Biology Reference
In-Depth Information
In the framework of the IPPC, PRAs are initiated by importing countries in order
to develop appropriate phytosanitary measures to prevent the introduction and
spread of quarantine pests, and to justify these measures to trading partners. The
measures usually concern the unintentional movement of pests with traded com-
modities. Under the IPPC, exporting countries should, if requested, provide ade-
quate information in support of the PRAs of importing countries. This model does
fit invasive alien plants in some circumstances.
However, many potentially invasive plants are intentionally imported, as such,
for agricultural, horticultural or other purposes. CBD Guiding Principle 10 on
intentional introduction states that the “the burden of proof that a proposed intro-
duction is unlikely to threaten biological diversity should be with the proposer of
the introduction or be assigned as appropriate by the recipient State”. As already
explained, there is in Europe no general measure restricting the import of plants
from other continents. Exporters and importers agree on what is traded. The IPPC
framework makes no provision for PRA to be conducted by exporters or importers,
so in fact only the NPPO of the importing country can in practice perform PRAs
for invasive alien plants, and besides has the systems in place to do so.
When is a PRA initiated? The EPPO scheme provides many possible scenarios
appropriate for other plant pests. For invasive alien plants, the situation is relatively
simple: an established infestation may exist or be discovered in the PRA area, a
plant may be reported to be an invasive alien in some other part of the world, or a
new plant may be intentionally imported.
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