- ISPM 15 on imports
- Required
- Enforced since
- —
- Treatments
- HT, DH, SF accepted on imports; MB-marked WPM accepted if ISPM 15 compliant, but MB fumigation itself is no longer permitted inside the EU
- Plant protection authority
- Ministry of Agriculture – Directorate for Agricultural Land, Plant Production and Market
- Common pallet sizes
- 1200 × 800 mm (EUR)
1200 × 1000 mm
800 × 600 mm (half pallet) - Main ports
- Rijeka, Ploče, Split, Zadar
Overview
Croatia has applied EU plant health legislation since joining in July 2013, so wood packaging from outside the EU needs debarking, ISPM 15 treatment and the IPPC mark (Regulation (EU) 2016/2031 and Annex VII of Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/2072). The national plant protection organisation sits within the Ministry of Agriculture, and phytosanitary border inspectors work at Rijeka, Ploče, Split, Zadar and land crossings such as Bajakovo on the Serbian border. The year in which Croatia started enforcing ISPM 15 was not confirmed, so none is given. The Bosnian and Serbian borders became EU external borders in 2013, and truck traffic from the Western Balkans on wooden pallets now needs a valid mark. Non-compliant packaging may be treated, destroyed or sent back at the importer's cost. For palletised trade the EUR pallet at 1200 × 800 mm dominates supermarket supply chains, many of which are linked to Slovenian, Austrian and German groups, while 1200 × 1000 mm pallets are used by industrial and chemical shippers. Rijeka, with its new Zagreb Deep Sea container terminal, competes with Koper and Trieste for central European cargo, while Ploče serves Bosnia and Herzegovina as a transit gateway. Croatia has a considerable forestry and wood sector, especially oak and beech, which supports a local pallet and wood-packaging industry. Tourism seasonality affects ferry-based palletised supply to the islands.
Key points
- Border plant health inspectors work at the Bajakovo, Ploče and Rijeka entry points
- Intra-EU movements of WPM generally exempt from ISPM 15 marking (pinewood-nematode rules for Portuguese conifer WPM excepted)
- Croatia joined the EU in 2013; border crossings with Serbia and Bosnia and Herzegovina are external EU borders
- Non-compliant WPM may be treated, destroyed or returned at the importer's expense
Frequently asked questions
Does Croatia require ISPM 15 for wooden pallets?
Yes, for imports from outside the EU, including from Bosnia and Herzegovina and Serbia.
Why is Ploče relevant?
It is a transit port for Bosnia and Herzegovina, so third-country cargo with wooden packaging passes through.
Who is Croatia's NPPO?
The Ministry of Agriculture's plant production directorate.
Sources
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.