The updated basic legal framework for the EU's plant health policy is now applicable

Regulation (EU) 2024/3115 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 27 November 2024 ("Regulation 2024/3115") entered into force last January 5, 2025. The purpose of this new regulation is to update the basic legal framework for the EU's plant health policy regulated by the former Regulation 2016/2031 of the European Parliament of the Council of 26 October 2016 on protective measures against pests of plants.

Regulation 2024/3115 introduces stricter rules to ensure plant health in the EU by reducing administrative burdens for both Member States and business operators.

Also, this regulation creates an EU plant health emergency team, integrated by experts specialized in plant health, to assist if there are new outbreaks of pests in the EU and to provide urgent assistance for neighboring non-EU countries in case of outbreaks in their territories. In addition to this, multiannual survey programmes will now cover a period of five to ten years instead of five to seven years.

Although most of the provisions of Regulation 2024/3115 came into force on January 5, the obligation for third countries to declare measures taken against regulated non-quarantine pests in phytosanitary certificates will be implemented from July 6, 2026.

The entry into force of this regulation entails the creation of a regulatory system capable of responding to the growing threats to plant health.