Dear IPPC contact point,
The Belgian NPPO has started the implementation of the TRACES NT system and the IPPC e-phyto solution. This development allows us to issue phytosanitary certificates in ePhyto format for countries that can receive them via the IPPC ePhyto Hub.
When a phytosanitary certificate is generated electronically through TRACES NT but the importing country is not yet set up to accept EU ePhyto certificates in place of paper certificates, we will provide a printed version of the certificate produced in the TRACES NT system. This printout will bear the official stamp and signature of the certifying officer. As Belgian exporters are gradually transitioning to applying for phytosanitary certificates via TRACES NT, we will continue to issue conventional paper certificates for certain shipments or product types, as before.
Therefore, the Belgian phytosanitary certificates will be issued in one of the following formats: 1) The non electronic version as today, carrying the official stamp and signature of the certifying officer (see enclosure “SPECIMEN_Certificat_phyto_Export_EN_20210208” and “SPECIMEN_Certificate_phyto_RE_export_EN_20210208”); 2) Electronic based version created in TRACES NT and printed on paper, carrying the IMSOC reference number and official stamp and signature of the certifying officer (see enclosure “Phytosanitary certificate printed from TRACES-NT” and “Phytosanitary certificate for re-export printed from TRACES-NT”); 3) Electronic certificate presented via the IPPC e-phyto Hub.
We expect this information will be helpful in dealing with our phytosanitary certificates at import. May we kindly ask you to send this information to your border inspection posts, in order to avoid confusion upon arrival of shipments coming from Belgium.
In case additional information is required, please contact [email protected].