Who Is Responsible Under ISPM 15?

Who Is Responsible Under ISPM 15?

ISPM 15 is not a process that rests with a single party. The national plant protection organisation, licensed treatment and marking facilities, wood packaging producers and suppliers, exporters, logistics companies and importers all carry responsibilities that complement one another.

The national plant protection organisation

Each country's national plant protection organisation is responsible for authorisation, inspection, traceability and the handling of non-compliance. In Turkiye this area is administered by the relevant units of the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry. Granting permission to use the ISPM 15 mark and auditing approved facilities are duties of the public authority.

Licensed treatment and marking facility

The approved facility is responsible for applying the accepted treatment with the correct parameters, keeping records, maintaining measurement systems in proper condition and applying the ISPM 15 mark only to packaging that meets the requirements. The mark cannot be transferred to another facility and cannot be used on untreated wood.

Producer and supplier

The wood packaging producer or supplier must retain evidence of the origin of the material, its treatment and marking status, invoices and other traceability documents. They must prevent treated material from being mixed with untreated material and manage the risk of re-infestation during storage.

Exporter and shipper

The exporter must verify that the pallets, crates, cases and dunnage used in the shipment meet the requirements of the destination country. Following up documentation and marking compliance from the procurement stage onwards, rather than checking the packaging at the last minute, reduces the risk of delay.

Importer and logistics parties

The importer should pass on the current rules of the destination country to the exporter. Transport and warehouse operators must also maintain controls that prevent the packaging from being damaged, contaminated or replaced with non-compliant wood.

What happens in case of non-compliance?

A missing or incorrect mark, live pests, bark, a counterfeit code or a traceability problem can lead to the packaging being treated, destroyed or separated from the cargo, or to the shipment being turned back. For this reason the chain of responsibility continues until the shipment is completed.

Sources: this content is based on the official resources of the IPPC (ISPM 15, ISPM 43), the Republic of Turkiye Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, the UNEP Ozone Secretariat, the US EPA, Australia's DAFF and New Zealand's MPI.