Digital Certification for Plant Quarantine... Implementation of 'Electronic Plant Quarantine Certificate'

Quarantine Headquarters to Replace US Agricultural and Livestock Paper Certificates from the 10th... "Expecting Fast Customs Clearance and Trade Expansion"

[Sejong=Asia Economy Reporter Moon Chaeseok] The Animal and Plant Quarantine Agency announced on the 6th that starting from the 10th, the plant quarantine certificate for agricultural products exported to and imported from the United States will be replaced and implemented as an electronic plant quarantine certificate (ePhyto).

To export and import agricultural and marine products, the original plant quarantine certificate had to be submitted to the quarantine agency of the importing country. Naturally, issues such as loss and forgery occurred. Recently, due to the impact of COVID-19, flight cancellations caused delays in customs clearance as the original plant quarantine certificate could not be submitted on time.

The Quarantine Agency has been promoting the establishment and introduction of the electronic plant quarantine certificate under the International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC) to resolve these issues.

With the implementation of the electronic plant quarantine certificate, the issuance and submission period of the existing paper quarantine certificate (1 to 10 days) will be shortened, enabling faster customs clearance. It is expected to contribute to revitalizing trade by improving the reliability of quarantine procedures and supporting documents.

Jeon Youngsoo, head of the Export Support Division at the Quarantine Agency, said, "We will gradually expand the target countries and support the establishment of electronic plant quarantine certificate systems in developing countries engaged in trade, thereby enhancing South Korea's international credibility in the field of plant quarantine."