Wood Packaging Material - International Guidelines

February 2005

The 2002 Guidelines for Regulating Wood Packaging Material in International Trade are an International Standard for Phytosanitary Measures (ISPM) developed under the International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC).

The Guidelines were developed after the IPPC determined that the movement of solid wood packaging material made of unprocessed raw wood is a pathway for the introduction and spread worldwide of a variety of pests. The Guidelines list the major categories of these pests and establish a heat treatment and a fumigation treatment determined to be effective against them.

The Guidelines are also known as ISPM 15.

The countries listed below have or will implement national legislation on standards for wood packaging materials based on ISPM 15:

 Country  Regime Implementation Date  Country  Regime Implementation Date

Australia

ISPM 15 

(runs alongside existing legislation)

01.09. 2004

Korea

ISPM 15

To be announced

Canada

Based on 

ISPM 15

01.04.2005

Mexico

ISPM 15

To be announced (but likely to be in line with United States implementation date of September 2005) 

Chile

ISPM 15

01.06.2005

Nigeria

No formal documentation has been submitted to show that Nigeria will implement ISPM 15 but current import  requirements are based on it. 

In force - implementation date unknown  

China

ISPM 15

To be announced

New Zealand

Based on 

ISPM 15

16.04.2003

Colombia

ISPM 15

To be announced

Philippines

ISPM 15

01.06.2005

(implemented in part on 01.01.2005)

EC

ISPM 15

01.03.2005

South Africa

ISPM 15

01.01.2005

(transitional relief for certain bark free materials that do not present a plant health risk.)

India

Based on 

ISPM 15

01.11.2004

(latest amendments)

Turkey

ISPM 15

01.01.2006

 

 

 

USA*

ISPM 15

16.09.2005

 

Further details of the different national regimes can be obtained from from the very helpful UK forestry commission webpage on plant health .

Full details about the IPPC, ISPM 15  and other ISPMs are available on the International Phytosanitary Portal.

*See Wood Packaging Material Regulations - Phase 2 Enforcement in North America and Mexico