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<p>The UK has not been listed for export of all of the genera of plants/trees covered
by the EU High Risk Plants legislation (Regulation 2018/2019). This has meant that
since 1January 2021 these genera, which include Ligustrum, are subject to prohibitions
pending individual risk assessments conducted by the European Food Safety Authority
(EFSA).</p><p> </p><p>The UK made a case in February 2020 that a number of otherwise
prohibited items, including the tree and shrub species regarded as High Risk Plants,
should be recognized and exempt from such a prohibition through EU legislation, so
as to allow imports to continue. This case was rejected by the Commission in late
2020.</p><p> </p><p>The rejection of this request means that we are required to use
the same process for seeking listing which is followed by all non-EU countries. The
listing process involves submitting technical dossiers to EFSA for individual species
within each of the prohibited genera. Defra has been working closely with trade associations
and individual businesses on priorities for such dossiers, including certain Ligustrum
species.</p><p> </p><p>Once a dossier has been accepted by EFSA and their review commences,
based on experience to date, it is likely to take in excess of 18 months for the EU
commission to introduce new import conditions in legislation. There is no guarantee
that the outcome of a review will be that trade can commence and only a small number
of submissions made by third countries have resulted in new import conditions since
the initiation of this process in 2019.</p><p> </p><p>In June 2021, in an attempt
to speed up the listing process, we sought agreement from the EU Commission for a
more streamlined approach be applied to the assessment of dossiers submitted by the
UK to EFSA. This request was rejected and EFSA confirmed that requests from the UK
will need to follow the same process which applies to other non-EU countries.</p><p>
</p><p>Defra and Fera Science Ltd. have worked with the trade to develop a dossier
for <em>Ligustrum delavayanum</em> and this was submitted to EFSA on 03/12/21. EFSA
acknowledged receipt of the dossier in April 2022 but requested further information
be provided. We believe the request for additional information goes beyond EFSA’s
own guidelines and their approach to applications from other countries and we are
challenging their request on the basis of fairness and proportionality.</p><p> </p><p>Unfortunately,
now that the dossier is with EFSA we have no control over how long it will take them
to consider it and we are therefore unable to give an indication of when the EU commission
will make a final decision on this application. However, we will continue to press
them and to seek regular updates on progress.</p>
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