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)
5.8 Other suggestions for future improvements of the regime
5.8.1 Research and development and scientific advise
The EUPHRESCO type of platforms is the correct tool for this coordination and should be established
long term. Most of interviewees consider that if EU funding is stopped the platform may be
endangered.
The PRATIQUE research project, although still at too early phase to a allow an assessment of its
outputs, is nonetheless expected to contribute significantly in improving the generic methodology for
conducting PRAs including on economic aspects, in accordance with the requirements of the WTO-
SPS Agreement and the guidelines of ISPM 11.
The ongoing erosion of scientific and diagnostic expertise in the plant health domain needs to be
stopped, among others by permanent support from the EU Framework Programmes for research and,
for short term needs, a specific research budget for the CPHR.
It is recommended that discussions and cooperation between SANCO/EFSA and EPPO continue with a
view to identifying complementarities to cover the economic impact of the EU PRAs, complementing
the EFSA role.
Recommendation 10:
The definition of a structural role for EUPHRESCO-like coordination of national research funding is
recommended, with the establishment of a specific budget for this purpose.
The evaluation highlighted a strong need for sufficient and stable EU and MS resources for funding
research projects; for short term research needs, a structural budget within the CPHR could be
established in addition to the FP7.
It is recommended that discussions and cooperation between SANCO/EFSA and EPPO continue
with a view to identifying complementarities to cover the economic impact of the EU PRAs,
complementing the EFSA role.
5.8.2 Diagnostic laboratories
This section summarises the findings of the evaluation on the potential establishment of EU-RLs,
taking into consideration EQ17 (area G) of the ToR.
EQ17. What would be the pros and cons of Community Reference Laboratories (CRLs)?
The views of MS CAs and stakeholders on the future of the diagnostic networks in Europe for plant
health were also elicited during the general survey. Results indicate strong support amongst MS CAs
for the establishment of CRLs (now named EU-RLs). For the most part, stakeholders have not been
able to take a clear position on these questions:
Food Chain Evaluation Consortium 370