Phytosanitary control on import

Phytosanitary import control aims to prevent the introduction and spread of dangerous harmful organisms which can cause direct or indirect losses on the national plant heritage. It concerns plants (live plants and living parts of plants including seeds and fruits) and plant products (unprocessed products of plant origin).

The procedure is carried out by the phytosanitary control service within the border posts (ports, airports, land crossing points).
Plants, parts of plants and plant products imported into Tunisia must be accompanied by a phytosanitary certificate in accordance with the model established by the International Convention for the Protection of Plants (written in Arabic, French or English).

If the exporting country is not the country of origin, the plants, parts of plants and plant products must be accompanied by a phytosanitary certificate for re-export conforming to the model established by the International Plant Protection Convention to which will be annexed the original or a copy of the original phytosanitary certificate certified by the exporting country.

If the exporting country has not required a phytosanitary certificate for the import of consignments intended for re-export to Tunisia, these consignments must be accompanied by a phytosanitary certificate issued by the competent services of the country of re-export, in accordance with the model established by the International Convention for the Protection of Plants, certifying that the consignment has not undergone any modification during its storage that could make it non-compliant with Tunisian phytosanitary requirements.

The certificate drawn up no earlier than 14 days before shipment must certify that the shipment has been officially examined and found free from harmful organisms covered by the decree of 31 May 2012, establishing the list of quarantine organisms. This certificate also declares to respect the specific requirements of 19 families of plant products listed in the decree of the Minister of Agriculture of May 28, 2013, setting the phytosanitary requirements as well as the methods of control of plants and plant products imported into Tunisia.

Furthermore, the same text authorizes the import without presentation of a phytosanitary certificate or phytosanitary inspection the introduction of 6 families of plants or plant products, with the exception of those covered by the decree of the Minister of Agriculture of 31 May 2012 establishing the list of plants and plant products whose entry into Tunisian territory is prohibited, these plants or plant products concern:

Processed agricultural products
such as oils, vegetable fats, brines, preserves, starches and flours
Agricultural products intended for processing
such as coffee, cocoa and hops.
Spices, condiments and incense except plants with roots and underground parts of plants
from Algeria, Morocco and Mauritania.
Raw plant products
for pharmaceutical and cosmetic industrial use, or for pastry and confectionery.
Processed wood
with the exception of palm wood from Algeria, Morocco and Mauritania.
Plants and plant products
in small quantities and for personal consumption with the exception of seeds.

If the imported product is non-compliant, it will be intercepted at the point of entry and may be subject to treatment, transformation, return or destruction, and this, according to the availability of the technique for the eradication of the organism concerned within pre-determined deadlines.