Biology Reference
In-Depth Information
considered that, in principle at least, EPPO could conduct PRA for plants not
present in the EPPO region, which could be considered potentially invasive. The
difficulty was, however, that there is a great number of plant species, which may
be introduced into Europe and there they become invasive alien plants. Furthermore,
the horticultural industry introduces new plant species into cultivation in Europe
every year. Performing a PRA is a time-consuming and laborious process, and it is
difficult to make confident predictions of the behaviour of alien species in Europe.
Accordingly, although a preventive CBD approach would be ideal, it has not
appeared feasible within EPPO to conduct PRAs on potentially invasive plants for
addition to an A1 list. In particular, European countries do not currently regulate
the import of non-European plants as such, except as pathways for plant pests or
for quite other reasons (e.g. regulations on illegal drugs). The possibilities of reach-
ing international agreement on a list of plants to be internationally regulated, and
of undertaking the work programme to establish such a list, seem remote. For this
reason, the main focus of attention for PRA for plants has been on the A2 list, i.e.
invasive alien plants that are already present in Europe.
16.4.3.2 A2 List
Adding invasive alien plants to the A2 list implies performing PRAs on alien spe-
cies, which already have a limited distribution in the EPPO region and which have
shown invasive behaviour in Europe and/or elsewhere in the world. It also implies
that international phytosanitary measures are appropriate concerning the movement
of these species between countries, which is not always the case, since national
measures may be more appropriate. A2 candidates are more likely to be very recent
arrivals, present in very few countries, and could include species that have only just
been introduced into cultivation in Europe and have not established in the wild. In
these cases, international measures are especially appropriate.
16.4.4
The EPPO A2 List and the EPPO List of Invasive
Alien Plants
As noted earlier, EPPO has established a list of “invasive alien plants identified as
posing an important threat to plant health, environment and biodiversity in the
EPPO region”. All these listed species do not necessarily qualify as potential A2
pests, subject to international regulation, because of the following:
●
They may be widely distributed (and so not fit the definition of a quarantine
pest)
●
It may not be possible to apply national measures equivalent to those required
internationally, so that non-discrimination cannot be assured
●
It may not be relevant to apply measures related to international movement
