Following significant engagement by the Horticultural Trades Association, Defra has confirmed an extension to the current plant passport easement, allowing EU suppliers to continue attaching UK Plant Passports to retail-ready plants before shipping. This extension for 19 months beyond the original 30 June 2025 deadline, to 31 January 2027, provides much-needed certainty for the horticultural industry.

This extension is crucial for retailers and wholesalers in environmental horticulture, easing trade and reducing potential costs. It means they will not need to label products arriving from the EU until after the new deadline, streamlining processes. More broadly, it provides stability for the garden industry as a whole, which is already facing mounting cost pressures, not least from the Autumn budget and administrative burdens with EU imports.

The HTA has been a vocal advocate for maintaining the existing system while developing a modern electronic plant passporting solution. This extension provides valuable time for the HTA, HTA members, and Defra to work together on the planned pilot program, which is due to be delivered next year, and to allow for a thorough evaluation and assessment of its findings. It also gives time for more certainty around an SPS (Plant Health) agreement with the EU. The focus is on ensuring a smooth transition to a more efficient system that works for everyone.

While the extension to the easement allows for labels with UK Plant Passport information to be attached in EU Member States, the UK Plant Passport will not be valid until a visual check has been made and recorded by the UK Professional Operator. It will be necessary for the Professional Operator to record that visual checks have been conducted and that the requirements of the UK Plant Passport scheme have been met.

Sally Cullimore, HTA Technical Policy Manager, said: "We are relieved by this extension, which acknowledges the practical realities faced by our members. Extending the easement gives us the necessary breathing space to collaboratively develop and pilot an effective electronic plant passporting system that will benefit the entire horticultural industry. This is a good example of us working together and the importance of listening to industry concerns."

The ‘Electronic Plant Passporting Task and Finish Group,’ co-chaired by the HTA and Defra, is leading the development and delivery of the pilot program. The group includes representatives from HTA member businesses, devolved governments, APHA, and the Forestry Commission. This collaborative approach is essential to creating a system that is both effective and practical.