Achieving the EU Plant Health policy goals through technological innovation
The European Union’s plant health policy was initiated in 2000, with a Directive that aims to protect plants and plant products against the introduction and spread of pests within the EU. In addition, the EU adopted another Regulation in 2014 to coordinate and harmonize EU Member States’ efforts to prevent and minimize the harmful effects of invasive alien species. The cornerstone of this regime, the Plant Health Law, came into effect in 2019. Some key components of this legislation, such as plant passports and phytosanitary certificates, the establishment of a European notification system for Plant Health Interceptions (EUROPHYT), and priority lists of species posing high risk to EU agriculture and forestry sectors, are meant to ensure safe trade. Despite initial concerns, regarding the openness of EU trade, recent research suggests that “The EU plant health regulations had a limited impact on imports, if any”. The consistent increase in pest introductions indicates that current policies may require further enhancement. Prevention and early detection have proven to be significantly more cost-effective than eradication, highlighting the need for improved strategies at these stages. PurPest aims to understand the EU farmers’ preferences towards the adoption of novel pest control methods, including the sensor device, and assess its potential as an EU-wide management strategy. One of the expected outcomes is the identification of cost-effective management intervention(s). This is done by comparing the potential economic impact induced by the target pests with the benefits and costs that accompany different control strategies.
Plant Pest Prevention through Technology-guided monitoring and site-specific control
Ongoing | 2023-2026
- Main funding source
- Horizon Europe (EU Research and Innovation Programme)
- Geographical location
- France, Germany, Slovakia, Italy, Portugal, Czechia, Lithuania, Netherlands, Norway, Great Britain, Switzerland