How border controls work in fruit and vegetables

What border control means for fruit and vegetables

In the fruit and vegetable sector, a border control is the set of official checks carried out by the competent authorities on consignments of fruit and vegetables from third countries. These controls are performed at Border Control Posts (BCPs). Spain has 45 facilities of this type (30 in ports and 15 in airports), functionally dependent on the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (MAPA).

The BCPs are extremely important, as they are the point where foreign trade, plant health and logistics converge:

• Foreign trade: covers customs management and compliance with tariff and non-tariff restrictions. Through release for free circulation (the procedure whereby goods from third countries pay customs duties and obtain the status of European goods), the product is authorised to circulate within the internal market.
• Plant health: checking the phytosanitary status of consignments is essential to prevent the introduction of quarantine pests into European territory.
• Logistics: includes arrival planning, transport conditions and the availability of infrastructure at the BCP.

What happens before the goods arrive

The process begins before the consignment reaches the BCP. It must already have the minimum required documentation:

Official phytosanitary certificate. Almost all fresh fruit and vegetables must be accompanied by the certificate issued by the competent authority of the exporting country. Pineapple, banana, coconut, date and durian are exempt, as their phytosanitary risk is considered very low.

Prior notification. The importer or their representative must complete Part I of the Common Health Entry Document (CHED) on the TRACES NT platform at least one working day in advance, which may be reduced to four hours for justified reasons.

Traceability. The consignment must be uniquely identified: species, country of origin, establishment of origin and volume.

Process table: from prior notification to release of the goods

What the border authority checks

The Official Controls Regulation establishes three types of control:

Documentary check. This is carried out on all consignments. It verifies that the documents are authentic, valid and correspond to the declared goods.

Identity check. A visual check that the physical consignment matches what has been declared: species, variety, origin, number of packages and identification marks.

Physical check. Inspection of the product in three areas: commercial quality, sanitary quality and plant health. SOIVRE verifies that the commercial quality, appearance and size correspond to what has been declared. MAPA inspectors, for their part, check both sanitary quality and the possible presence of quarantine pests that could seriously damage domestic crops.

These last two checks are carried out at a frequency established according to the risk associated with each product-origin combination.

• Food safety. Regulation (EU) 2019/1793 sets a percentage of consignments to be inspected (10%, 20%, 50% or 100%, depending on the history of non-compliance) in which Maximum Residue Levels (MRLs) of pesticides are verified.
• Phytosanitary situation. Regulation 2022/2359 establishes the minimum inspection frequencies for the detection of quarantine pests, according to the species and the history of interceptions in the country of origin.

What can delay or block an operation

The main reasons why a consignment may be delayed or rejected are as follows:

• Documentary errors: discrepancies between the phytosanitary certificate and the actual consignment, expired certificates, incorrect data in the CHED or absence of prior notification. These may or may not be correctable.
• Detection of quarantine pests: if there is any suspicion, samples are sent to the national reference laboratory. The result will determine whether the consignment is released, re-dispatched or destroyed.
• Exceeding MRLs: if residues exceed legal limits, the EFSA (European Food Safety Authority) is alerted and the consignment is retained. This usually ends with the seizure or destruction of the consignment.
• Non-compliance with commercial quality standards: when products do not comply with EU marketing standards.
• Lack of logistical coordination: arrival without prior notification or at a BCP not authorised for the goods causes delays that affect the product’s shelf life.

Basic glossary of border control in fruit and vegetables

Frequently asked questions about border control in fruit and vegetables

What is border control in the fruit and vegetable sector? The official procedure through which authorities verify that an imported consignment complies with phytosanitary, food safety and commercial quality requirements. Without passing it, the goods cannot be introduced into the internal market.

What documents does a consignment of fruit and vegetables need? At a minimum: phytosanitary certificate, Part I of the CHED and commercial documentation (invoice, bill of lading or waybill). Additional documents may be required for certain products and origins.

What is the difference between documentary, identity and physical checks? The documentary check verifies the validity of the documentation; the identity check verifies that the goods correspond to what has been declared; the physical check examines the product: health status, quarantine pests, MRLs and commercial quality.

What happens if goods do not pass inspection? The authority may: (1) authorise treatment if the non-compliance can be corrected; (2) order re-dispatch to the origin; or (3) order destruction, especially if there are quarantine pests or risks to human health. The costs are always borne by the importer.

List: Key points to understand the process

1. Control begins before arrival. Without prior notification in TRACES NT, the goods cannot be processed at the BCP.
2. The vast majority of fruit and vegetables require a phytosanitary certificate. Only pineapple, banana, coconut, date and durian are exempt.
3. Three sequential and complementary checks are carried out: documentary, visual and physical.
4. The documentary check is carried out in all cases.
5. Visual and physical checks are applied to a percentage of consignments according to the risk of the product-origin pairing, as established by pesticide residue and plant health regulations.
6. Different bodies, different checks:MAPA (plant and human health) and SOIVRE (commercial quality).
7. Documentary errors may or may not be correctable. A missing or expired certificate blocks the operation with no possibility of proceeding.
8. The costs of retention or destruction are always borne by the importer.

In summary…

Border control in the fruit and vegetable sector is a regulated, sequential process shared between different bodies. Its objective is to ensure that the fruit and vegetables entering the European market are phytosanitarily safe, meet food safety standards and comply with the strict EU quality rules.

For operators, proper prior preparation is key to the success of the operation: submitting the correct documentation, notifying within the required timeframe and knowing the regime applicable to each product and country minimise the risk of delays and associated costs.