Summary

Proclamation No. 1400/2026 establishes a modern legal framework to modernizes Ethiopia’s plant-health and quarantine system by regulating the movement of plants and related materials, strengthening pest surveillance and control, imposing phytosanitary requirements on imports and exports, assigning institutional responsibilities, and establishing penalties for violations.

keywords

Plant Protection; Plant Quarantine; Phytosanitary Certificate; Pest Risk Analysis; Pest Surveillance; Pest Control; Quarantine Pest; Regulated Pest; Post-Entry Quarantine; Import Permit; Export Control; Biological Pest Control; Invasive Alien Pest; Migratory Pest; Pest Outbreak; Wood Packaging Material; Emergency Quarantine; International Plant Protection Convention; Plant Health

1. Main objectives

The Proclamation focuses on:

• Preventing and controlling plant pests.
• Conducting systematic pest surveys and surveillance.
• Establishing an early-warning system.
• Reducing the economic, social and environmental damage caused by pests.
• Regulating the import and export of plants, plant products and other regulated articles.
• Establishing an effective plant quarantine system consistent with international standards (Align Ethiopia’s system with the International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC))

2. Scope of regulation

The law covers:

• Plants and seeds
• Plant products
• Fruits and vegetables
• Tissue-cultured plants
• Genetically modified organisms, where relevant
• Soil
• Wood packaging materials
• Containers and means of transportation
• Other materials capable of carrying or spreading pests
• Imported, exported and transit consignments

3. Import controls

1. The Proclamation establishes phytosanitary controls for imported plants and plant products. Depending on the level of pest risk, requirements may include:

• Import permits
• Inspection
• Pest-risk analysis
• Phytosanitary documentation
• Treatment
• Designated entry points
• Post-entry quarantine
• Release authorization
• Wood packaging must meet IPPC standards. Soil imports require risk reduction measures (sterilization, irradiation, heat). Genetically modified organisms must comply with Biosafety Proclamation No. 655/2009 and No. 896/2015. Biological pest control requires risk analysis.
• Plants considered a plant-health risk may have to undergo post-entry quarantine before they can be released.

4. Export controls

Export consignments must comply with the requirements of the importing country. The law provides for:

• Pest-free areas or production sites where required
• Phytosanitary certificates
• Re-export phytosanitary certificates where applicable
• Compliance with the importing country’s requirements before export
• Wood packaging must meet IPPC standards.

5. Pest management

The Proclamation adopts a broader and more modern pest-management approach, including:

• Biological pest control
• Chemical control
• Improved crop-management practices
• Pest surveillance
• Pest outbreak monitoring
• Post-harvest pest prevention
• Control of invasive alien and migratory pests

The definition of pest control emphasizes methods that avoid harm to humans, animals and the environment.

6. Institutional responsibilities

The Ministry of Agriculture is given policy, regulatory and coordination responsibilities, while the responsible plant-quarantine authority performs operational functions.

Key functions include:

• Appointing/assigning inspectors
• Issuing phytosanitary certificates
• Collecting and managing quarantine information
• Determining appropriate entry points based on pest risk
• Building institutional and human capacity
• Coordinating pest surveys and surveillance
• Regulating biological pest-control agents

Inspectors have authority to inspect plants, plant products and regulated articles entering, leaving or transiting through Ethiopia and to examine relevant quarantine documents.

7. Emergency quarantine

The law provides for emergency quarantine action where a sudden or unexpected occurrence of a quarantine pest cannot adequately be controlled through ordinary quarantine procedures.

8. Information-reporting obligation

People working in plant production and protection, professionals and relevant regulatory bodies have obligations to report the occurrence of new pests and provide relevant information to the authorities. Persons arriving at entry/exit points with unauthorized regulated plant materials must also report them to inspectors.

9. Penalties

The Proclamation establishes criminal penalties for violations. For example:

• Obstructing an inspector, destroying evidence or providing false information may result in 1–5 years’ imprisonment or a fine up to Birr 100,000, as applicable.
• Failure to report information about a new pest that results in plant damage may result in 1–3 years’ imprisonment.
• An inspector who intentionally submits a false report or fails to perform required duties may face 1–3 years’ imprisonment.
• An inspector who permits importation without a required permit may face 1–5 years’ imprisonment.
• Disobeying an order concerning a designated quarantine area may result in 1–2 years’ imprisonment or a Birr 20,000–30,000 fine.

10. Repeal and transition

Plant Protection Decree No. 56/1971 is repealed. Any law or customary practice inconsistent with the new Proclamation does not apply to matters covered by the Proclamation.

However, Plant Quarantine Regulation No. 4/1992 remains applicable until a new Regulation is issued under the new Proclamation.

11. Effective date

The Proclamation entered into force on 7 May 2026