S.L. 433.3 Art. 14Prior notice of entry in Malta.

(a) the Director may as he deems necessary request, by a notice in the gazette, that certain plants, plant products and other objects listed in Part A of Schedule V to these regulations, be meticulously examined in their entirety and for this purpose any person introducing into Malta from other Member States such plants, plant products and other objects shall notify the Directorate at least forty eight hours to their expected time of arrival. The Director shall be informed as soon as reasonably possible, of any changes to the expected time or date of arrival into Malta of the notified consignment.

(b) any person who, in the course of any commercial activity, intends to import into Malta any plant, plant product or any other object listed in Part B of Schedule V shall, by not later than forty eight hours before the expected date and time of arrival of the consignment, make a request with the Directorate, through means established by the Director by notice in the gazette, for the issue of the Plant Health Movement Document, hereinafter referred to as a PHMD. Where there is any change in the expected time or date of arrival, any such person shall inform the Director immediately of such change.

(c) The required information shall preferably be printed but may be handwritten in capital letters and shall be in English or Maltese; the botanical name of the plants or plant products shall be indicated in Latin characters; alterations, obliterations and erasures, shall invalidate the said request.

(d) the Directorate shall fill the details of the consignment in accordance with the form shown in Schedule VIII upon presentation of a valid phytosanitary certificate and any other documents providing the details on the form. The plant health movement document shall be issued in triplicate after compliance to a plant health check.

(e) The authorities responsible for the point of entry in Malta shall notify together with the notification to the Customs, the Plant Health Department of any imminent arrival of consignments listed in Part B of Schedule V.

(f) Where a PHMD has been issued in terms of these regulations, such document shall be deemed to be a plant passport, for the purpose of these regulations, to the first point of destination of the consignment.

(g) A PHMD shall be retained by the importer for a period of at least three years.

IMPORTATION OF PLANT MATERIAL