Important Announcement:  

The Windsor Framework – Notification of New Guidance for Movement of Plants from Great Britain to Northern Ireland

On 8th September 2023 the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs published guidance on further elements of the Windsor Framework.. The guidance provides information for you as a grower and/or trader as to what you need to do to move any of the following: -  

• plants and seeds for planting (plants and seeds which will be grown on by professional growers or traded for retail sale) 
• seed potatoes (for commercial growing)
• used agricultural and forestry machinery and vehicles 

using a Northern Ireland plant health label from 1 October 2023.   

The new arrangements detailed below come into effect from 1 October 2023. Business should follow the existing rules on moving goods to Northern Ireland until then.  However, your business can prepare before 1 October to be able to use the Northern Ireland plant health label scheme at launch. 

The Northern Ireland Plant Health Label (NIPHL) Scheme 

The new Northern Ireland plant health label (NIPHL) scheme is a way for growers and traders in Great Britain (England, Scotland and Wales) to move certain products to Northern Ireland. Like the UK plant passport scheme, the NIPHL scheme makes sure checks for pests and diseases are carried out and goods can be traced. This means growers and traders can move these goods with a NIPHL and without a phytosanitary certificate.    

The Windsor Framework and NIPHL does not impact on marketing requirements. For more information, contact your local APHA inspector or, if you are based in Scotland, seedtesting@sasa.gov.scot. 

If you move plant produce such as fruit or vegetables, or cut flowers from Great Britain to Northern Ireland, please refer to guidance on the Northern Ireland Retail Movement Scheme. 

Full guidance can be found here but the guidance covers in detail: - 

• Goods you can move with a Northern Ireland plant health label.
• How to register as a professional operator. 
• How you will know if my business is registered as a Professional Operator. 
• How to get authorisation to issue, print or receive Northern Ireland plant health labels for plants for planting, seeds, and used agricultural and forestry machinery.  
• What you need to do before moving plants for planting or used agricultural and forestry machinery and vehicles to Northern Ireland.   
• Seed potatoes: How to get authorisation to attach Northern Ireland plant health labels. 
• What you need to do before moving seed potatoes to Northern Ireland.  
• Information around when you will be inspected.    
• What you need to include on your Northern Ireland plant health label. 

More Information 

If you want more information on issuing NIPHLs, contact the authority for where you are based:   

England and Wales: 

APHA Centre for International Trade  
Foss House   
King’s Pool   
1-2 Peasholme Green   
York   YO1 7PX  

 Email: PlantPassportRegistration@apha.gov.uk   

Scotland:  

Contact by email for:   

• seed potatoes: spcsapps@sasa.gov.scot    
• plants for planting:  hort.marketing@gov.scot  
• small seeds: seedtesting@sasa.gov.scot  
• used farm or forestry machinery: php@gov.scot    

Northern Ireland:  

Contact the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) Plant Health Inspection Branch:  

Plant and tree health department   

Telephone: 0300 200 7847  

Email: planthealth@daera-ni.gov.uk  

 
Keeping you informed  

We encourage you to attend the weekly NIPHL Roundtable run on Wednesday for Retailers and Thursday for growers and producers where we will continue to provide the latest updates on the Windsor Framework.  The roundtables are open to all retailers' growers and producers. If you would like to attend and do not already have the invite, please email us at traders@defra.gov.uk 

For up-to-date guidance we encourage you to sign up for gov.uk alerts.   

Should you have any questions or queries about this in the meantime, please email: traders@defra.gov.uk  

Kind regards,

Business Readiness | Northern Ireland Directorate   
Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs

*Defra Personal Information Charter: here