EU gains US market access for certain plants

On 12 June 2024, after several years of discussions, the US published its final Notice recognising 'country free' status for 21 EU Member States for two plant pests: the Asian long-horned beetle (ALB) and the Citrus long-horned beetle (CLB). This positive result follows a long and detailed engagement with the US, including requests from Commission Executive Vice-President Valdis Dombrovskis to see this trade restriction lifted.  

The removal of this trade barrier benefits the 21 Member States concerned in different ways. Belgium, Denmark and the Netherlands, which were previously only allowed to export plants for planting with a stem diameter below 10 mm, can now export plants for planting without restriction. The remaining 18 Member States can now also apply to export certain plants for planting that can benefit from the trade facilitation condition. 

This underscores the cooperative efforts between the EU and US to ensure the safety and quality of traded agricultural products.  

The Commission continues to work with the US on the EU’s remaining demand to also recognise 'country free' status for Finland and Austria, and 'pest-free area' status for the four remaining EU Member States - Croatia, France, Germany and Italy. 

Background 

In 2013, a US Federal Order classified the EU as being affected with ALB and CLB, despite the fact that these pests are absent in the majority of EU Member States, and are under official control and regulation in the EU. Since 2012, the EU has regularly requested in the EU-US joint working group on plant health that the US lift this trade barrier and recognise those EU Member States as being free from those pests, as well as recognising the well-demarcated and regulated pest-free areas in the EU.  

In 2023, the EU exported over €36 million worth of live plants to the US, a figure which is expected to increase substantially now that the US has lifted the aforementioned restrictions. 

For more information 

EU trade relations with the United States