Chappers Posted August 11, 2015 Report Share Posted August 11, 2015 Back in the spring I tried to send some spare Sarracenia to France by Royal Mail, assuming this would be ok as I'd done it several times before. I was however told that this was no longer possible by 3 different post offices as plant material was on the prohibited items list, and indeed the Post Office website clearly states this. I was also told that if I lied about the contents there was a risk my package would be seized and destroyed by the French authorities if was scanned and the plants identified. What do other UK growers do please? Am I unlucky in having very strict post office staff, do growers lie about what they're sending when asked or will other carriers accept plants? Thanks Neil Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scotcarnivorousplants Posted August 11, 2015 Report Share Posted August 11, 2015 It is? They recently changed things. I think you are just that they were at my own risk? This is not good news for me if this happens where I live. Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marcel van den Broek Posted August 11, 2015 Report Share Posted August 11, 2015 There are very few restrictions on the movement of plants and seeds within the EU. Just a couple of species are restricted, none of them carnivorous to the best of my knowledge. Restrictions can come into play if you are talking large shipments, which I gather is not the case. However, your real issue is your postal service that created this rule. Basically, several postal services decline to ship living plants, mainly because they don't want to deal with claims if shipments get delayed and the plants die nor do they want to have the knowledge to identify any of the restricted species so they take the easy escape and say they don't ship.. Only thing you can do (besides violating their rules which I of course advice against) is look for a courier service that is willing to ship. I have only on rare occacions heard that plants got destroid by the authorities of the receiving country and unless they are destroying any of the few restricted species that would in any case be a violation of the EU rules on free transport of products, people and goods within the EU....but good luck on winning that fight as a private individual. Outside the EU (and mind you, not all of Europe is EU e.g. Switzerland)..all bets are off and all kinds of international and local regulations come into play. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mobile Posted August 11, 2015 Report Share Posted August 11, 2015 I've not checked Royal Mails restrictions recently, but last time I did plant restrictions were country specific, which in my case included Germany and they refused to accept a package I was trying to ship there. http://www.royalmail.com/germany Here's the one for France, showing plants in the prohibitions: http://www.royalmail.com/france Sent from my SM-T530 using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ada Posted August 11, 2015 Report Share Posted August 11, 2015 Its simple,just tell your buyer its at their risk,lie through your back teeth at the post office and send them registered/signed for. If you send by normal post to France and Italy you'll be lucky if they arrive.it costs a lot more but international signed for gets them(the plants) there.I've had no trouble at all posting to Germany but don't tell them they are plants,they are a present for a friend. ada 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Anderson Posted August 11, 2015 Report Share Posted August 11, 2015 Weird as I sent plants to Germany recently and the post office at mine was fine with sending plants to Germany and within the uk Mark Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mobile Posted August 11, 2015 Report Share Posted August 11, 2015 Mark, the Post Office would have none of it when I tried to send a plant to Germany, simply pointing me in the direction of the prohibitions I've linked above. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mobile Posted August 11, 2015 Report Share Posted August 11, 2015 Ada, my understanding was signed-for is the same service as normal post, just you get a delivery receipt (sometimes). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ada Posted August 11, 2015 Report Share Posted August 11, 2015 (edited) It costs a bit more but i've found delivery is faster,4 or 5 days to Italy but they get there. Normal post to France and Italy is a waste of time,it takes ages,if it gets there at all. I send regularly but never by normal post to these countries. International signed for gives you a receipt and tracking number. Edited August 11, 2015 by ada Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
manders Posted August 11, 2015 Report Share Posted August 11, 2015 I recently sent some plants to Germany, plants are restricted, not prohibited. However, nobody seems to have a clue what restricted means. At first my local post office refused to send, but because i was persistent they ended up phoning head office, still no-one really knew what restricted meant. Ultimately they agreed I could send it, but at my own risk. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blocky71 Posted August 11, 2015 Report Share Posted August 11, 2015 I take it France to England is ok though?, as I recently had two packages from France that had every plant inside it written on the outside of the package... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scotcarnivorousplants Posted August 11, 2015 Report Share Posted August 11, 2015 I was told by the woman at the post office that it was all ok to Germany unless it is parcel force. Mobile were you sending with parcel force? Also Ada what happens when the staff at the post office know when all that you send is plants. I live in a sleepy village only two members of staff at the post office. They don't even bother asking me what I am sending. Haven't sent for a few weeks though. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mobile Posted August 11, 2015 Report Share Posted August 11, 2015 manders, plants via Royal Mail to Germany are prohibited items, check my link above. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chappers Posted August 11, 2015 Author Report Share Posted August 11, 2015 Thanks for all the comments and advice. I had considered lying about the contents as Ada suggests but from others experience I'm not sure as it's worth the hassle and I think I'd be reluctant to send anything valuable. What I don't really understand is why it's suddenly so difficult to send plants when previously it was fine. And as Blocky says there is no problem receiving plants from the EU... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scotcarnivorousplants Posted August 11, 2015 Report Share Posted August 11, 2015 Hmm.. If you actually look at the prohibited list what can you reply send? They will strip the right to send anything, when all you can send is clothes and phone cases. Anyway,... Are there any other companies that allow to send plants, maybe UPS and DHL. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
manders Posted August 11, 2015 Report Share Posted August 11, 2015 manders, plants via Royal Mail to Germany are prohibited items, check my link above. manders, plants via Royal Mail to Germany are prohibited items, check my link above. Yes your right... My post office must have been more cnfused than thought, they let me send them! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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