Europe Releases List of Priority Plant Pests
The European Commission has idenÂtiÂfied 20 quarÂanÂtine pests, includÂing the emerÂald ash borer and Xylella fasÂtidiosa, as top priÂorÂiÂties for memÂber states to address in order to proÂtect olive trees, with speÂcific requireÂments under the new Plant Health Law comÂing into effect on December 14 this year. The law manÂdates annual surÂveys, conÂtinÂgency plans, pubÂlic comÂmuÂniÂcaÂtion, and eradÂiÂcaÂtion plans for the idenÂtiÂfied threats, while also requirÂing a phyÂtosanÂiÂtary cerÂtifiÂcate for all plants enterÂing the E.U., except for cerÂtain fruits like pineapÂples, coconuts, duriÂans, bananas, and dates, but not olives.
Emerald ash borer and Xylella fasÂtidiosa — both threats to olive trees — are two of the 20 quarÂanÂtine pests that have been highÂlighted as top priÂorÂiÂties for E.U. memÂber states on the list of priÂorÂity pests that was released last week.
The list forms part of the European Commission’s strateÂgies to proÂtect Europe from these pests. Member states are required to comÂpile annual surÂveys, creÂate curÂrent conÂtinÂgency plans, comÂmuÂniÂcate with the pubÂlic and introÂduce eradÂiÂcaÂtion plans for each of these threats.
The comÂpiÂlaÂtion of the E.U.’s umbrella list of quarÂanÂtine pests is one of the requireÂments of Regulation (EU) 2016/2031 — known as the Plant Health Law — which comes into effect on December 14 this year.
Under the new law, all plants and livÂing parts of plants that enter the E.U. require a phyÂtosanÂiÂtary cerÂtifiÂcate.
Certain fruits listed in Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2018/2018 of 18 December 2018 are not required to have a phyÂtosanÂiÂtary cerÂtifiÂcate. These fruits include pineapÂples, coconuts, duriÂans, bananas and dates, but not olives.
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