31st Meeting of the EPPO Panel on Invasive Alien Plants

EPPO, Paris (FR), 2026-05-05/07

The 31st meeting of the EPPO Panel on Invasive Alien Plants was held at the EPPO Headquarters in Paris on 5 – 7th May 2026.

The Panel on Invasive Alien Plants considers all horizontal aspects of risk assessment and risk management measures for invasive alien plants in the EPPO region. It develops communication material to raise awareness on invasive alien plants. The list of the Panel Members and their terms of Reference is accessible on the EPPO website.

Alert List

The Panel Members presented candidates for the EPPO Alert List presenting justification for listing the species. The EPPO Secretariat will work with Panel members in 2026/27 to add these species.

Prioritization of invasive alien plants

The Panel prioritised three invasive alien plant species and agreed that Ambrosia grayi should be added to the EPPO Observation List. Acalypha australis and Aponogeton distachyos were prioritised as having a higher risk and will be added to the EPPO List of Invasive Alien Plants. Both species are a priority for pest risk analysis (PRA). The Panel noted that Leucaena leucocephala was identified in 2025 as having a high risk to the EPPO region and a priority for PRA. The Panel recommended a PRA should be conducted on A. australis or L. leucocephala in 2027.

Pest Risk Analysis (PRA)

The Panel reviewed the draft PRA on Senecio angulatus and agreed with the assessment of the Expert Working Group. S. angulatus has the potential for economic impacts within the EPPO region. The Panel recommend that the PRA should be sent to the EPPO Working Party on Phytosanitary Regulations (WPPR) for approval for listing as an EPPO A2 pest.

The Panel reviewed PRA reports for three species recently listed as species of (EU) Concern under the EU Regulation (1143/2014), namely Acacia mearnsii, Broussonetia papyrifera and Delaire odorata. The Panel recommended some edits and further assessment and will finalise the PRA reports during the 2027 Panel meeting.

Standards

A draft PM 9 Standard on Zizania latifolia will also be sent to the WPPR for approval.

The Panel discussed a new draft PM 9 Standard on Solanum elaeagnifolium and agreed some further work before it is finalised. Following this, the Standard can be sent for country consultation.

The Panel discussed developing a new PM 9 Standard on Acacia species and agreed to include this in the 2027 work programme.

Themed discussion

The Panel were joined by an external expert to discuss how to assess economic impacts of plant invasions. Different methods to assess direct economic impacts on crop yields and economic impacts on ecosystem services were presented and discussed. The Panel will consider how to further implement this in their work.

Terms of Reference

The Panel reviewed its current Terms of Reference and agreed some updates including an emphasis on specifically describing its role in proposing, prioritising, and categorising invasive alien plant species for the different EPPO lists, developing Standards, providing information on these species, as well as training and cross Panel interactions.