*P/5668097*
MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE
Directorate of Food Safety and Phytosanitary Policy
GUIDELINES ON THE STANDARD
PROCEDURE OF EXCHANGING
INFORMATION IN THE CASE OF FINDING OF
A HARMFUL ORGANISM ON PLANTS AND
PLANT PRODUCTS
Zagreb, March, 2013
A) PURPOSE OF THE GUIDELINES
The main purpose of this guidelines is to describe procedure of exchanging information between plant
health providers (hereinafter: providers) in case of suspicion on the occurrence or finding of a harmful
organism (HO). This guidelines allows the uniform working procedure of all providers. They are
obligated to exchange information on suspected occurrence and finding of a HO between each other in
a timely manner. The purpose of exchanging information in a timely manner is to take appropriate
measures to prevent the introduction, spread or eradication of a HO.
B) SPECIFIC SCOPE
This guidelines applies in the plant health area regulated by the Plant Health Act (hereinafter: Act) (OJ
75/05 and 55/11), with aim to protect plants and plant products in the agriculture, forestry, trade and
environment from significant economic losses which HO’s may cause. This Act includes procedures
for collecting information about HO’s, as well as the responsibilities and obligations of providers
related to procedures of collecting and exchanging the information.
Guidelines is applied in the case of finding of a HO that can cause significant economic losses in
agriculture, forestry and the environment on the territory of the Republic of Croatia where the HO had
not been present or is already present and it is not widespread.
C) PROVIDERS AND THEIR RESPONSIBILITIES AND OBLIGATIONS
According to the Act all providers are obligated to conduct a constant surveillance. Constant
surveillance is the official process of collecting and recording data about the presence or absence of
HO’s based on phytosanitary examination, monitoring, systematic research and implementation of
other procedures related to phytosanitary surveillance and collecting data from other available sources.
Providers are obligated to cooperate with each other and share collected data about new and unusual
occurrence of a HO in a way explained in Section D of this Guidelines.
According to Article 4 of Act providers are:
1. Responsible Official Body (ROB) conducts constant surveillance based on data obtained from
other providers and aligns their work, based on exchanging data with authorities in other countries,
regional and international organizations and data collected from other available sources. Keep records
about the findings of HO’s, exchanges data on that and provides information to the competent
authorities of other countries, regional and international organizations in accordance with the
requirement based on International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC). Collected data on the
presence of a HO allow assessment of the phytosanitary situation in the Republic of Croatia and
beyond, assessing the degree of risk of introduction and spread of a HO as the basis for the adoption of
regulations and other phytosanitary measures to prevent the introduction, control or eradication of a
HO.
2. Phytosanitary Inspection (PI) collects data about presence or absence of HO by conducting
monitoring, phytosanitary examination during introduction of consignments from third countries,
export of consignments and movement, conducting of constant surveillance, inspections of
production, processing and market, collecting the results of laboratory analysis and data from
other relevant sources.
MA – DFSPP – SPP – Guidelines on the standard procedure of exchanging information in the case of finding
of a harmful organism on plants and plant products – March 2013
3. Forestry Inspection (FI) collects data conducting the monitoring, special surveillance of a HO,
inspection surveillance of forest plants, collecting the results of laboratory analysis and data from
other relevant sources.
4. Croatian Centre for Agriculture Food and Rural Affairs - Institute for Plant Protection (IPP)
collects data conducting monitoring, special surveillance, forecasting and reporting activities,
diagnostics and collecting information from other relevant sources.
5. Croatian Forest Research Institute (CFRI) collects data conducting the monitoring,
phytosanitary examination in relation to the movement, special surveillance, forecasting and reporting
activities, diagnostics and collecting information from other relevant sources.
6. Legal and natural persons providing services to implement plant health procedures including
service providers according to the Article 37 of Act on Plant Protection Products (OJ 70/05).
D) EXCHANGING DATA ABOUT A HO’S
1. Method of sending data: The data has to be send by fax or e-mail.
2. Data content:
- the place of examination (plant owner, address, contact number, e-mail address); in the case of
imported consignment specified point of entry, the name and address of the exporter, the name and
address of the importer,
- date of examination, type of examination (special surveillance, phytosanitary examination at the
point of entry or at the owner, monitoring…),
- type of HO,
- host (plants, plant product),
- host origin,
- amount of infected plants or plant products or projected area of crops/plantation where the
infection is occurred.
