Canadian Food Inspection Agency
Plant Products Directorate
Plant Health Division
Forestry Section

Wood Packaging Materials

International Wood Packaging Standard

(information may not be available in both official languages)

The International Wood Packaging Standard (ISPM n^o 15)

On June 22, 2002, the IPPC standard ISPM n^o 15 was suspended for a temporary period to allow for the redesign of the certification logo (wood packaging certification mark) and to protect the final product against possible trade mark situations. This suspension does not affect Canada’s current wood packaging certification program (CWPCP) which is still in effect to meet ISPM n^o 15 for wood packaging materials.

IPPC Phytosanitary Portal Website

Current Status of ISPM n^o 15.

In March 2002, the International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC) adopted the International Standard for Phytosanitary Measures on Wood Packaging (ISPM n^o 15), entitled Guidelines for Regulating Wood Packaging Material in International Trade. The guidelines outline the requirements for a harmonized standard for protection from the introduction of invasive plant pests. The standard details the minimum mandatory treatment requirements and a wood packaging marking system, as agreed by the IPPC membership, for the export of wood packaging materials constructed from non-manufactured wood (softwood and hardwood) from countries around the world.

Import requirements for wood packaging materials will vary depending on the destination country. Please contact a local CFIA office to enquire about particular wood packaging import requirements. Additionally, the CFIA website has a summary of worldwide implementation of ISPM n^o 15, which will be updated each time Canada receives official notification (either by official government communication or by WTO SPS notification) stating that a country has implemented the new wood packaging standard, ISPM n^o 15. The CFIA also maintains an official list of approved sources of certified wood packaging and marks.

Prior to the development of an international standard, a multitude of import requirements has existed and these requirements have changed over time as individual countries have readdressed the risk associated with wood packaging. ISPM n^o 15 harmonizes the wood packaging import requirements of the participating countries. The accepted treatment measures are risk-based and have been scientifically verified and internationally accepted. It is anticipated that the majority of Canada’s trading partners will implement ISPM n^o 15.

To harmonize with ISPM n^o 15, Canada has updated its wood packaging import requirements for all areas other than the United States (D-98-08) and has developed the Canadian Wood Packaging Certification Program (D-01-05).

Canada’s Export Program

During 2001, the CFIA, the Canadian Forestry Service and an Industry working group co-developed the Canadian Wood Packaging Certification Program (CWPCP). This program was designed to meet the previous European Union wood packaging import requirements and to maintain market access for Canadian products exported on coniferous wood packaging. The CWPCP will be used as the foundation of Canada’s wood packaging certification program. The current CWPCP sets the requirements for the certification of wood packaging to the ISPM n^o 15 standard for export.

What is the CWPCP?

The Canadian Wood Packaging Certification Program is a quality management program designed to allow certified producers to construct wood packaging products to meet a phytosanitary standard. The CFIA will certify wood packaging producers only after approving the elements of a producer's quality management plan and verifying that the wood packaging facility is capable of meeting the phytosanitary standard. Periodic audits ensure that the facility is compliant to the phytosanitary standard.

Products produced by the certified wood packaging producer will be stamped with a wood packaging certification mark which identifies the producing company, the country of production and the approved treatment. An added benefit of the CWPCP is that certified wood packaging can be exported without additional paperwork to verify treatment and origin - all the required information is contained within the wood packaging certification mark.

Who is the CWPCP Working Group?

The CWPCP working group is a Government - Industry Stakeholders groups which formed during 2001 with the purpose of designing a program to meet the European Union’s import requirements for coniferous wood packaging. The program was also designed to be updated to meet the phytosanitary standards presented in the 2001 draft IPPC standard for the export of wood packaging. This group contains representatives from the CFIA, the Canadian Forestry Service and the following industry sectors: chemically treated wood products, fumigation treatment, wood packaging, hardwood lumber, softwood lumber sector, and fish and sea food production.

When will the next revision of the CWPCP be published?

Comments from the working group will be collected to produce the next revision. This revision will be formatted and distributed for comment to the public according the CFIA D-memo process. It is anticipated that the next revision of the CWPCP will be completed by fall 2005.

For more information on wood packaging, please subscribe to the CWPCP Notification System (LISTSERV).