Commission adds Meloidogyne graminicola to Union quarantine pests
Imports and intra-EU movements of rice plants for planting are restricted to consignments proven pest-free by registered production-site or area status and official inspection, with non-compliant consignments prohibited from introduction or movement
Change
On 3 July 2026, the European Commission adopted Implementing Regulation (EU) 2026/1433 adding Meloidogyne graminicola to Part B of Annex II and inserting specific phytosanitary requirements for plants for planting of Oryza sativa into Annexes VII and VIII to Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/2072; the Regulation enters into force 20 days after publication.
Why it matters
The Regulation requires that plants for planting of Oryza sativa grown in soil originate only from a pest-free country, area or a registered and supervised pest-free production site that has been officially inspected at the most appropriate time during the last complete cycle of vegetation and, where applicable, in a 100 m surrounding zone. Movement within the Union from buffer zones into the rest of the territory is allowable only when equivalent pest-free production-site conditions and inspections are documented on the phytosanitary certificate; consignments lacking those documents cannot be introduced or moved.
Implications
- — Importers of plants for planting (Oryza sativa) into the EU must accept only consignments accompanied by a phytosanitary certificate proving origin in a pest-free country/area or a registered, supervised and officially inspected pest-free production site (including required surrounding-zone inspection) — consignments without that certificate must be refused entry.
- — National plant protection organisations (competent authorities) in Member States must register and supervise pest-free production sites and perform the official inspections at the most appropriate time for the last complete cycle of vegetation (including verification of the 100 m surrounding zone where required) or those sites will not qualify to certify exports to the Union.
- — Plant movement authorities and operators moving rice plants within the Union must allow movements from buffer zones only when the origin production site is established as free from the pest and has been officially inspected and found free during the last complete cycle prior to movement; movements missing that evidence must be prevented.
Who is affected
- — Importers of plants for planting (Oryza sativa) into the EU
- — National plant protection organisations (competent authorities) in Member States
- — Plant movement authorities and operators moving rice plants within the Union
What to watch
- — Effective: on the twentieth day after publication in the Official Journal (published 6 July 2026) — the Annex II, VII and VIII amendments become applicable, bringing the import and intra-EU movement certification requirements for Oryza sativa plants for planting into force.