The Order contains measures to be taken in order to prevent the introduction into, and spread within, England of serious pests and diseases of plants and plant produce. The Order is updated frequently, to take account of new or revised risk assessments, pest interceptions, changes in distribution of pests and other developments.
This Order consolidates the Plant Health (England) Order 2005 which contains measures to prevent the introduction and spread of harmful plant pests and diseases, the Plant Health (England) (Phytophthora ramorum) Order 2004 which contains measures to prevent the introduction and spread of Phytophthora ramorum and various amendments made to those Orders.
Furthermore, the Order implements EU plant health legislation, namely Council Directive 2000/29/EC on protective measures against the introduction into the EU of organisms harmful to plants or plant products and against their spread within the EU. known as the Plant Health Directive, and Council Directives 69/464/EEC on the control of Potato Wart Disease, 93/85/EEC on the control of Potato Ring Rot, 98/57/EC on the control of Potato Brown Rot and 2007/33/EC on the control of Potato Cyst Nematodes, known as the Control Directives.
The Plant Health Directive establishes the EU plant health regime. Since 2005, the annexes of the Directive have been amended many times as a result of technical changes in the assessment of risks presented by different pests and various EU emergency measures have been adopted to deal with emerging plant health risks.
In addition, the Control Directives prescribe measures to detect and take measures against certain harmful organisms of potatoes, to prevent their spread and establishment. A number of these have been updated to reflect changes in the distribution of the organisms concerned and technical developments in relation to their identification and control.
