Training Workshop on Plant Health 21 st October 2011 EU strategy against the introduction of new pests Harry ARIJS
EU Plant Health Regime Principles Legal framework Definitions- objectives - scope Import Internal trade Emergency measures Derogations New challenges Conclusions
Objectives: EU Plant Health Regime - Principles Harmonized phytosanitary policy for 27 Member States to prevent the introduction into the EU of pests and diseases harmful to plants and plant products to prevent their spread within the EU to facilitate internal trade of plant and plant products
EU Plant Health Regime - Principles Scope: organisms injurious to plants and plant products traditionally focussing on agriculture +horticulture ; extension to natural environment Legal basis: original text from 1977
EU Plant Health Regime - Principles The provisions are based on: FAO International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC): List of regulated organisms List of phytosanitary measures Confidence in NPPOs and phytosanitary certificates
EU Plant Health Regime - Principles WTO/SPS principles: transparency of phyto measures technical justification of phyto measures assessment of risk (PRA) adaptation to regional considerations including Pest Free Areas, etc. one Internal market between all Member States since 1993 (now 27 countries)
EU Plant Health Regime Legislative framework EU law Council Directive 2000/29/EC of 8 May 2000 on protective measures against the introduction into the Community of organisms harmful to plants or plant products and against their spread within the Community
EU Plant Health Regime Directive 2000/29/EC Harmful organisms = listed non-specific and specific organisms whose introduction and spread are officially and actively banned or controlled within EU = measures can be applied also to non-listed harmful organisms in case of emergency
EU Plant Health Regime Directive 2000/29/EC Plants = living plants and specified living parts thereof, including seeds, fruit,vegetables, cut flowers, Plant products = products of plant origin, unprocessed or after simple preparation
EU Plant Health Regime Directive 2000/29/EC Annexes laying down details I :non-specific harmful organisms II : specific harmful organisms III : commodities prohibited IV : specific requirements V : regulated commodities
EU Plant Health Regime Directive 2000/29/EC 250 regulated harmful organisms absent from EU or, if present, controlled Protected zones for certain organisms which are widespread in rest of EU Legislation constantly adapted to the plant health developments at international level and to the evolution of the EU Plant Health status New threats to be notified and measures taken At import Within EU territory
EU Plant Health Regime Directive 2000/29/EC Member States shall ban the introduction into and spread within their territory of 135 harmful organisms 82 harmful organisms when found on specific host plants /products 26 harmful organisms from protected zones x harmful organisms under emergency measures
EU Plant Health Regime Directive 2000/29/EC Commodities regulated for import in EU all plants for planting, except seeds some seeds some fruits/veg (to be further detailed) some cut flowers: Rosa L, Aster, Lisianthus, Eryngium, Hypericum and Trachelium from outside Europe potato tubers some wood/bark from specified countries (coniferous!) some grains from 9 countries soil and growing medium, isolated or attached to plants
Example: Potato brown rot (Ralstonia solanacearum) On potato + other solanaceous plants (tomato, aubergine ) Outbreaks in several Member States since 1989 Annually monitoring in EU: +/_ 100 000 samples analysed from own production EU control directive since 1998
Example: Citrus black spot (Guignardia citricarpa) Causing spots, early fruit drop, costly chemical treatments on citrus trees and fruit Not present in EU No import of citrus trees // citrus fruit import only from free countries free areas controlled free production places EU emergency measures in place against Brazil since 2006
Example: Pine wood nematode (Bursaphelenchus xylophilus) on coniferales, detected in PT in 1999 very strict EU emergency measures since 2000 for EU: if PWN widespread: 50-90% mortality estimated for 15% of all EU coniferous forests
EU Plant Health Regime Directive 2000/29/EC regulated fruits/vegetables at import: Citrus L., Fortunella Swingle (kumquat), Poncirus Raf., and their hybrids, Momordica L. (balsam pear / bitter cucumber) Solanum melongena L. (eggplant/aubergine) Malus Mill. (apple), Pyrus L. (pear), Prunus L. (plum) Annona L. (pond-apple), Cydonia Mill. (quince), Diospyros L. (kaki), Mangifera L. (mango), Passiflora L.(passionfruit), Psidium L. (guava), Ribes L.(currant), Syzygium Gaertn. Vaccinium L. (blueberry), originating in non-european. Vitis L. (table grape), when imported into Cyprus
EU Plant Health Regime Directive 2000/29/EC regulated fruits/vegetables at import: Apium graveolens L (celery) Ocimum L (e.g.sweet basil)
EU Plant Health Regime Directive 2000/29/EC Prohibited commodities: limited list of 19 plant species / tubers / isolated bark from specific origins Example: ware potatoes from the majority of non-eu countries NO prohibitions for fresh fruits & vegetables
EU Plant Health Regime Directive 2000/29/EC Member States shall ban the introduction into their territory of regulated commodities unless the relevant special requirements indicated in Annex IV-A are met.
