Resource Search

In October 2016, the European Parliament and the Council adopted Regulation (EU) 2016/2031 on protective measures against plant pests (“Plant Health Law”). On 13 December 2016, the Regulation entered into force and will be applicable from 14 December 2019. The new rules aim to modernise the plant health regime, enhancing more effective measures for the protection of the Union's territory and its plants. The Plant Health Law increases the prevention against the introduction of new pests via imports from third countries. Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2018/2019 establishes the list of high risk plants the introduction of which into the EU territory will be provisionally prohibited from 14 December 2019 until a full risk assessment has been carried out. Published in the Official Journal on 11 October 2019, the Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2019/1702 lists 20 quarantine pests as priority pests, including Xylella fastidiosa, the Japanese beetle, the Asian long-horned beetle, Citrus greening and Citrus Black Spot, whose economic, environmental and social impact on EU territory is the most severe.

Contains several databases: EPPO Codes, EPPO Global Database, EPPO Database on PP1 Standards – Efficacy evaluation of PPPs, EPPO Database on Diagnostic Expertise, and CAPRA (Computer Assisted Pest Risk Analysis).

Close to 7,000 different species are owned by pet owners across Europe, including mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, fish. Some of these pet species are imported from outside Europe and can potentially cause ecological problems if they escape or are released in the environment. The importation of some invasive alien species is prohibited, see Council Regulation (EC) 338/97 [PDF, 3.78 MB] due to their invasive character and the fact that their introduction has an adverse impact on native species. In addition, the Council of Europe has designed a voluntary code of conduct [PDF, 1.92 MB] to raise awareness within the pet industry and among owners and keepers of pets and provide practical guidance to reduce further the chances of pet species becoming invasive in Europe.

Scientists from the CNRS, the IRD, and the Muséum National d’Histoire Naturelle have just released the most comprehensive estimate to date of the financial toll of invasive species: nearly $1.3 trillion over four decades. Published in Nature (31 March 2021), their findings are based on the InvaCost database, which is financed by the BNP Paribas Foundation and the Paris-Saclay University Foundation’s AXA Chair of Invasion Biology. The annual expenses generated by biological invasions are only increasing, with no sign of any slowing.

With increased movement of people and goods around the world, there is an increased introduction of alien (non-native) species to new areas where they can become invasive. Key to this, is knowing how the invasive species are likely to be introduced and acting to prevent further introductions through those pathways. The purpose Pathway Action Plans is to raise public awareness as well as to prevent unintentional introductions by minimizing the contamination of goods, commodities, vehicles and equipment by IAS, and ensuring appropriate checks at EU Union borders.