A coordinated international effort to address the spread of pests and pest host material sold through e-commerce and distributed through postal mail and courier pathways

Desired 2030 outcome:

A coordinated international effort has substantially reduced the spread of pests and pest host material sold through e-commerce and distributed through mail and courier pathways. Volumes of high-risk plant material traded online in small quantities and shipped via courier pathways are sourced from authorized or accredited plant-health export programmes, and compliance is tracked and enforced in collaboration with other border agencies, the international postal services and courier services.

Activities to be carried out during 2020–2030 could include the following:

• Implement an international communications effort targeting both companies that trade through e-commerce channels and consumers to ensure that they understand that the importing country may have phytosanitary requirements, why those requirements exist, and how to comply with phytosanitary import requirements.
• Establish an inter-agency network (CITES, WCO, IPPC and other interested agencies) to create synergy in developing a joint policy and recommendations with regard to e-commerce and courier and postal pathways. A joint inter-agency toolkit could also be developed for the regulation and screening of e-commerce and courier and postal pathways.
• Develop and implement policies, programmes or mechanisms for sharing information on best practices, encouraging traders to follow requirements, etc.