2454 final report.pdf - Agra CEAS Consulting

Evaluation of the Community Plant Health Regime: Final Report
DG SANCO Evaluation Framework Contract Lot 3 (Food Chain)
special international Panel of experts on IAS. In the context of plant health, IAS are broadly
defined by the EPPO as weeds which can harm both cultivated crops by means of
competition, and biodiversity in the wild uncultivated environment. Traditionally, the EPPO –
like the EU - has given priority to pests of cultivated plants, i.e. insects, nematodes, fungi,
bacteria, viruses, but increasingly it has also been concerned with IAS.
Historically, the CPHR has dealt with what causes harm to agriculture and forest products, i.e.
HOs which are plant pests directly harmful to plants or plant products, therefore within the
IPPC definition (rather than CBD), although not in full alignment with it. All the EU MS are
signatories to both, but these are quite different in scope, as IPPC-related activities are
administered in many countries by agricultural authorities and CBD matters by environmental
authorities. In only a few cases (e.g. DE and UK) there is a degree of internalization in that
these competences fall within the same CA and NPPOs have the appropriate resources; in
most MS these competences are segmented. Maintaining a segmentation in the decision
making process can create conflicts of responsibilities, unless some form of cooperation or
coordination can be achieved. Similar problems are encountered by third countries (e.g. US
different bodies dealing with each issue versus NZ where conflicts are ―internalized‖ with the
same body dealing with the range of issues).
In conclusion, looking forward:
The issue to be addressed is the extent to which the CPHR includes IAS (plant species)
not directly injurious to plants and plant products (indirect harmful effects on
plants/harmful effects on non-cultivated plants), and therefore fully aligning to the IPPC
(ISPM no. 5 and 11: the scope of these covers pests of cultivated plants in agriculture
including horticulture and forestry, uncultivated/unmanaged plants, wild flora, habitats
and ecosystems);
Furthermore, an assessment is needed as to whether IAS – taking the broader CBD
definition – should be dealt with within the framework of the CPHR. At EU level, there
needs to be a policy framework to deal with those IAS that do not fall within animal
health, plant health (e.g. birds, aquatic plants etc): plants and animals that are invasive
are covered under IPPC or OIE only if they qualify as plant pests or animal diseases,
whereas there is no framework to deal with environmental pests. It is noted that on 3
December 2008, the Commission adopted a Communication on IS (―Towards an EU
Strategy on Invasive Species‖).
5.1.2.2 Options for consideration
In this context, the options identified for further consideration are as follows (options are
presented in order of progressive expansion of scope as we move from ii to v 271 ):
can account for environmental concerns in economic terms using monetary or non-monetary values; thus the
scope of the IPPC covers the protection not only of cultivated plants but also of uncultivated/unmanaged plants,
wild flora, habitats and ecosystems. An overview of the current coverage of IAS in the scope of Directive
2000/29, and under the EPPO, IPPC and CBD is provided in Figure 3-3 (section 3.1.2).
271 Each subsequent option includes and expands on scope of preceding option.
Food Chain Evaluation Consortium 310