regulatory work plans that serve as the technical basis for regulations allowing importation of plant and plant products.
5. To ensure that each entry point is under surveillance to prevent the entry of harmful organisms.
7. To arrange for the identification of intercepted pests and diseases.
8. To inspect plants and plant products for any suspicious containment of harmful organisms.
9. To undertake plant quarantine clearance of imported goods which have met plant quarantine requirements.
10. To assist and supervise the proper and safe disposal of uncertified infected or infested plants or plant products.
11. To inspect places where plants are being grown or stored.
12. To maintain good public relations with importers and producers.
Pytosanitary Certificates
For imported consignments, the phytosanitary certificate may be received in English or any European language, in capital letters or entirely in typescript (except in stamp/signature cases) and filled in English. The inspectorate insists on the botanical names of the plant and plant products on the phytosanitary certificate. Uncertified alterations or erasures invalidate the certificate. Copies of the certificate should be marked “copy” or “duplicate” – printed or stamped thereon. This goes in accordance with Council Directive 2000/29/EC article 7(1). The inspectorate also insists that plants, plant products and other objects comply with special provisions and special requirements, such as stripping of the bark in the case of wood (Council Directive 2000/29/EC Annex IV, A).
The plant quarantine inspectorate issues two types of certificates. Export Phytosanitary Certificate and the Reforwarding Phytosanitary Certificate. The Export Certificate is used to certify approved processed products, affirming that, based on inspection or processing, the product is believed to be free from harmful organisms. A Reforwarding Phytosanitary Certificate or a Phytosanitary Certificate for Re-Export is based on the original foreign phytosanitary certificate and / or an additional inspection, the plants or plant products officially entered Malta, are considered to conform to the current phytosanitary regulations of the importing country, and have not been subjected to the risk of infestation of infection during storage in Malta. If more than one certificate has been issued the latest phytosanitary certificate or a certified copy thereof and the latest reforwarding phytosanitary certificate is supplied according to Council Directive 2000/29/EC article 8(3). A phytosanitary certificate issued by the plant quarantine inspectorate accompanies each consignment and is valid for a period of 14 days before leaving Malta, according to Council Directive 2000/29/EC article 7(2).
Plant Passports
The movement of trade within the Community is regulate from a Plant Health point of view by means of the issuing of a plant passport. Contrary to the Phytosanitary Certificate the plant passport is emitted by the producer or trader. Such a producer or trader must first be registered with the Plant Health Department and then must be authorised to issue plant passports. Plant passports were introduced in the Community upon the creation of the Single Market and were then regulated by Council Directive 92/105/EC. The issue of a plant passport is nowadays regulated primarily by Council Directive 2000/29/EC that has been transposed in our national legislation by Legal Notice 97 of 2004. Each person or firm authorised to issue plant passports is regularly monitored by the plant quarantine inspectorate.
Interceptions
When a consignment of plants and plant products is suspected to be contaminated with a harmful organism, it is checked thoroughly to determine whether the whole consignment should be prohibited. This goes in accordance with Council Directive 2000/29/EC Article 12(2).
Samples are sent to the laboratory for further analysis. These are taken randomly from different areas of the consignment to represent the whole consignment, with priorities given to the plant material stated. The samples are immediately labelled and sent to the diagnostic laboratory in question. Currently the labels are hand written and no official label exists. An official label is being prepared. In case of fungi, nematodes and arthropods, the samples are sent to the Agricultural Research and Development Centre, Għammieri, Marsa, while bacterial, viral or viroid cases are sent to the Plant Biotechnology Laboratory, Lija.
Registration System
This is of major priority for the harmonisation of the local system with the EU. Registration of commercial producers and traders is essential. Information required includes importer’s name, plants or plant material, type and quality of premises, foreign distributer/s and so on. Producers and traders are also given information leaflets on their obligations in relation to importation, exportation and movement of plants. Surveys are being planned to cover all growers. This is planned in such a way to cover all growers over a number of years. The systematic surveys would also include sampling and testing for particular pests and diseases. This is a very time-consuming task requiring personnel assigned to this issue only.
The inspections carried out on producers’ / traders’ premises would not be restricted to enforcement, but also educational. The inspectors would be in a position, provided with information leaflets and necessary manuals, to educate the producers / traders in the ways and means used (protocols) to prevent the entry of harmful organisms and how to assess the general health of their produce. The producers and traders would be made aware that the presence or entry of an unnoticed harmful organism may lead to economic damage, hence, affecting their business and more dramatically the economy of the country. The producers would be asked to give details on the procedures they follow in their agricultural practices.
Protected Zone Status
Certain areas/regions within the EU can apply for a protected zone status for certain quarantine pests already present in the EU but absent in the area proposed. A protected zone status is of an economic (commercial) benefit.
The protected zone status is obtained when visual inspections and diagnosis for latent infections/infestations prove negative for the presence of the harmful organism over the whole area. Surveys on potatoes for the Colorado beetle, Leptinotarsa decemlineata, and on citrus trees for Citrus Tristeza Virus (CTV) both for which Malta is a protected zone, are carried out annually, to determine the complete absence of these harmful organisms.
No doubt that the introduction of new crop varieties in Malta and the establishment of new cultural techniques have improved the productive and qualitative levels of crops. However, this has induced the introduction of phytopathological problems. The impact of virus and virus-like diseases on the fruit tree industry can be measured in terms of effect on their yield, productivity and quality.
This situation would become more serious if quarantine pests such as Citrus Tristeza Virus (CTV) had to be introduced and established. As from December 1999, a study was started to monitor the presence / absence of CTV in the local citrus industry. Over the past five years thousands of citrus plants were tested for CTV using serological techniques.
This virus can decrease the production drastically with significant socio-economic consequences. The Plant Health Department is taking all the necessary precautions through the Surveillance and Inspectorate Unit to stop the introduction of this and other quarantine pests and diseases. Nevertheless, annual surveys are being carried out to monitor the possible introduction of quarantine pests.
Field inspections are carried out in Malta and Gozo aimed at assessing through visual observation the sanitary status with special reference to these quarantine pests. Samples are also collected and tested in the virology laboratory, using the state-of-the art infrastructures and equipment at the PBC. All the surveys are being carried out in accordance to EU Directives, namely Council Directive 2000/29/EC as Malta is declared as a "Protected Zone" for these quarantine organisms.
Guide to Marketing Requirements and Plant Passports
Plant Health Guidelines for Importers and traders
|
|
For further information or comments please click here |
