Gießen (dpa/lhe) – The regional council has warned against bringing supposedly harmless souvenirs such as plants, fruits and seeds from vacation trips. This is not always allowed and can quickly become expensive, said the plant protection service at the Gießen regional council (RP) on Thursday. In order to avoid fines and the destruction of plants they have brought with them, travelers should find out exactly about the import regulations.
There are regulations for the import of many plants and parts of plants to prevent the import of pests or plant diseases. A single fruit could therefore contain several dozen foreign fruit flies or larvae, which can then spread further. This could have devastating consequences for the environment and agriculture.
For the import of herbal products from countries outside the European Union, a so-called phytosanitary certificate from the country of origin is required. If this is missing, there are consequences for travelers: “You have to hand in the often expensive holiday souvenirs at the airport and have them destroyed,” said Alexander Grüner from the RP plant protection team. In addition, there is a fee that must be paid directly on site. However, pineapple, coconut, dates, durian and bananas can also be brought without a health certificate.
The plant protection service is planning increased checks at Frankfurt Airport during the holiday season in order to sensitize passengers to the issue.
