What is subjected to the Phytosanitary Inspection

Pursuant to foreign trade regulations of the Republic of Serbia, the goods exported, imported, transiting or undergoing one of the customs procedures are subject to meeting phytosanitary requirements. The requirements for carrying out phytosanitary control may not result in additional restrictions of export, import or transit.

Laws and Regulations

Consignments of plants, plant products and prescribed objects, plant nutrition products and plant protection products are subject to the phytosanitary control at border crossings, pursuant to the Law on Plant Health, Law on Plant Nutrition Products and Soil Enhancers, and Law on Plant Protection Products. Lists of harmful organisms, plants, plant products and prescribed objects are provided in the Rulebook on Lists of Harmful Organisms and Lists of Plants, Plant Products and Prescribed Objects. Pursuant to the Law on Food Safety, phytosanitary inspection (within the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Water Management) controls the safety of food of plant origin and composite food – jointly with border veterinary inspection, on their importation, exportation and transit. Seeds, seedlings and planting materials are also subject to phytosanitary inspection at the border and must be accompanied by relevant documents, in line with the Law on Seeds and the Law on Planting Material of Fruit, Grapevine and Hops. 

Phytosanitary inspection of plants, plant products and prescribed objects is carried out pursuant to the Rulebook on Phytosanitary Inspection of Plants, Plant Products and Prescribed Objects in International Trade.

Where is the Phytosanitary Inspection Conducted

Consignments of plants, plant products, prescribed objects and plant protection and nutrition products may be imported, exported or transiting only via specified border crossings (for road traffic: Vatin, Gradina, Horgos, Presevo, Mali Zvornik-Novi Most, Sremska Raca, Kotroman, Batrovci, Bogojevo and Gostun). 

Import / Export / Re-exsport / Transit procedure

Import

Phytosanitary inspection of goods is performed at the border crossing of entry into the country. Consignments are subject to phytosanitary inspection following the submission of relevant requests, i.e. notifications of the arrival of consignment. In case a consignment of plants, plant protection or nutrition products arrives at the border crossing where no plant protection inspection (phytosanitary inspection) is in place, the customs authority will prohibit import of such consignment, i.e. instruct its return to the sender, or direct it to the closest border crossing with phytosanitary inspection capacities. Customs authorities may not clear consignments subject to phytosanitary inspection until the relevant phytosanitary inspector completes the inspection and issues relevant decision or certifies the customs documentation. 

Consignments of plants and plant products specified in List Vb Part 1 of the Rulebook on Lists of Harmful Organisms and Lists of Plants, Plant Products and Prescribed Objects may be imported provided they are accompanied with phytosanitary certificate issued by the exporting country’s authorized body, in line with the International Standard ISPM 12.

Consignments of seeds and planting material must be listed in the Register of Recognised Varieties in the Republic of Serbia.

Consignments of plant protection and plant nutrition products being imported must be accompanied by the producer’s basic certificate, and they must be entered in the relevant register in the Republic of Serbia. Such consignments may not be cleared before inspection procedure is completed and approval of the phytosanitary inspector is obtained.

Export 

If the importing country requires a phytosanitary certificate for consignments of plants, plant products and prescribed objects being exported, the phytosanitary inspector is to inspect the consignment for the purpose of issuing a phytocertificate. The exporter must submit an application for issuing phytocertificate to the Ministry of Agriculture, Trade, Forestry and Water Management 24 hours prior to loading at the latest.

Transit

Consignments of plants, plant products and prescribed objects that are in transit are not subject to phytosanitary inspection, provided they are packaged in such a way so as to prevent the spreading of harmful organisms, and unless they are unloaded, divided, combined with other consignments or re-packaged in the territory of the Republic of Serbia. In that case, the customs authority is to report the consignment for inspection to the relevant phytosanitary inspector.

Supporting documents, Forms

Law on Plant Health

The Rulebook on Lists of Harmful Organisms and Lists of Plants, Plant Products and Prescribed Objects

Contact

Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Water Management of the Republic of Serbia:

Nemanjina 22-26, 11000 Beograd, Serbia

Phone: +381 11 2607 960, +381 11 3612 197, fax: +381 11 2607 961

Website: www.minpolj.gov.rs

Plant Protection Administration:

SIV  III, Omladinskih brigada 1, 11070 Novi Beograd, Serbia

Tel: +381 11 311 7729