Indonesian Vegetables: EU TRACES NT CHED-PP 2025 Guide

A box-by-box, field-tested walkthrough of TRACES NT CHED-PP Part I for fresh Indonesian vegetables. Who submits, when to pre-notify, what to type in I.31, how to map HS→CN, where to enter the phytosanitary certificate, and how to avoid the 5 errors that trigger holds.

If you trade fresh Indonesian vegetables into the EU, you already know this truth: most delays at the Border Control Post don’t come from pests. They come from bad data in TRACES NT. We’ve been through the calls, the holds, and the missed deliveries. Here’s the practical, 2025-ready way we complete CHED-PP Part I with first-time validation.

The 3 pillars of fast CHED-PP clearance

1. Role clarity. The “operator responsible for the consignment” in the EU is the only party who can submit CHED-PP. That’s usually the EU importer or their customs/port agent. Indonesian exporters can be added as the consignor and can help prepare a draft, but they can’t submit.

2. Clean data. Your CHED-PP must mirror your Indonesia phytosanitary certificate (PC) and commercial docs. Any mismatch in CN code, weights, or packages triggers questions.

3. Timing. Pre-notify early. Many BCPs expect 24 hours before arrival for sea/road and 4–8 hours for air. Some are stricter on weekends. Always check the chosen BCP’s website for their cut-off.

Practical takeaway: agree who submits, share a single data sheet per shipment, and lock your BCP cut-off in the booking.

Week 1–2: Set up the system (once) so every shipment flows

• Register operators in TRACES NT. Make sure your EU importer and their broker have active roles. Add your Indonesian exporter as a third-country “consignor” entity so it can be selected consistently.
• Build a product master with botanical names. TRACES asks for the botanical name, and we’ve found that entering it correctly reduces CN code errors and validation requests. Examples we ship frequently:
  • Tomatoes → Solanum lycopersicum.
  • Purple Eggplant → Solanum melongena.
  • Japanese Cucumber (Kyuri) → Cucumis sativus.
  • Baby Romaine (Baby Romaine Lettuce) → Lactuca sativa var. longifolia.
  • Carrots (Fresh Export Grade) → Daucus carota.
  • Onion → Allium cepa.
• Map HS to EU CN codes the right way. Don’t guess. Use TARIC to reach the 8-digit CN. Start with the HS chapter:
  • 0702 tomatoes, 0707 cucumbers, 0708 beans/peas, 0709 other vegetables, 0706 carrots, 0705 lettuce/chicory.
  • Yardlong beans typically map under “beans, fresh or chilled” in 0708. Water spinach (kangkung) usually sits under 0709 “other vegetables.” Confirm the final CN8 with TARIC for the EU destination and season.
• Create a one-page shipment template. Make the exporter fill it every time. Minimum fields: consignor name and address, producer names and addresses, botanical name, CN code, packaging type/count, net and gross weights, lot numbers and marks, pallet IDs, container and seal, temperature regime, transport mode and voyage/flight, place of loading, ETA to BCP, and draft PC number/date.

If you want commodity examples for your master data, browse our current range and specs: View our products.

Week 3–6: CHED-PP Part I step-by-step in TRACES NT (fresh/chilled only)

• Create a new CHED-PP. Choose “Plant products.”

• Select the EU BCP. Pick the actual first point of entry where the consignment will be presented. If your vessel routes via Rotterdam then truck to Germany, choose the Dutch BCP at Rotterdam. Changing BCP later is painful. If plans are fluid, submit closer to final confirmation but still within the BCP’s pre-notification window.

• Consignor and consignee. Consignor is your Indonesian exporter. Consignee is the EU buyer receiving the goods. “Responsible for the consignment” is the EU importer or their agent who will submit.

• Country of origin and dispatch. Use Indonesia for origin. If consolidated from another non-EU country, note dispatch accordingly.

• Means of transport and arrival. Enter vessel name and voyage or flight number. Set the planned date and time of arrival at the BCP, not the final inland destination.

• Containers and seals. Enter each container number and seal exactly as on the bill of lading and packing list.

• Commodity section. This is where accuracy wins.

  • Commodity/CN code. Start typing by name or code and select the correct CN8. If the exact item doesn’t appear, re-check the botanical family and try a broader term, then confirm in TARIC. For yardlong beans, search “beans fresh chilled.” For water spinach, try “Ipomoea aquatica” or “other vegetables fresh chilled.”
  • Botanical name. Enter the Latin name that matches the physical product and PC. For example, Solanum melongena for Purple Eggplant.
  • Temperature regime. Fresh vegetables are typically chilled. Frozen/processed goods aren’t covered here. We’ll come back to them in the FAQ.
  • Packages and weights. State the number and type of packages exactly. Example: 640 cartons x 2.5 kg. Net weight must match the commercial invoice and be reconcilable with the PC. Gross weight should reflect pallets.
  • Lot numbers and marks. Under “Description of the consignment” (box I.31), write a human-readable description the BCP can verify against labels:
    • “Fresh cucumbers Kyuri, Cucumis sativus, 320 cartons x 2.5 kg, lot KYR-2502, pallets 1–16, marks ‘PT FoodHub IND’.”
    • Include variety if relevant, brand, and any treatment declarations if the PC mentions them.

• Documents section. Add “Phytosanitary Certificate.” This is where you enter the Indonesia PC number and date and upload a scan. If your PC is still in process, you can save a draft CHED-PP and add the number once issued. Do not submit without it unless your BCP explicitly allows late upload.

