- ISPM 15 on imports
- Required
- Enforced since
- —
- Treatments
- HT, MB (ISPM 15); phytosanitary certificate accepted in lieu of the mark per NZ MPI
- Plant protection authority
- Committee for State Inspection in the Agro-Industrial Complex, Ministry of Agriculture
- Common pallet sizes
- 1200 × 800 mm (EUR)
1200 × 1000 mm (Russian/CIS standard)
Mixed local formats - Main ports
- Aktau (Caspian), Kuryk (Caspian), Khorgos / Altynkol (rail, China border), Dostyk (rail, China border)
Overview
Kazakhstan requires ISPM 15 compliance for imported wood packaging, and the New Zealand MPI table also notes that a phytosanitary certificate is accepted in place of the mark. As a member of the Eurasian Economic Union, it applies the union's common plant-quarantine regime, under which packaging made of unprocessed wood from outside the union must be treated and marked. Border and inland control is the job of the state inspection committee in the Ministry of Agriculture, with quarantine posts at rail crossings and dry ports. A start year for enforcement could not be confirmed and is left blank. Kazakhstan has no ocean coast, so cargo reaches it by other routes. The great majority of Chinese trade crosses by rail at Dostyk and Altynkol, or by road and the Khorgos dry port, and transit freight to Europe uses the same corridors. Caspian ports at Aktau and Kuryk handle trans-Caspian cargo from Azerbaijan, Iran and Turkmenistan, and imports from Russia move by rail and road across a long open border with few checks inside the EAEU. A consignment found with unmarked or infested wood can be ordered treated, destroyed or sent back. Pallet practice reflects the Soviet legacy: 1200 × 1000 mm is the dominant format in domestic and CIS logistics, 1200 × 800 mm EUR pallets are used by retailers and multinationals, and informal reuse of old pallets is widespread. Pooling schemes are not verified here.
Key points
- Member of the Eurasian Economic Union, applying EAEU quarantine rules
- Mostly rail and road entry, so checks occur at land borders and dry ports
- NZ MPI notes a phytosanitary certificate is accepted in lieu of the mark
- Non-compliant wood can be treated, destroyed or returned
Frequently asked questions
Does Kazakhstan require ISPM 15 for wooden pallets?
Yes. Kazakhstan is listed as requiring it, with a phytosanitary certificate accepted instead of the mark in some cases.
Where are wooden pallets checked on entry into Kazakhstan?
At land borders and dry ports such as Dostyk, Altynkol and Khorgos, and at Caspian ports like Aktau.
Which pallet size is most common in Kazakhstan?
1200 × 1000 mm is standard in CIS logistics, while 1200 × 800 mm EUR pallets are common in retail.
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.