7th Meeting of the Panel on Invasive Alien Species
Vienna, 2005-10-18/20
The Panel on Invasive Alien Species met in Vienna on 2005-10-18/20 at the kind invitation of the Austrian NPPO. The Panel reviewed the EPPO List of Invasive Alien Plants and discussed the addition of plant species presenting a risk for the Mediterranean area. The Secretariat will distribute a questionnaire to Member Governments asking them to validate the currently available information on the distribution and invasiveness of species included in the EPPO List of Invasive Alien Plants. The Panel will consider further how to make this List as an EPPO Standard.
The draft Phytosanitary Procedure “Guidelines for intentional import of invasive alien plants or potentially invasive alien plants” has been revised and will be presented to the Working Party on Phytosanitary Regulations in 2006. The addition of Solidago nemoralis to the EPPO A1 Action List will also be proposed for approval to the Working Party.
The next Panel meeting will be held in Kleinmachnow at the kind invitation of the German NPPO on 2006-05-2/5. It will take on its official new function of performing PRAs for the EPPO region, with reference to plants (in parallel to that of the new EPPO PRA Panel). It will aim at preparing reports of Pest Risk Assessment and Pest Risk Management for Senecio inaequidens, Crassula helmsii, Pueraria montana var. lobata and Solanum elaeagnifolium, to be proposed to the Working Party on Phytosanitary Regulations in 2006.
The Panel had the opportunity to make a field-excursion in a wasteland of Breitenlee and to observe invasive alien plants.
Field excursion
Ailanthus altissima
Solidago canadensis
S. canadensis - Photos: courtesy S. Brunel