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)
Entomology Nematology Virology Bacteriology Mycology
Thrips palmi
Liriomyza trifolii;
L. sativae;
L. huidobrensis
Bursaphelenchus
xylophilus
Globodera rostochiensis
G. pallida
PSTVd
PepMV
Plum pox virus
Clavibacter
michiganensis ssp.
sepedonicus
Ralstonia
solanacearum
European stone fruit
yellow phytoplasma
Phytophthora
ramorum
Synchytrium
endobioticum
Source: Guidance Paper of the EU Expert Working Group on Diagnostic Reference Laboratories in the Plant Health Sector
held on 12-13 September in Brussels – Annex II
The establishment of NRLs is a prerequisite for setting up EU-RLs in the field of Plant Health, to align
this sector to other fields, such as animal health and food safety, where EU-RLS have been put in place
and are functioning. The establishment of NRLs is indicated by some MS as a step to be taken before
proceeding towards the establishment of EU-RLs, as a progressive approach is needed to improve the
situation. This would also reproduce the progression followed in the animal health field.
A number of advantages are related with the establishment of EU-RLs, with regard to diagnostics and
networking, such as efficiency in communication, quality assurance, and common methodologies easily
shared among MS. A system of EU-RLs is therefore advocated by some MS in order to streamline,
coordinate and share the limited resources and expertises available at national level, in particular in
developing and sharing diagnostic methods. EU-RLs would contribute to the increase of the number of
validated protocols and to the harmonisation of diagnostic procedures, through the organisation of
comparative ring tests for the validation of detection methods. Through ring tests and training, they
would also facilitate the accreditation and quality assurance of national laboratories. They will also
maintain reference collections and provide reference material. Some knowledge, such as taxonomic
expertise, could be more easily shared. Due to the same reason of decline of international and national
funding for taxonomists, a MS suggests that for certain groups of HOs specialist centres could be
developed for those housing important collections and expertise. It is therefore suggested that EU
resources maybe better focused on supporting these specialist centres to raise quality and save 'type'
material for the benefit of all states, rather than for routine processing of samples. Another advantage of
having established EU-RLs, would be for the Commission the availability of advisory function, which
currently is drawn upon the expertise of individual scientists and NPPO staff of Member States. Cost
savings related to the establishment of EU-RLs are expected to result from streamlining multiple
operations at a central level, therefore avoiding duplication of activities, while developing a common
approach at EU level.
However, some MS also point out potential disadvantages related to the establishment of EU-RLs. The
main points raised at this regard concern the risk that they may become centres of expertise – operating
also drain of competences from other MS - but with the result in a dilution or disintegration of
expertise elsewhere. It is suggested at this regard that more than one site of reference for a particular
organism should be established as part of contingency planning. Also, incentives to work on particular
HOs would be reduced outside the reference laboratory. The risk of having on one side well developed
and equipped laboratories that will further develop their expertise, and on the other hand small
laboratories that will suffer to upgrade their processes and methods to the EU-RLs requirements is also
indicated by another MS, pointing out that the establishment of EU-RLs should not be to the detriment
Food Chain Evaluation Consortium 373