The EU requirements for wood packaging material and dunnage are based on the 2002 FAO International Standard for Phytosanitary Measures (ISPM) no. 15. Directive 2004/102/EC, which entered into force on 1 March 2005, requires the following measures to be taken for wood packaging material and dunnage entering the EU from all third countries (except Switzerland):
- the wood must be either heat treated or fumigated with methyl bromide, in line with ISPM15 procedures;
- the wood must be officially marked with the ISPM15 stamp;
- from January 2009, all wood packaging material imported into the EU will have to be debarked.
These requirements do not apply to:
- wood of 6mm thickness or less;
- wood packaging material made entirely from processed wood produced using glue, heat and pressure, such as plywood, oriented strand board and veneer;
- wood packaging material used in intra-Community trade.
Dunnage must meet the same criteria as wood packaging material. However, it is exempted until the end of 2007 if it is made of wood free from bark, pests and signs of live pests.
More information regarding requirements on wood packing materials
ISPM 15 Mark
Wood packaging material entering the EU should carry the ISPM15 mark, which has the universally recognisable, non-language specific IPPC logo and 3 codes (country, producer and treatment measure applied). For debarked wood, the letters "DB" should also be on the mark. The mark allows for easy verification that the wood meets the necessary requirements during inspection at the point of export or import. Markings should be legible, visible, permanent and non-transferable. The use of the mark also allows the import requirements for wood packaging material to remain a paperless system.
For packaging material which already existed before 1 March 2005, a mark consisting only of the 3 codes and without the IPPC logo will be accepted until the end of 2007.
Approval for the use of the ISPM15 mark must be obtained from the National Plant Protection Organisation or an organisation officially mandated by the NPPO.
In Thailand, Department of Agriculture, Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives (www.doa.go.th) is the competent authority to approve the use of ISPM 15.
