New Plant Protection Import Permit Application ...
1 March 2001
New Plant Protection Import Permit Application Form
The following information is from the Chief of the Import Unit, Plant Health and Production Division of the CFIA.
Please be advised that the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) has developed a new import permit application form for plants, plant products, plant pathogens and insects (C5256). Anyone wishing to import into Canada items regulated under the Plant Protection Act must complete and submit an import permit application form to the CFIA. There are three different import permit application forms, one form for those items regulated under the Plant Protection Act and two other application forms for items regulated under the Health of Animals Act (i.e., one for Veterinary Biologics and another application form for all other animal health related items).
The new application form, which is specific to the plant protection program, is numbered C5256 and entitled "Application For Permit To Import Plants and Other Things Under The Plant Protection Act"". It provides the applicant with more space to describe the material to be imported and asks questions specific to plant health matters, including questions pertaining to the genetic modification of plant material. For those items regulated under the Health of Animals Act, please continue to use import permit application forms numbered C1493 for Veterinary Biologics, and form number C5083 for animals and animal health related items. The form number is found in the lower left hand corner.
Copies of the new plant protection import permit application form and the instructions can be printed from the CFIA Web site (http://www.cfia-acia.agr.ca). The application form is found under the heading *Forms* (Canadian Food Inspection Agency Forms Catalogue). The form number is C5256.
The first page contains instructions for completing the plant protection application form and the second page is the application form. The instruction page also mentions how to forward the application form to the CFIA.
For your information, it is advisable that a Canadian individual or company obtain a plant protection import permit for a regulated commodity before it is exported from the country of origin, as the permit may specify certain import conditions (e.g., treatments at origin, additional certification requirements), which the importer, in turn, must forward to the exporter before the commodity is shipped to Canada. Furthermore, the import permit application enables the CFIA to review the material that is intended for importation and then to advise the potential importer whether this material is prohibited or restricted from entering Canada.
Presently, if CFIA receives an improperly completed application form, the form is returned to the permit applicant and they are asked to resubmit the application using the new form (i.e., form C5256). However, after July 1, 2001, if the Agency receives an old version of the application form, the form will be returned to the permit applicant and they will be asked to resubmit the application using the new form.
Members with questions regarding the new plant protection import permit application form are asked to contact Johanne Coulombe at (613) 225-2342, ext. 4331.