Skip to main content
Food Safety

Requirements for wood packaging & dunnage

EU requirements for wood packaging material are based on the 2002 FAO International Standard for Phytosanitary Measures (ISPM) n° 15.

Regulation (EU) 2016/2031 on protective measures against plant pests (“Plant Health Law”) sets the requirements for non-EU imports into the EU of wood packaging material and dunnage.

All wood packaging material and dunnage from non-EU countries must be:

  • either heat treated or fumigated in line with ISPM15 procedures;

  • officially marked with the ISPM15 stamp consisting of 3 codes (country, producer and measure applied) and the IPPC logo;

  • debarked.

These requirements do not apply to:

  • wood 6mm thick or less;

  • wood packaging material made entirely from processed wood produced using glue, heat and pressure e.g. plywood, oriented strand board and veneer;

  • wood packaging material used in trade within the EU.

Related links