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Trade and Industry Department The Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region
Brand Hong Kong - Asia world city
MY COLOUR

Commercial Information Circulars

24-hour hotline : 23 922 922

Ref : EIC 211/2

26 July 2000

Dear Sirs,

Commercial Information Circular No. 100/00

Finland : Phytosanitary Certification of Coniferous Wood
Packing Material from, inter alia, China

Finland has since 31 May 2000 required coniferous wood packing material which comes from Japan, Canada, China, Korea, Mexico, Taiwan and the USA be accompanied by a phytosanitary certificate for importation into Finland. An unofficial translation of the Finnish regulation is appended to this Circular for reference.
 

DETAILS

 

  1. The Finnish certification requirement is adopted to prevent the dissemination of pine wood nematode (Bursaphelenchus xylophilus). It applies to coniferous wood packing material (Coniferales), except that of Thuja L., which comes from the above-mentioned places and which is used in the transport of objects of all kinds:

    1. either as package (cases, boxes, crates and drums) or as pallets (box pallets, bearers and other load boards) or;

    2. wood used to wedge or support cargo including wood that has not kept its natural round surface.

  2. Wood packing material concerned must be accompanied by a phytosanitary certificate upon importation into Finland, indicating that the material has undergone one of the following treatments:

    1. the wood is stripped of bark and free from grub holes caused by the genus Monochamus (non-European spp.), which are larger than 3mm across, with a moisture content expressed as a percentage of dry matter of less than 20% achieved at the time of manufacture; or

    2. heat treated to reach a minimum core temperature of 56° C for at least 30 minutes; or

    3. kiln dried to below 20% moisture content, expressed as a percentage of dry matter, at time of manufacture, achieved through an appropriate time/temperature schedule; or

    4. fumigated with an appropriate fumigant, with information on the active ingredient, the minimum wood temperature, the rate (g/m3) and the exposure time (h) of the fumigation procedure indicated on the phytosanitary certificate.

    Inspections at import, in the form of intensified spot checks, will be carried out by the Finnish authorities to confirm the compliance of the material with the requirement

  3. We are collecting more details about Finland,s certification requirement and its effect on Hong Kong. We shall keep traders informed of developments.

ENQUIRIES

  1. For enquiries about the contents of this Circular, please contact the undersigned at telephone number 2398 5684.

 

Yours faithfully,

 

(Miss Helen YUNG)

for Director-General of Trade and Industry



Note : While every effort is made to ensure the accuracy of the above information, the Department cannot guarantee this to be so and will not be held liable for any reliance placed on the same.