- ISPM 15 on imports
- Required
- Enforced since
- 2005
- 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
- Julius Kühn-Institut (JKI) – federal plant health; enforcement by the Länder plant protection services
- Common pallet sizes
- 1200 × 800 mm (EUR/EPAL)
1200 × 1000 mm
800 × 600 mm (half pallet)
EPAL box pallet (Gitterbox) 1240 × 835 mm - Main ports
- Hamburg, Bremerhaven, Wilhelmshaven (JadeWeserPort), Rostock
Overview
Germany applies the EU plant health regime: wood packaging material arriving from outside the EU must be debarked, treated by an ISPM 15 method and carry the IPPC mark, as required by Regulation (EU) 2016/2031 and Annex VII of Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/2072. The EU-wide obligation for third-country packaging began on 1 March 2005. Germany's federal structure shapes enforcement. The Julius Kühn-Institut handles plant health matters at federal level and publishes the authoritative German version of ISPM 15 (the most recent announcement, from April 2023, replaced the 2014 text). Day-to-day import inspections, approval of treatment facilities and registration of marking operators belong to the plant protection services of the individual Länder, so a consignment at Hamburg is handled by Hamburg's service and one at Bremerhaven by Bremen's. When inspectors find unmarked, wrongly marked or infested packaging, the wood can be treated, destroyed or sent back at the importer's expense, and repeat findings can lead to closer checks. Packaging carrying certain goods from China, India and Belarus is subject to a minimum 15% check rate under Regulation (EU) 2024/288. Germany is the core market of the 1200 × 800 mm EUR pallet. The European Pallet Association (EPAL) is based in Düsseldorf, and the open exchange pool of EPAL pallets and Gitterbox box pallets is used throughout German retail and industry. Rental pools such as CHEP operate alongside, and 1200 × 1000 mm pallets are common in chemicals and beverages. Inside the EU, pallets move without ISPM 15 marking. Many German manufacturers still heat-treat and mark their output so that the same pallets can be exported.
Key points
- Import checks carried out by the 16 Länder plant protection services, not a single federal border agency
- JKI publishes the official German text of ISPM 15 (current announcement dated 24 April 2023)
- Intra-EU movements of WPM generally exempt from ISPM 15 marking (pinewood-nematode rules for Portuguese conifer WPM excepted)
- At least 15% of consignments of specified goods (e.g. stone, iron/steel) from China, India and Belarus have their WPM checked (Reg. (EU) 2024/288, valid to end-2026)
- Non-compliant WPM may be treated, destroyed or sent back at the importer's expense
Frequently asked questions
Does Germany require ISPM 15 for wooden pallets?
Yes, for pallets and other wood packaging arriving from outside the EU. They must be debarked, treated and IPPC-marked. Pallets moving within the EU do not need the mark.
Who inspects wood packaging at German ports?
The plant protection service of the federal state (Land) where the goods enter, for example Hamburg or Bremen. The Julius Kühn-Institut provides federal coordination.
Is a standard EUR pallet automatically ISPM 15 compliant?
No. Only EPAL/EUR pallets that carry the IPPC treatment mark are compliant. Many manufacturers heat-treat their pallets, but you have to check each pallet for the stamp.
Sources
- JKI – ISPM 15 Bekanntmachung 2023 (German text)
- IPPC country page – Germany
- Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2024/288 on checks of wood packaging material (ECOLEX)
- IHK Köln – Verpackungsholzvorschriften beim Im- und Export
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.