EU Demands Six-Month Transition on Norway's Plant Health Rules
Berlin – October 28, 2026 -- The European Union has formally asked Norway for a transition period of at least six months after publication of its final plant health rules. The request follows industry warnings that the draft could have significantly hampered EU nursery stock exports, according to the German Nursery Association (BdB).
Soil and substrate requirements threaten field-grown stock trade
The European Nurserystock Association (ENA) and its member associations reviewed Norway's planned changes to its plant health law. The draft is broadly closer to the European plant health system. However, new requirements for soil and growing media on plants for planting would have affected large parts of the nursery trade.
Field-grown woody plants, which are typically traded with root balls, would have faced particular practical problems. Re-export of plants via other EU member states is also a central issue.