Switzerland
After a little publicised change in Swiss regulation (https://www.ezv.admin.ch/ezv/en/home/information-individuals/animals-and-plants/plants–cut-flowers-and-protection-of-species–cites-.html) plants sent to you now need a health certificate to enter your country from the UK or from the EU.
As you can see from the regulation link above it is perfectly legal to take plants across the border as accompanied baggage but if they are posted to you, then they need a phytosanitary certificate if entering Switzerland from the UK or the EU. We have already heard of postal packages being refused entry to Switzerland when sent from France.
The result is a massive increase in inspections, paperwork, bureaucracy and office time spent processing applications and filling in forms. This and the essential extra “export” cleaning of the bulbs, has had a huge impact on costs. This is totally down to politicians and bureaucracy.
All of our export parcels now require a phytosanitary certificate (PC). These will be supplied with Swiss orders. They cost us around £30 just for the piece of paper. There is the cost to us of over £320 per hour to have the plants inspected and get these PCs issued (plus the inspector’s travel time at £320 per hour). We have averaged these additional charges out at an additional £15 per PC. We also have to allow for growing season inspections (yes £320 an hour) and Soil testing needed to obtain the PC issue. Extra export cleaning and our time also need to be costed. Not forgetting our boxes, bags, packing, labels, office time and costs and paying the person who actually packs the plants. All of this is included within our despatch charges quoted. We already pool and combine inspections of orders, to keep costs as low as we can. However despatch may sometimes need to be delayed a little, while we accumulate enough orders to be able to pool them for inspection.
In the face of postal theft and fraud we have amended our postal rates and we now ONLY send packets by “International tracked and signed-for” services. This is more expensive but this higher cost is also included within our new despatch charge.
Costs are calculated as a % of order value and they are advised before you make payment. As a guide, the minimum cost of export cleaning, health certificates, documentation, signed & trackable post, packers time and materials and customs declarations is now around £70.00 per shipment. We have pegged the maximum at £199.00.
There are no other charges made by ourselves, though your plants may (or may not) be liable for inspection when they enter your country. This may be charged by your customs. This is your responsibility and is not included within our charges.