Wooden Packaging: Legal Considerations for Export and Import

Do your sensitive items require export packing? There are many pieces of legislation associated with wooden packaging. 

Appointing an export packing supplier that understands every legal requirement is crucial to ensuring the integrity and safety of your equipment and products. This article will outline key legislation related to wooden crates used for export packing.

Legislation can change from country to country, and whilst Timcon, the timber packaging and pallet confederation, gives invaluable help with guidance and legislative updates, it remains the responsibility of the exporter / importer and their packaging supplier to ensure their shipments meet all the requirements.

Which standards apply to wooden export packaging?

A good place to start is with the International Standards for Phytosanitary Measures No.15 (or ISPM 15 for short), which was first introduced in 2002 to reduce the global spread of plant diseases and pests associated with the international movement of wooden packaging. 

ISPM 15 applies specifically to solid wooden packaging, including:

• Packing cases
• Boxes
• Crates
• Drums
• Box pallets
• Pallet collars
• Other load boards

Note that the rules don’t apply to processed non-solid wood packaging, including:

• Raw wood that’s 6mm or less
• Plywood
• Gift boxes made from processed wood, shavings or sawdust
• Cardboard as packing material
• Barrels for wines and spirits

ISPM 15 is subscribed to by 48 countries, including the United Kingdom and EU member states, but it is important to note that specific terms may apply to each subscribing country. If you are exporting solid wood packaging from Great Britain, you should check whether the country you are exporting to accepts ISPM 15 standards, and if they have other regulatory requirements.

If you are exporting solid wood packaging from Great Britain into Northern Ireland, note that Northern Ireland has its own special rules.

Unsure of the regulations that apply in a certain country? A check on the Timcon website will always be worthwhile.

What happens if you don’t meet ISPM 15 standards?

If the solid wood packaging you are importing into the UK, or exporting into another country where ISPM 15 applies, fails an inspection, you may be given the option to treat the packaging.

You will need to find a company that is authorised to provide treatment to ISPM 15 standards, or alternatively, you could send the packaging back to its original supplier.

If you are importing goods into the UK, it is essential that you specify the requirements for your solid wood packaging in contracts with exporters you are dealing with. If requirements haven’t been specific and the packaging fails an inspection, you may be asked to pay for one or more of: 

• Repackaging of the goods
• Treatment of the packaging to meet ISPM 15 standards 
• Marking of the packaging to meet ISPM 15 standards
• Destruction of the wood packaging
• Return of the wood packaging
• Return of the goods inside the packaging

What are the regulations for wooden packaging in the UK?

Closer to home, the UK Timber Regulations (UKTR) and UK FLEGT regulations came into force in January 2021. This regulatory framework acts to ban the use of illegal timber in the UK and requires that due diligence in the form of a risk assessment be performed prior to any wood or wood products being introduced. Risk, in this case, would include an illegal source, but extends to acting to mitigate any other identified risks.

UKTR also demands that as packaging suppliers, organisations such as IES keep a record of the supplier, the product species, the source and the amount bought in each transaction. We record our risk assessment on the product, based on the evidence we have collected. How do we do that?

• We use credible information about the country of origin, the supplier, the product and anything else pertinent before an order is placed.
• We record what actions we are taking to mitigate the risk going forward. 

Although it can be complex, this stage is particularly important for big moves, like the export packing for 650 fragile decorative plasters we helped Hayles and Howe transport to Dubai. 

Read more about the IES wooden crate range

IES offers a wide range of ISPM 15-compliant wooden crates with a robust and responsive design. Discover the full range today.