- ISPM 15 on imports
- Required
- Enforced since
- —
- Treatments
- HT, MB, DH, SF (ISPM 15 approved treatments)
- Plant protection authority
- Azerbaijan Food Safety Agency (plant quarantine function)
- Common pallet sizes
- 1200 × 800 mm (EUR)
1200 × 1000 mm
Mixed local and Russian-standard pallets - Main ports
- Baku (Alat), Baku International Sea Trade Port
Overview
Azerbaijan is a party to the IPPC, and plant quarantine controls on imported goods are handled by the state food-safety and phytosanitary authorities. The Azerbaijan Food Safety Agency's published phytosanitary quarantine requirements state in Article 1.8 that wood packaging and fastening materials imported into the country must comply with standard 15 on phytosanitary measures, meaning treated by accepted thermal or chemical methods and properly marked; unmarked wood packaging must be accompanied by an exporting-country phytosanitary certificate. The status is therefore recorded as yes, although the country does not appear on the USDA APHIS or New Zealand MPI lists and the document is undated. In practice, shippers to Baku normally use heat-treated, stamped pallets because the same cargo often moves on through Georgia or Russia, whose rules are strict, and because a rejected consignment at a Caspian terminal is expensive to resolve. Most general cargo for the country enters via the Alat/Baku port complex on the Caspian Sea, arriving by ferry and ro-ro from Turkmenistan and Kazakhstan, or by rail and road through Georgia from the Black Sea ports of Poti and Batumi. Pallet use is mixed. Imported FMCG and retail goods come on 1200 × 800 mm and 1200 × 1000 mm pallets from Turkey and Europe, while Soviet-era 1200 × 1000 mm and 1200 × 800 mm formats remain common in domestic logistics, and pooling systems such as EPAL or CHEP have no verified national presence. Exporters should request written confirmation of current requirements from the consignee.
Key points
- Azerbaijan Food Safety Agency quarantine requirements state that imported wood packaging must comply with ISPM 15
- Most consignments arrive via the Caspian and the Georgian rail/road corridor, so check transit-country rules too
Frequently asked questions
Does Azerbaijan require ISPM 15 for wooden pallets?
Yes. The Azerbaijan Food Safety Agency's phytosanitary quarantine requirements (Article 1.8) say imported wood packaging must comply with ISPM 15, treated and properly marked, or carry a phytosanitary certificate if unmarked.
Which ports does wood packaging enter through in Azerbaijan?
Mainly the Baku/Alat Caspian port complex, plus land crossings from Georgia, which are fed by the Black Sea ports of Poti and Batumi.
What pallet size is common in Azerbaijan?
1200 × 800 mm and 1200 × 1000 mm are both widely used.
Sources
- New Zealand MPI – ISPM 15 requirements by country
- USDA APHIS – Countries requiring ISPM 15 wood packaging
- IPPC country page – Azerbaijan
- Azerbaijan Food Safety Agency – Phytosanitary Quarantine Requirements of the Republic of Azerbaijan
Import rules change. Confirm current requirements with the national plant protection organization or your importer before shipping. This page is general information, not legal advice.