Plant Health

In November 2019, the Council requested the Commission to submit a study on the Union’s options to update the legislation on the production and marketing of plant reproductive material (‘PRM study’). Furthermore, the Council called on the Commission to prepare a legal proposal, if deemed appropriate in view of the outcome of the PRM study.

Xylella fastidiosa: More risk based and targeted measures to prevent its entry into and spread within the Union

Today, the Commission published new measures on Xylella fastidiosa with the aim to ensure a better protection of the Union territory, while ensuring more targeted and risk based control measures in the current outbreak areas.

Neonicotinoid: non-renewal of thiacloprid

On 13 January, the Commission decided not to renew the approval of thiacloprid, a neonicotinoid used as an insecticide for many food and feed crops as it presents health and environmental concerns. Commissioner Stella Kyriakides, in charge of health and Food Safety, welcomed the decision as "another clear demonstration of the Commission's commitment to protect the health of EU citizens and the environment."

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Chlorpyrifos et chlorpyrifos-methyl to be banned

On 10 January, the Commission adopted a decision to withdraw the approval of pesticides chlorpyrifos and chlorpyrifos-methyl from the European market. This followed the confirmation by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), of the pesticides’ harmful effects on human health. Health and Food Safety Commissioner, Stella Kyriakides stressed that: "Protecting citizens from dangerous chemicals is a priority of my mandate and of the Green Pact for Europe".

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Today, the Commission has published the first results of two Harmonised risk indicators (HRI) established by the Commission under the Directive on the Sustainable Use of pesticides. They show that the risks associated with pesticides (plant protection products) have declined since the entry into force of the Directive in 2011. In particular, Harmonised risk indicator I, which estimates the risks associated with the plant protection products sold, and therefore used, in the EU, shows a reduction of 20% between 2011 and 2017.

Non-EU Biosecurity declarations

Declarations regarding pest status in non-EU countries. Updates for Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Israel, Uraguay and South Africa

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The European Commission's latest EUROPHYT - Interceptions annual report provides an overview of interception notifications received in 2018 and evaluates the main trends over the period 2013-2018.

This annual report shows that in 2018 there were 1,712 interceptions by Member States and Switzerland due to the presence of harmful organisms, an increase of 16% from the previous year. Despite this increase, there is a reduction of 30 % in the number of interceptions since 2013.

The main non-EU country commodities intercepted due to the presence of harmful organisms were fruit and vegetables, particularly peppers, mango, basil, eggplant, citrus and various gourds. Regarding the organisms, the increase over previous years can be attributed to increased interceptions of Thrips, an increase in nematode interceptions from Belarus and increased Citrus Black spot interceptions from Brazil and Argentina. Regarding commodities, wood packaging material and cut flowers also contributed significantly to the interceptions but with no significant change on previous years. There is also a noted increase in interceptions of seeds imported without required certification.

Background:

EUROPHYT- Interceptions is the Commission’s rapid alert system for plant health used by EU Member States and Switzerland. Members use the system to notify the presence of harmful organisms and other plant health risks found in EU-bound consignments during import controls. The system is also an effective policy support tool for risk assessment and risk management. Based on EUROPHYT data, a Non-EU trade Alert List is published each month on the Commission's Health and Food Safety website.

For more information:

• EUROPHYT

EUROPHYT Annual Report

The EUROPHYT-Interceptions Annual Report for 2018 and accompanying infograph have been published

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PPP - Guidance on Data Protection updated

Guidelines on Active Substances and Plant Protection Products now include the updated guidance document on Data protection for Plant Protection Products.

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EUROPHYT-Interceptions

The reports below give monthly and annual overviews of interceptions made by the EU and Switzerland, of harmful organisms in imported plants and other objects.

The report for July 2019 is published

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Publication of Non-EU trade Alert Lis

The Non-EU trade Alert List for the period 01-Aug-2018 to 31-Jul-2019 has been published.

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World Bee Day: What Does the Commission Do on Neonicotinoids?

Bees pollinate around 80% of crops & wild plants in Europe. They are crucial for biodiversity, food production & the environment. The European Commission has banned the outdoor uses of neonicotinoid pesticides as they are harmful to bees.

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Xylella Update from EFSA: Still No Cure, Control Measures Crucial

EFSA’s Plant Health Panel (PLH) used computer modelling to simulate how Xylella fastidiosa spreads across short and long distances under different conditions. The modelling showed the importance of implementing the control measures specified by the European Commission to prevent further spread and even eradicate outbreaks.