Phytosanitary and forestry inspector sends data by sending minute of examination and/or the decision
on ordered measures.
Diagnostic laboratory sends the results of analysis to the competent inspector and ROB on the
prescribed forms.
3. Sequence of actions
3.1. Each of these providers has to send notification to ROB and regional phytosanitary inspection
unit immediately after finding signs that lead to suspicion about the occurrence of a HO during the
official procedures. When it comes to forest HO providers has to send information to ROB and CFRI
according to Act and regulations regulating forestry area.
3.2. If ROB receives information about the suspected occurrence of a HO, Sector of Phytosanitary
Inspection and Sector of Phytosanitary Policy immediately exchanges received information. Sector of
Phytosanitary Inspection sends data to the relevant regional office of Phytosanitary Inspection. When
it comes to HO that affects forests, ROB exchanges data with the Directorate of Forestry and Hunting.
3.3. Authorized inspector takes a sample and sends it to the diagnostic laboratory (IPP or CFRI) to
laboratory analysis, orders appropriate measures and sends report about that to the ROB.
3.4. Laboratory sends information about the results of analysis to responsible inspection and ROB.
MA – DFSPP – SPP – Guidelines on the standard procedure of exchanging information in the case of finding
of a harmful organism on plants and plant products – March 2013
3.5. When the result of the analysis is negative, inspector recalls temporary measures and notifies
owner about results of the analysis and the abolition of measures, and sends the information to the
ROB.
3.6. When the result of the analysis is positive, inspector notifies owner, orders him regulated
measures and sends information about measures to the ROB.
3.7. ROB sends a notification about findings and actions that has been taken to:
- all relevant providers,
- neighbouring countries,
- country of origin of the consignment in which the HO has been found, in case when HO is found
in the imported consignment,
- contact person for EPPO,
- contact person for IPPC,
- each member state of the listed organizations to its inquiry.
3.8. When phytosanitary inspectors at the point of entry intercepts the consignment because of
suspicion on contamination or when the contamination is confirmed, inspector notifies the ROB and
other points of entry.
3.9. When phytosanitary inspector intercepts the consignment from third country and laboratory
analysis confirms that the consignment is contaminated with HO, inspector notifies the ROB and all
posts according to procedures prescribed by Manual for phytosanitary inspectors.
3.10. ROB keeps a record of the findings of a HO that contains information in accordance with
International Standards for phytosanitary measures no. 17 - Reporting on the harmful organisms:
- botanical name of a HO
- date on the reports of findings
- name of the institution that has determined HO,
- location of finding,
- host plant species,
- description of symptoms and photos,
- description of a HO and photo,
- spread of a HO.
KLASA: 320-20/13-01/48
URBROJ: 525-09/1087-13-2
Zagreb, 26. ožujka 2013. godine
MA – DFSPP – SPP – Guidelines on the standard procedure of exchanging information in the case of finding
of a harmful organism on plants and plant products – March 2013
E)
ILLUSTRATION OF DATA EXCHANGE
Sector of
Phytosanitary
Inspection
Sector of
Phytosanitary
Policy
Sector of Inspections
in Forestry
Sector of Forestry and
Hunting
Phytosanitary Inspection or
Forestry Institut – sampling,
ordering temporary measures
Owner - implements
temporary measures
Diagnostic laboratory Plant
Health or Croatian Forest
Research Institute determination
Finding
Finding
Owner - informed
about finding and
recalling the measures
Directorate of Forestry, Hunting and Wood
Industry
Responsible Official Body
Provider – suspects on
infection with HO
+
Contact person for EPPO, IPPC
_
Phytosanitary
Inspections or
Forestry Institute
recalls temporary
measures
Phytosanitary
Inspections or Forestry
Institute orders further
implementation of
measures
Owner conducts
further measures
osobe
NPPO of the relevant country
Evidence
about the
HO
Relevant providers
Responsible Official Body
Sector of
Phytosanitary
Inspection
Sector of
Phytosanitary
Policy
Directorate of Forestry, Hunting and Wood
Industry
Sector of Inspections
in Forestry
Sector of Forestry and
Hunting