Phytosanitary Surveillance Unit
Functions of the Phytosanitary Surveillance Unit:
- Provide for the implementation of regulatory enactments regulating the field of phytosanitation and distribution of the propagating material,
- Compile information on the established harmful organisms in Latvia, forecast the development thereof, co-ordinate plant quarantine measures in definite cases and places, promote the performance of plant quarantine measures to the extent as to terminate or restrict the spread of harmful organisms and mitigate the adverse impacts thereof.
The tasks of the Phytosanitary Surveillance Unit are as follows:
- To provide for the methodological guidance and organization of phytosanitary control and surveillance aimed at early detection of the introduction of harmful organisms, prediction of their development, provision for definite plant protection measures in specific cases and particular sites and promotion of implementation of quarantine measures to the extent required to terminate or restrict the spread of harmful organisms and mitigate the adverse impact thereof:
- Issuance of the phytosanitary documents: phytosanitary certificates of export and re-export, plant passports, labels and permits for import and movement of harmful organisms in the Republic of Latvia, intended for scientific, research or variety breeding purposes, as well as issuance of fumigation certificates.
- Performance of monitoring surveys to detect the prevalence of harmful organisms;
- Checking of plants and plant products subject to phytosanitary control;
- Monitoring of persons involved in circulation of plants and plant products subject to phytosanitary control;
- Surveillance of marking establishments of wood pacakaging materials;
- Conformity assessment of forest reproductive material;
- Conformity checking of propagation material of fruit trees, ornamental trees and shrubs;
- Conformity checking of berry bushes propagating material;
- Conformity checking of propagating material of ornamental plants: flowers and bulbous plants;
- Quality checking of cut flowers, greenery, bulbs, tubers and roots;
- Conformity checking of propagating material of vegetables;
- Implementation of phytosanitary measures;
- Application surveillance of I class plant protection (fumigation) materials;
- Projections in respect of occurrence of plant pests and diseases;
- Preparation of annual work plans for regional divisions in the field of plant quarantine;
- Maintain the register of persons involved in growing, processing, storage, trade, import and export of plants and plant products subject to phytosanitary control;
- Maintain the register of establishments engaged in marking of wood packaging material;
- Provide information to land users on the appearance and spread of harmful organisms and the measures to be taken;
- Summarise and disseminate information on harmful organisms;
- Participate the elaboration of proposals concerning restriction and control measures of harmful organisms;
- Elaborate internal rules for performance of surveillance and control functions;
- Draft instructions and methods for application and implementation of regulatory enactments, as well as securing of inspectors’ performance in the field of phytosanitary control and surveillance;
- Provide for and carry out professional training of regional inspectors, increasing their level of professional skills in the respective field;
- Organize co-operation with Sanitary Border Inspection of Food and Veterinary Service on import issues of plants and plant products;
- Organize co-operation with Chief Customs Office of State Revenue Service;
- Co-operate with state administration bodies, producers’ and growers’ associations and research institutions;
- Provide for safe storage and issuance of official stationeries for phytosanitary certificates
- Prepare notifications in respect of infringements of phytosanitary rules.
The function of Conformity Assessment Subdivision is methodological guidance of propagation material conformity assessment and issuance of plant passports and labels, as well as methodological guidance of surveillance and control in the field of cut flowers, greenery, bulbs, roots and tubers.
Conformity Assessment Subdivision performs the following tasks:
- Prepares methodological guidelines and instructions for performance of conformity assessment and phytosanitary checks of propagation material, as well as quality inspections of cut flowers, greenery, bulbs, roots and tubers;
- Maintain and update registers of plants and plant products subject to phytosanitary control, as well as persons involved in circulation of plants and plant products subject to phytosanitary control;
- Prepare inspection plan for regional divisions in respect of growers of propagation material;
- Summarise and analyse information on performed quality inspections of propagation matercoial growers, as well as cut flowers, greenery, bulbs, roots and tubers and the results thereof.
- Issue plant passports and labels in respect of propagating material;
- Address applications and prepare permits for import of plants and plant products for research and trial purposes.
The function of Harmful Organisms Monitoring Subdivision is methodological guidance of monitoring of harmful organisms.
Harmful organisms monitoring Subdivision performs the following tasks:
- Prepares methodological guidelines and instructions for performance of monitoring surveys;
- Prepares monitoring plans for regional divisions;
- Summarises and analyses information on monitoring inspections and the obtained results;
- In cases of establishment of plant quarantine organisms, co-ordinates cooperation among the regional divisions of the Service for application of phytosanitary measures and identification of infection/invasion sources;
- Summarises information on plant quarantine organisms established in Latvia;
- Prepares information materials on prevalence of harmful organisms;
- Carries out application surveillance of class I plant protection (fumigation) materials and issuance of fumigation certificates;
- Prepares notifications on infringements of phytosanitary rules concerning consignments of EU origin.
The function of Import and Export Subdivision is to provide for performance of import and export phytosanitary checks of plants and plant products subject to phytosanitary control and issuance of phytosanitary certificates in accordance with regulatory enactments.
Import and Export Subdivision performs the following tasks:
- Prepares methodological guidelines and instructions for performance of import and export phytosanitary checks and issuance of phytosanitary certificates,
- Orders official stationery forms of certificates and recording logbooks of phytosanitary certificates and distributes them among heads of regional divisions, providing for the safe storage of official stationery forms;
- Organizes and co-ordinates co-operation with Sanitary Border Inspection of Food and Veterinary Service on import issues of plants and plant products;
- Organizes co-operation with Chief Customs Office of the State Revenue Service;
- Maintains register of establishments involved in marking of wood packaging material;
- Maintains the list of approved inspection places;
- Prepares notifications on infringements of phytosanitary rules concerning import consignments;
- Summarizes information of import phytosanitary requirements of other countries.