The movement of most plant material into or out of the European Union requires a phytosanitary certificate which specifies that plants are pest- and disease-free. These are issued by the plant protection service of the exporting country.
The movement of non-commercial live plant specimens within the EEC is in theory relatively free but the exceptions to the rules create some significant complications. It is therefore strongly advisable to contact the Plant Health Division, DEFRA (Tel: 01904 455188) prior to crossing national borders.
Limited quantities of plant material from outside the EU can be brought back into the UK under special concessions, as long as the plants are not covered by CITES (see below). For non-EU European countries and those bordering the Mediterranean the regulations allow five plants, up to 2kg of bulbs and five retail packets of seed. Cuttings are considered to be the same as plants. From the rest of the world, you are allowed five retail packets of seed. No plants, cuttings or bulbs may be brought back without a phytosanitary certificate. Details are outlined in a leaflet called Travellers , available free from DEFRA.
If you wish to bring back wild plants, you will need to be sure that the plants are not endangered. Here the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) applies. These regulations are detailed and different levels of protection apply to different species. Details are available from the Wildlife Trade and Licensing Branch, Global Wildlife Division, DEFRA. Tel: 0117 372 8749.
You can bring back CITES controlled plants which have been grown on a nursery but you need to be able to produce documentation obtained from the supplier at the time of purchase. Orchids can be imported without permits as cut flowers or grown in flasks.
Wild plants, even if not covered by CITES, are often protected from collection in many countries. Increasingly the provisions of the Convention on Biological Diversity, which recognises a countries property rights over its native plants, will also come into force. For further information see the CBD website: www.biodiv.org
RHS policy on these matters is stated in the Conservation and Environment Guidelines Leaflets; CITES and Wild and endangered plants in cultivation . These are available from The RHS Subscription Service, PO Box 38, Ashford, Kent TN25 6PR by sending an A4 SAE, stating the titles required.