TRACES: around 120 competent authority representatives mobilised on plant product certification

In brief

• On 21 May 2026, through the Fit for Market Plus (FFM+) and AGRINFO programmes, COLEAD ran two follow-up sessions (in French and English) on using TRACES for phytosanitary and safety certification of plant products.
• Around 120 representatives from competent authorities took part.
• On the agenda: TRACES-PHYTO, the IPPC ePhyto module, EU IMPORT, electronic certification via eSeal, and access to CHED and QlikSense.
• The aim: to strengthen competent authorities’ capacity and encourage the use of TRACES.
• Presentations and recordings available below.

Why these sessions?

On 21 May 2026, through the Fit for Market Plus (FFM+) and AGRINFO programmes, COLEAD ran two follow-up sessions — one in French and one in English — on the use of TRACES for the phytosanitary and safety certification of plant products. They brought together around 120 representatives from competent authorities.

The webinars offered practical guidance on TRACES’ main functionalities: the TRACES-PHYTO module and the IPPC ePhyto module, EU IMPORT for the safety certification of food and feed of non-animal origin (FFNAO), electronic certification via eSeal (digital signature), and access to Common Health Entry Documents (CHED) and QlikSense.

These sessions continue COLEAD’s support to competent authorities and encourage the use of TRACES to manage and follow up plant product certification — a key link in smoothing trade and securing market access, particularly to the EU. They also reflect the growing role of electronic certification, a lever for simpler, more reliable processes across the value chain.

To go further — presentations and recordings (EN)

• Overview of TRACES (Presentation – Recording)
• Access to the Common Health Entry Documents (CHED) and QlikSense (Presentation – Recording)
  • Parallel session 1: Use of TRACES-PHYTO / IPPC ePhyto module for phytosanitary certification / EAD – Export Additional Declarations. (Presentation – Recording)
  • Parallel session 2: Use of TRACES – EU IMPORT module for safety certification of FFNAO (Presentation – Recording)
  • Parallel session 3: Use of eSeal for electronic certification in TRACES (digital signature) (Presentation – Recording)

If you would also like to watch the recordings from the end of last year on similar topics, you can find them by clicking on the light grey “View full report” button on the AGRINFO website via this link.

This activity is supported by the Fit For Market Plus (FFM+) programme, implemented by COLEAD within the Framework of Development Cooperation between the Organisation of African, Caribbean and Pacific States (OACPS) and the European Union; and by the AGRINFO programme, implemented by COLEAD and funded by the European Union (EU). This publication receives financial support from the European Union and the OACPS. The content of this publication is the sole responsibility of COLEAD and can in no way be taken to reflect the views of the European Union or the OACPS.