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<p>Keeping our plants and trees healthy is important for our economy, the environment
and our health, and our robust approach to protecting against plant health threats
involves close collaboration with international partners. This will continue to be
the case after we leave the European Union.</p><p> </p><p>Restrictions on the movement
of high-risk host plants from the affected areas in the EU are already in place and
full inspections take place on host plants from outside the EU. We are now pressing
at an EU level for the protections against <em>Xylella fastidiosa </em>to be further
strengthened and will continue to keep this issue under review nationally.</p><p>
</p><p>Due to the rules of the Single Market, it is currently simpler for the UK to
impose restrictions on the import of plants from outside the EU than it is on plants
from within the EU where there is a threat to the UK. Within the EU, restrictions
are decided at EU level, but outside the EU they can be decided at national level.</p><p>
</p><p>Leaving the EU therefore provides an opportunity to examine how we can introduce
stricter biosecurity measures on imports from remaining Member States, providing better
protection against these serious threats.</p>
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