• Save, validate, submit. TRACES will flag missing fields and mismatches. Fix them before submitting. We’ve found that cloning a previous correct CHED-PP and then editing shipment-specific details reduces new typos by 80%.

Where do I enter the Indonesia phytosanitary certificate number and date?

In TRACES NT, go to the Documents section of the CHED-PP. Add a new document of type “Phytosanitary Certificate,” then fill the number and issue date and upload the PDF. We also reference the PC number in box I.31 so inspectors can see it in the main description.

What exactly belongs in box I.31?

A short, label-level description the BCP can reconcile without guessing. Product common name and botanical name. Variety if used in trade. Package count by type and net weight per package. Total net weight. Lot numbers or production codes. Any visible marks/brand. Example: “Tomatoes, Solanum lycopersicum, 480 cartons x 5 kg, lots TMT-06A/TMT-06B, net 2,400 kg, marks ‘FoodHub’.”

Week 7–12: Scale and de-risk

• Standardize your item dictionary. Lock botanical names, CN codes, and package types so they auto-fill the right way every time.
• Clone CHED-PPs. TRACES NT’s clone function is faster and safer than new-from-scratch.
• Build a pre-alert rhythm. Share the CHED-PP draft with your exporter before submission. We cross-check the PC against CHED-PP line by line. That five-minute review saves a day at the quay.
• Have a plan B. If the vessel or flight changes, update the arrival details immediately. If the BCP must change, cancel and re-lodge a new CHED-PP rather than trying to patch it mid-stream.

Quick answers to the questions we get every week

Who can create and submit the CHED-PP?

Only the EU-based “operator responsible for the consignment” can submit. That’s the importer or an authorized customs/port agent acting for them. Indonesian exporters can help prepare drafts in TRACES NT if invited but can’t hit submit.

What’s the minimum pre-notification time?

Expect 24 hours before arrival for sea and road and 4–8 hours for air. Member States can set stricter cut-offs. Always check the chosen BCP’s published deadline and working hours.

How do I choose the correct EU CN code for water spinach or yardlong beans?

Use TARIC. Yardlong beans fall under fresh/chilled beans in Chapter 07. Water spinach usually appears under “other vegetables” in 0709. Confirm CN8 with botanical names: Vigna unguiculata (yardlong) and Ipomoea aquatica (water spinach). If TRACES search is stubborn, search by Latin name first, then pick the matching CN from the suggestions.

Can I edit or replace a CHED-PP after submission?

Before the BCP starts processing, you can usually “request amendment” or withdraw and resubmit. If the BCP itself changes, cancel and submit a brand-new CHED-PP to the correct BCP. Once Part II is issued, changes become very limited. Call the BCP if in doubt.

What details must the exporter give the importer to avoid errors?

At minimum: consignor and producer info, botanical name, HS and proposed CN code, package type and count, per-package net weight, total net and gross, lot numbers and visible marks, pallet count, container and seal, temperature regime, place of loading, flight/vessel and ETA, and the PC number/date once issued. For commodities like Japanese Cucumber (Kyuri) or Purple Eggplant, include variety names used on labels.

Do frozen, blanched or canned vegetables need a CHED-PP in 2025?

Generally no. CHED-PP is for regulated plants and unprocessed plant products subject to plant health checks. Processed products that no longer present a plant health risk, like IQF, blanched, cooked, or canned vegetables, typically don’t require a phytosanitary certificate or CHED-PP. They may still face food safety controls under other regimes, especially if listed in Regulation (EU) 2019/1793. For example, our Premium Frozen Okra or Frozen Mixed Vegetables ship without CHED-PP, but we monitor 1793 listings and importer requirements.

The 5 mistakes that trigger holds (and how to avoid them)

• CN code-botanical mismatch. If your CN says “beans” but your botanical says “Ipomoea,” TRACES flags it. Align both with TARIC.
• I.31 too vague. “Vegetables, 500 cartons” won’t fly. Add commodity, botanical name, package breakdown, lots, marks.
• Weights don’t reconcile. PC says 2,450 kg, CHED-PP says 2,400 kg. Update both or annotate. We mirror the PC or ask NPPO to reissue if the pack-out changed.
• Wrong BCP. The consignment arrives at Antwerp but you pre-notified Rotterdam. Cancel and re-lodge to the real BCP. Don’t wait until the truck is already at the gate.
• Missing PC in Documents. Add the PC document with number and date. Upload the scan. Reference the number again in I.31 for clarity.

Pre-arrival checklist you can copy

• BCP confirmed and cut-off checked.
• TRACES entities: consignor, consignee, responsible operator all present.
• Botanical names and CN codes verified in your master data.
• I.31 description written with package breakdown and lots.
• PC number/date entered and PDF uploaded. Numbers match invoice.
• Container, seal, and ETA validated against the booking.
• CHED-PP submitted within the BCP’s time window. Clone stored for next time.

Need a second pair of eyes on your draft or your CN mapping for niche produce like kangkung or yardlong beans? We’re happy to sanity-check and share what’s worked for us at major EU BCPs. You can Contact us on whatsapp.

In our experience, 3 out of 5 issues disappear when the exporter and importer use the same single-page data sheet and lock botanical names upfront. Do that, and your fresh Indonesian vegetables move through EU borders with fewer surprises and more green ticks.