Healthy plants are essential for safe and sustainable food production and a healthy environment.
Pests such as bacteria, viruses, fungi, nematodes, insects and mites can harm the health of plants.
The introduction and spread of plant pests, often through trade, is a serious threat to crops, forests, natural vegetation and landscape plants, which can have far-reaching economic, social and environmental consequences, with possible effects on human health.
In the European Union (EU), we have rules to prevent the introduction and spread of harmful plant pests originating from outside the EU, known as Union quarantine pests According to Regulation (EU) 2016/2031, a pest is a ‘quarantine pest’, with respect to a defined territory, if it fulfils all of the following conditions:(a) its identity is established;(b) it is not present in the territory or, if present, is not widely distributed within that territory;(c) it is capable of entering into, becoming established in and spreading within the territory, or, if present in the territory, but not widely distributed, is capable of entering into, becoming established in and spreading within those parts of that territory where it is absent;(d) its entry, establishment and spread would have an unacceptable economic, environmental or social impact on that territory, or, if present but not widely distributed, for those parts of the territory where it is absent; and(e) feasible and effective measures are available to prevent the entry into, establishment in or spread of that pest within, that territory and to mitigate the risks and impact thereof..
EFSA supports the EU’s decision-making on protective measures by identifying emerging threats to plants and inform ing the EU risk managers.
Our scientists also assess the probability The likelihood that a particular event will occur or that a measured value will fall within a particular range of pests being introduced and spread, the possible impact on EU agriculture and the environment and the options for risk mitigation.
In addition, we help EU Member States prepare and design pest A living organism (e.g. an insect, rodent, weed, fungus or virus) that is harmful to plants and/or their products (e.g. seeds, fruits) surveys to detect pests at an early stage after their emergence.