EU Plant Health Regime Import Phytosanitary certificate All regulated commodities must be accompanied by a PC at import In certain cases PC shall specify, under «Additional declaration», reference to that special requirement out of those listed in Annex IV that has been complied with
EU Plant Health Regime Import Import inspection Import from third country shall be subject to supervision by customs and responsible official body until conclusion that all requirements are respected
EU Plant Health Regime Import Import inspection Commodities are customs cleared after:
EU Plant Health Regime Import Example: requirements for Citrus fruits - Accompanied by PC, with additional declaration - free from all regulated harmful organisms - free from peduncules and leaves, - packaging shall bear an appropriate origin mark, - specific requirements for Xanthomonas campestris (citrus canker), Cercospora angolensis (citrus leaf spot), Guignardia citricarpa (citrus black spot) and non- European Tephritidae.
EU Plant Health Regime Import Example: requirements for apples - PC - free from regulated HO - no special requirements, no AD Example: requirements for kiwi fruits - none
EU Plant Health Regime Import Inspection frequency Normal regime: 100% inspection of consignments with regulated products For fruit/vegetables, wood and cut flowers: % of consignments for inspection can be reduced import data, interception records, and estimated mobility of the harmful organism.
EU Plant Health Regime Import If 1 % or more of the consignments intercepted: commodity not eligible for reduced frequency Regime updated every year and in emergency cases. No reduced frequency for plants for planting and import under emergency measures Request to apply reduced frequency introduced by Member State
EU Plant Health Regime Import Since 2005, all WOOD PACKAGING MATERIAL has to be compliant with IPPC international standard ISPM 15 - i.e. must be heat treated or fumigated XX - 000 YY for material at import from third countries coniferous material coming from Portugal
EU Plant Health Regime Internal market Movements between 27 Member States: Where 250 regulated harmful organisms absent or, if present, controlled Protected zones for certain organisms which are widespread in rest of EU
EU Plant Health Regime Internal market Use of PLANT PASSPORT for movements of regulated material within EU for: some plants limited number of plant products (no fruit or vegs) Registration of operators (growers, importers..) occasional inspections during trade
EU Plant Health Regime Internal market NPPOs organise surveillance campaigns new threats to be notified and measures taken outbreaks to be eradicated or, if not possible, contained EU co-financing for eradication activities
EU Plant Health Regime Internal market Protected zones for 26 specific harmful organisms : special status for areas within the EU with extra protection against a HO that is present in other parts of EU extra import requirements linked to movement / import of specified commodities into the PZ similar to PFA
EU Plant Health Regime Emergency measures rapid and temporary reinforcement of the protection against sudden phytosanitary threats of import and/or outbreaks within EU Currently: against Bursaphelenchus xylophylus/ Diabrotica virgifera / Dryocosmus kuriphylus / Phytophthora ramorum / Rhynchophorus ferrugineus / Gibberella circinata / PMV / PSTVd / Anoplophora chinensis with extra phytosanitary requirements for import and/or internal movements
EU Plant Health Regime Derogations Derogations from existing import requirements possible under specific conditions - on request of third country or Member State - supported by full technical / scientific dossier - after analysis by EFSA and Standing Committee
EU Plant Health Regime phytosanitary threats Phytosanitary threats linked to trade: country of origin type of commodity volume of the trade
EU Plant Health Regime phytosanitary threats Import interceptions 2010 In total : 6956 For presence of HO: 1793 Fruit&vegatables: 1173 Planting material: 273 Cut flowers: 172 WPM: 119 Wood: 38
EU Plant Health Regime phytosanitary threats System audits on the compliance of the local plant health system are regularly carried out by EU inspectors of the Food and Veterinary Office in Member States in third countries
EU Plant Health Regime new challenges Safeguard increased food production/ bio-energy needs Safeguard the environment and biodiversity Increased burden by climate change Increased burden by intensified global trade in plants/products Increased burden by a larger, thus more diverse EU territory > Therefore REVISION PROCESS IS ON-GOING
Conclusion The EU Plant Health Regime is IPPC and WTO-SPS compliant transparant flexible providing basis for effective import and internal movement control of regulated harmful organisms under permanent revision to address new challenges
Towards a Plant Health Strategy in the EU WHERE PREVENTION IS BETTER THAN THE CURE See EC plant health webpage http://ec.europa.eu/food/plant/strategy/index_en.htm