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Plant Health – Commission Designates Five Reference Laboratories

Following a public selection process, four consortia and one laboratory have been designated on 27 March by the Commission as the very first European reference laboratories (EURLs) in the field of Plant health. These EURLs will support the EU for the diagnosis of regulated existing and emerging pests, and contribute to a more rapid and focused intervention at EU borders and in the EU territory.

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Peer Review of Pesticide Active Substances – New Guidance from EFSA

A new administrative guidance provides applicants and Member States with instructions on preparing and submitting dossiers and assessment reports or the peer review of pesticides. The document gives practical guidance on how to present data in the dossier and in the assessment report, with the aim of enhancing the quality of the documentation needed for the evaluation and the peer review.

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Following a public selection process, four consortia and one laboratory have been designated, today, by the Commission as the very first European reference laboratories (EURLs) in the field of Plant health. These EURLs will support the EU for the diagnosis of regulated existing and emerging pests, and contribute to a more rapid and focused intervention at EU borders and in the EU territory. They will cover the five types of regulated pests endangering plant health in the EU territory. Three EURLs are led by the French Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Health and Safety (ANSES, France): the EURL on insects and mites, which is also composed of the Austrian Agency for Health and Food Safety (AGES, Austria); the EURL on nematodes, together with the Flanders Research Institute for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (ILVO, Belgium); and the EURL on fungi and oomycetes. Two EURLs are led by the Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority-National Reference Centre Plant Health (NVWA-NRC, The Netherlands) : the EURL on viruses, viroids, and phytoplasmas, also composed of the Research Centre for Plant Protection and Certification (CREA-DC (DIALAB), Italy), and the National Institute of Biology (NIB, Slovenia); and the EURL on bacteria, also composed of the Flanders Research Institute for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (ILVO, Belgium), the Research Centre for Plant Protection and Certification (CREA-DC (DIALAB), Italy), and and the National Institute of Biology (NIB, Slovenia). The EURLs will, as laid down in the Official Controls Regulation (Regulation 625/2017), promote uniform and high standard practices in relation to the development or use of the methods of analysis, test or diagnosis employed by the official laboratories in Plant health. They will also provide a coordinated assistance to the national laboratories, to avoid the use of different methods leading to uncertain diagnosis. Furthermore, they will also contribute to the dissemination of good practices, and of research and information on technical innovations, as well as carrying out training courses.

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Citrus Black Spot – Enhanced Security Measures for the Import of Citrus Fruits

The Member State’s experts endorsed on 21 February a Commission’s proposal to prolong the emergency measures with specific import requirements for citrus fruits from Argentina, Brazil, South Africa and Uruguay.

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Non-communicable diseases, European Reference Networks

Rare Disease Day: a new EU platform to support better diagnosis and treatment

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EU Health Policy

Using Routinely Collected Data to Inform Pharmaceutical Policies - Analytical Report for OECD and EU countries

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EU Health Policy

Information on cost-effective use of medicines

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Scientific Committees

SCHEER - Minutes of the 11th Plenary meeting, Luxembourg, 7 February 2019

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Scientific Committees

SCHEER - Minutes of the Working Group meeting on guidelines on the benefit-risk assessment of the presence of phthalates in certain medical devices of 8 January 2019

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The Member State’s experts endorsed – on 22 February – in the context of a Standing Committee a Commission’s proposal to prolong the emergency measures with specific import requirements for citrus fruits from Argentina, Brazil, South Africa and Uruguay, and strengthened the import requirements for citrus fruits originating in Brazil, to prevent the introduction into and the spread within the Union of citrus black spot (CBS). This measure sets out specific growing and inspection requirements for citrus fruits originating in those countries that had recurrent interceptions of CBS at the entry into the EU, with the aim to ensure that the fruits arriving to the EU are free from this disease.

The Decision on the prolongation and reinforcement of this emergency measure will be formally adopted by the Commission in the coming weeks.

For more information on emergency measures on import of plants and plant products, see SANTE’s webpage.

The Commission's proposal of April 2018 on transparency and sustainability of EU risk assessment in the food chain aims to rebuild trust in the system. It addresses many of the PEST Committee recommendations, notably: transparency during risk assessment, quality and reliability of studies, and improving risk communication.

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The Environment, Public Health and Food Safety Committee of the European Parliament adopted a draft report on the implementation of the Commission Directive on the sustainable use of pesticides. The report will be voted in the EP Plenary in mid- February 2019.

