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The Phytosanitary Import Process with NVWA's CLIENT Import

How can you register for the import of your plants and plant products?

Importing plants and plant products requires handling customs declarations and phytosanitary inspection processes to comply with the strict regulations of the Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority (NVWA). Gateway offers advanced customs software directly linked to both NVWA's CLIENT Import system and the Customs DMS system, making your import process more efficient and smoother.

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NVWA's CLIENT Import System

CLIENT Import, managed by the Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority (NVWA), is a national system for electronically pre-notifying shipments of plant material. This ensures that all necessary data is known to the controlling authorities before the shipment reaches the Netherlands, facilitating efficient administrative handling of import inspections.

The system collaborates with various inspection services to coordinate inspections and generate digital clearance codes for customs clearance. TRACES, a computer system of the European Commission, is used for tracking and tracing all imported batches of plant material in the EU. Although pre-notification in the Netherlands is not manually entered into TRACES, CLIENT Import integrates all data through a link, ensuring a seamless flow of information to TRACES NT.

Before registering your shipment in CLIENT Import

Before you can register your shipment in CLIENT Import, you need to go through some preparatory steps:

  1. CoC Registration and eHerkenning: Start by registering your company with the Chamber of Commerce (CoC) and immediately apply for eHerkening level 2+. This is required for secure access to government services, including NVWA forms.
  2. NVWA client number: You need a customer number from the Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority (NVWA) to request certain services.
  3. Register as an importer with NVWA: Fill out NVWA's relationship form with your KvK number to register as an importer.
  4. Select the appropriate inspection service: Depending on the type of product you are importing, you need to select the appropriate inspection service.
  • Flower bulbs: BKD (Flower Bulb Inspection Service, in Dutch “Bloembollenkeuringsdienst”)
  • Floricultural crops, vegetables and fruits, peat, coconut, substrate, and woody products: KCB (Quality Control Bureau, in Dutch “KwaliteitsControleBureau”)
  • Floricultural crops such as seeds, cuttings, and other propagation material; Nursery crops; Vegetable crops: Naktuinbouw
  • Field crops: NAK (Dutch General Inspection Service, in Dutch “Nederlandse Algemene Keuringsdienst”)

For more information, please consult the NVWA website directly.

Gateway: the ideal software for your phytosanitary import

Gateway is a leading customs software directly linked to both Customs and NVWA. With Gateway, you can easily request phytosanitary inspections and track their status. Requesting a phytosanitary inspection seamlessly converts into a Customs DMS import declaration and vice versa. Additionally, Gateway offers validation support to ensure the accuracy and completeness of your PD import documents before they are submitted to NVWA.

The flow of phytosanitary import process

Below is a description of a normal process when importing plants and plant products:

  1. Registering the shipment: Pre-register your shipment via your customs software to CLIENT Import system of the NVWA.
  2. Inspection and CHED-PP: Upon registration, you will receive a Common Health Entry Document for Plants and Plant Products (CHED-PP) upon approval of the import inspection.
  3. Receiving CHED-PP: Automatically receive a PDF version of the CHED-PP at the specified email address.
  4. Customs clearance: Depending on where your shipment arrives and where you want to clear it, use your CHED-PP or P2 code to clear your shipment through customs.

🐖 For the import of animals and animal products, you must also submit CHED documents to the NVWA. For more details, read The Veterinary Import Process with NVWA: GGB Import.

Do you want to optimize your phytosanitary import process? With Gateway's NVWA solution, you improve efficiency and minimise the risks of your customs and phytosanitary processes.

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