2020International Year of Plant Health - First Day Cover

The importance of plant health for life on Earth has been acknowledged by the United Nations, which has declared 2020 the International Year of Plant Health under the slogan “Protecting Plants, Protecting Life”. The movement of people and goods around the world helps to spread pests and diseases, with devastating effects for agriculture, forests and natural environments. Under the auspices of the FAO, the International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC), which has 180 signatories including Portugal, encourages countries to set standards for the international trade in plants and plant products to protect the health of the plants on their territories. In Portugal, the Directorate-General for Food and Veterinary, as the National Plant Protection Authority, is responsible for implementing legislation on phytosanitary control, establishing and coordinating measures to prevent, control and eradicate pests and diseases threatening the country’s plants.