IPPC ePhyto connection

This guide describes the procedure to be followed by Member States to retrieve and clone in TRACES-NT IPPC ePhytos transmitted through the Hub by non-EU countries.

IPPC developed an ePhyto Solution aimed at supporting the exchange of ePhytos between National Plant Protection Organizations (NPPOs). A central server (Hub) is to facilitate the transfer of electronic phytosanitary certificates (ePhytos) between NPPOs, either from and to their own national electronic system or by using a Generic ePhyto National System (GeNS) that can produce and receive ePhytos in order to allow countries that do not have a national electronic system for that purpose. An ePhyto is the electronic version of a phytosanitary certificate in XML format.

In this context, TRACES-NT acts as the single contact point for connection to the IPPC ePhyto Hub for all Member States of the European Union. It is supported by the legal obligation made on Member States to only accept electronic phytosanitary certificates when provided through, or in electronic exchange with TRACES, as laid down in Regulation (EU) 2016/2031 (‘Plant Health Law’).

Within the PHYTO module of TRACES-NT where today non-EU countries can create phytosanitary certificates to the EU directly in TRACES NT, a new tab called “IPPC ePhytos” is now available in TRACES-NT. It allows retrieving all IPPC ePhytos with EU destination transmitted through the IPPC ePhyto Hub by non-EU countries connected to that Hub and cloning them into Common Health Entry Documents for Plants and plant Products (CHED-PP).

At a later stage, it will also be possible to use TRACES-NT in connection with the ePhyto IPPC Hub to prepare phytosanitary certificates for consignments of plants, plant products and other objects exported from the EU.