Proposed amendments to list of Union quarantine pests
Published by AGRINFO on
EU proposes to amend its listing of plant pests and rules on the introduction of plants and plant products
Draft for amending Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/2072 as regards the listing of pests and rules on the introduction into, and movement within, the Union territory of plants, plant products and other objects
Update
There are some proposed changes to the list of Union quarantine pests that affect plant products for food. It is proposed to add to the list additional fruit fly species including Neoceratitis and Neotephritis spp.; and to remove from the list some plant viruses and the mealybug Ripersiella hibisci. Other changes concern plants for planting and non-food commodities, including cut flowers.
Impacted Products
Plants and plant products
What is changing?
This proposed Regulation modifies Implementing Regulation 2019/2072. Regarding plant products for food, the most significant changes are the following additions and deletions to the list of Union quarantine pests:
- additional fruit fly species including Neoceratitis asiatica, Neoceratitis cyanescens, and Neotephritis finalis (Tephritidae family) are added to the list, based on evidence of their harmful impact
- the mealybug Ripersiella hibisci, and the viruses Sweet potato chlorotic stunt virus, Sweet potato mild mottle virus, Tobacco ringspot virus, and Tomato ringspot virus, are removed from the list due to a lack of significant impact observed in the EU.
Most of the other proposed changes concern plants for planting and non-food commodities, including cut flowers.
Why?
The EU updates its protective measures against plant pests according to the latest scientific knowledge and risk assessments. This is designed to safeguard agriculture and the environment across the European Union territory.
Timeline
This Regulation will take effect 20 days after its publication, and some transition periods will be planned.
What are the major implications for exporting countries?
The list of EU quarantine pests is being updated. It is crucial to monitor and prevent the presence of any quarantine pests in consignments destined for the EU. The detection of any quarantine pests will automatically result in the rejection of whole consignments.
Recommended Actions
Competent authorities of countries that are members of the WTO can submit comments on the EU’s proposal by emailing the EU SPS Enquiry Point regarding G/SPS/N/EU/759 until 1 July 2024.
Businesses and organisations can also provide feedback via the European Commission’s “Have your say” webpage – Amendment of protective measures against pests of plants – until 28 May 2024.
The additions to the list of Union quarantine pests, notably fruit fly species, are particularly important as they can be present in a wide variety of plant products. Producers and National Plant Protection Organisations in countries where these species occur should monitor them closely and ensure they are not present in exports destined for the EU.
Background
The EU Plant Health Regulation 2016/2031 has been in place since 14 December 2019. It takes a proactive approach that focuses on the prevention of entry and spread of plant pests within the EU. New rules were brought in for surveillance, eradication, and imports, based on the understanding that to avoid future harm to EU agriculture or the environment, resources need to be invested at an early (preventative) stage. The overall aim is to have more effective measures for the protection of the Union territory, to ensure safe trade, and to mitigate the impacts of climate change on the health of EU crops and forests.
The new Plant Health Regulation refers to the International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC), an intergovernmental treaty that aims to protect the world's plant resources from the spread and introduction of pests. The IPPC sets the International Standards for Phytosanitary Measures (ISPMs) and is the main global standard-setting organisation for plant health.
For more information see:
Provisional list of high risk plants explained
Provisional listing of pests, commodities and additional plant health requirements.
Resources
Regulation (EU) 2019/2072 establishing uniform conditions for the implementation of Regulation (EU) 2016/2031
Regulation (EU) 2016/2031 on protective measures against pests of plants
EFSA (2020) Pest categorisation of non-EU Tephritidae. EFSA Journal, 18(1): e05931.
Sources
Proposal as regards the listing of pests and rules on the introduction into, and movement within, the Union territory of plants, plant products and other objects