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The purpose of the list is to ensure that the introduction in the EU will be provisionally prohibited until a full risk assessment is completed. The list also enlarges the current scope of regulated plant material that needs to be accompanied by a specific phytosanitary certificate when imported.

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These indicators will underpin the estimation of trends in risk from pesticide use. Harmonised Risk Indicators are necessary to measure progress in meeting the main objective of the Sustainable Use Directive - the reduction of risks from pesticide use for human health and the environment.

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The Commission has launched the Feedback Mechanism on a draft Commission Directive to establish harmonised risk indicators to estimate trends in risk from pesticide use.

Directive 2009/128/EC (The Sustainable Use Directive) establishes a framework for Community action to achieve the sustainable use of pesticides. Harmonised Risk Indicators are necessary to measure progress in meeting the main objective of the Directive - the reduction of risks from pesticide use for human health and the environment.

The Commission has developed the draft Directive to establish the first EU-wide indicators in this area. It is planned to develop further indicators in the future when the relevant data becomes available.

The two indicators in this draft Directive estimate the trends in overall risk from pesticide use based on the quantities of pesticides sold, the categories of substance and the specific risks linked to emergency authorisations granted under Art 53 of Regulation (EC) No 1107/2009.

Both indicators will be calculated at EU and Member State level each year, and the results made publicly available. Member States are encouraged to develop their own national indicators in addition to the Harmonised Indicators

Further information is available on the Sustainable Use website.

There were 1,484 interceptions due to plant pests found in EU-bound consignments during import controls, a decline of 18% from the previous year. Furthermore, ongoing efforts to engage with the countries whose exports to the EU are intercepted frequently have resulted in a reduction of 40% in the number of interceptions since 2013.

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The European Commission's latest EUROPHYT - Interceptions annual report shows that in 2017 there were 1,484 interceptions due to the presence of harmful organisms (plant pests), a decline of 18% from the previous year. Furthermore, the Commission's ongoing efforts to engage with the countries whose exports to the EU are intercepted frequently (bi-lateral dialogue, plant health audits and other targeted measures) have resulted in a reduction of 40% in the number of interceptions since 2013.

The 2017 report provides an overview of interception notifications received in 2017 and evaluates the main trends over the period 2013-2017. The main non-EU country commodities intercepted due to the presence of harmful organisms were fruit and vegetables, particularly peppers, mango, basil, eggplant, citrus and various gourds. Wood packaging material and cut flowers also contributed significantly to the interceptions.

Plant variety property rights

Notice to stakeholders regarding the withdrawal of the United Kingdom and EU rules in the field of Union plant variety rights

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Plant reproductive material

Notice to stakeholders withdrawal of the United Kingdom and EU rules in the field of marketing of seeds and other plant reproductive propagation material

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Genetically Modified Organisms

Notice to stakeholders withdrawal of the United Kingdom and EU rules on genetically modified food and feed and the deliberate release of genetically modified organisms into the environment

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Pesticides

Notice to stakeholders withdrawal of the United Kingdom and EU rules on plant protection products

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Plant Health - Biosecurity

European Hygiene Guide for the production of sprouts and seeds for sprouting is published

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Plant Health - Biosecurity

Potato Ring Rot and Brown Rot Surveys in the EU - Annual Report 2016/2017 is published

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Plant variety catalogues, databases & information systems

The EU variety register for FRUMATIS (Fruit Reproductive Material Information System) has been updated. Go to related site

Common Catalogues of Varieties - updates

Common Catalogue of Varieties of Agricultural Plant Species
seventh supplement to the 35th complete edition

Common Catalogue of Varieties of Vegetable Species
sixth supplement to the 35th complete edition

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Xylella fastidiosa

Language versions of the page added

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Sustainable use of pesticides

Re-worked web portal launched

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Audit Report published - 2017-6164

2017-6164 - Plant Health - potato sector - Poland - PL
20 September 2017

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Europhyt- Interceptions is the Commission’s rapid alert system for plant health.

EU Member States and Switzerland use this system to notify the presence of harmful organisms and other plant health risks found on consignments entering the Union during their import controls. The Commission's latest annual report on the operation of the system in 2016, shows that the number of interceptions made due to the presence of harmful organisms was 1,815, a reduction of 15% compared to 2015. This reflects a continuing downward trend since 2014, with an overall reduction of 25% over the period.

Xylella fastidiosa in the Union territory

The Commission database of host plants found to be susceptible to Xylella fastidiosa in the Union territory has been updated. Go to related site