58th Meeting of the Panel on Phytosanitary Measures
Valencia, ES, 2018-10-23/25
The Panel met in Valencia (ES) at the kind invitation of the National Plant Protection Organization of Spain on 2018-10-23/25. The main task of this Panel is to evaluate risks presented by specific pests and design phytosanitary measures to avoid their introduction and spread.
EPPO Study on bark and ambrosia beetles on non-coniferous wood
This study identified a number of species of bark beetles and ambrosia beetles in order to define horizontal measures for non-coniferous wood that may cover the risk of introduction for other species. It identified the risk factors associated with bark and ambrosia beetles. Pest information sheets have been prepared for over 20 species. The Panel discussed in particular the proportionality of the measures proposed to prevent the entry of new species. The study will be further discussed during the joint meeting with the Panel on Quarantine Pests for Forestry in March 2019.
Standards
National regulatory control system against Huanglongbing
The Panel reviewed in detail the draft Standard PM 9 describing measures to be applied in the case of a finding of 'Candidatus Liberibacter africanus’, ‘Candidatus Liberibacter americanus’ or ‘Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus’, or their vectors Diaphorina citri and Trioza erytreae. The draft will be sent for Country Consultation in early 2019 and comments received will be reviewed during the next meeting of the Panel.
PM 3/21 Post-entry quarantine for potato
Following a comment raised during country consultation of this Standard, the majority of the Panel considered that the objective of post-entry quarantine should be to prevent the entry of any pests and should therefore not be limited to listed quarantine pests. This discussion will be reported to the Panel on Phytosanitary Measures for Potato in the framework of the discussion on the revision of PM 3/21.
Consideration of existing Standards (PM1/PM3/PM5) needing update
The Panel agreed that PM 1/1(2) Use of phytosanitary certificate should be withdrawn.
Changes in taxonomy of EPPO Listed pests
The Panel approved that ‘Verticillium albo-atrum (hop-infecting strains)’ should be renamed as V. nonalfalfae in the EPPO A2 List.
Alert List
The Panel was presented with the recent additions to the EPPO Alert List. Several pests were suggested for addition to the Alert List (e.g. Lambdina fiscellaria, Contarinia jongi, Cordylomera spinicornis); they will be further considered by the Secretariat together with pests suggested previously. The Panel reviewed an Italian PRA on Crisicoccus pini and agreed that it should also added to the Alert list.
Pest Risk Analysis
The Panel was presented with the new EPPO platform on PRAs 
an online database where EPPO Member Countries can share their national PRAs and which already includes all EPPO and EFSA PRAs.
The review of EPPO’s approach to PRA conducted by the Secretariat was presented. It describes the current EPPO activities in PRA as well as other PRA activities in the EPPO region (by NPPOs or associated agencies and EFSA). The system was analysed to show the strengths and weaknesses, and the possible improvements. Ms Kertesz (EFSA) presented an update on the EFSA Plant health 4-year mandate on pest categorization.
Projects
The Panel was presented the project to update the EPPO datasheets. The Panel agreed with the format for datasheets and welcomed the fact that information will be included dynamically from EPPO Global Database. More than 300 datasheets priorities will be established by the Panel at its next meeting after consultation with the EPPO Panels on Diagnostics.
As a follow-up of the Project on Regulated Non-Quarantine Pests , the Panel agreed to circulate a questionnaire to identify the need to revise EPPO PM 4 Standards on Production of healthy plants for planting.
The Panel was presented the recent, ongoing and future Euphresco projects relevant to the Panel on Phytosanitary Measures. The Panel discussed the Conference Preparing Europe for invasion by the beetles emerald ash borer and bronze birch borer, two major tree-killing pests (Vienna, 2018-10-01/04) and supported that a Euphresco project is initiated on biocontrol against Agrilus planipennis.
Other
The Panel had the opportunity to visit the border inspection point in the port of Valencia. Some Panel members also stayed over to take part in the Annual Meeting of the POnTE and XF-actors Projects, and a discussion session was organized between risk managers and modellers (Programme of the meeting ).
The next Panel meeting is planned on 2019-10-20/22 at the EPPO headquarters in Paris.