Biology Reference
In-Depth Information
In fact, the EPPO Panel has undertaken to operate as an Expert Working Group (see
earlier) to perform PRAs on alien plants for the EPPO A2 list. Five species have
been subjected to PRA and are now recommended for regulation to the 49 EPPO
countries (
Crassula helmsii, Hydrocotyle ranunculoides, Lysichiton americanus,
Pueraria lobata, Solanum elaeagnifolium)
. As of September 2007, further PRAs
are in preparation for
Heracleum sosnowskyi, H. persicum, Polygonum perfoliatum
and
Eichhornia crassipes
. On the basis of information gathered by the EPPO
Secretariat, it appears that all these species have a limited distribution within the
EPPO region and their entry into other countries of the region could be prevented.
A process is now being developed to identify further candidates on the basis of
simple transparent criteria.
16.4.5 Practical Application
So far, of the five species recommended for regulation by EPPO, only
Hydrocotyle
ranunculoides
is regulated: its possession and trade are prohibited in The
Netherlands. These preventive measures are implemented in a single country, and
may be compromised if efforts by neighbouring countries are inadequate (Burgiel
et al. 2006). Indeed, there are no international measures established for this plant
and, other than in an extreme emergency, the EU phytosanitary system would not
allow an individual country to put in place such measures unilaterally (though non-
EU countries could do so). So, at a practical level, it must be recognized that the
recommendations made by EPPO on invasive alien plants are fairly recent, and time
will be needed before national (or EU) regulations are implemented. In addition,
NPPOs may also have to consult with national environmental authorities in evaluat-
ing the risk to their territory and in determining the measures to be established
(Smith 2005). It is possible to regulate invasive alien plants under the IPPC, and
EPPO has taken the first steps in creating a situation in which the European countries
(and the EU) can do so.
16.5
Application of the EPPO Decision-Support Scheme
on PRA to Invasive Alien Plants
As outlined earlier, EPPO has developed a scheme for PRA of quarantine pests, and
has also started to perform PRAs on invasive alien plants. Since PRA is a technical
analysis providing a basis for administrative and legislative decisions, it is impor-
tant that it should be done transparently according to accepted standards. Thus,
EPPO has adapted and extended its decision-support scheme so that it can be used
for all sorts of plant pests, including invasive alien plants. This scheme therefore
provides an example of how a PRA scheme developed in the framework of the
IPPC can be used to assess invasive alien plants (Schrader 2004).
