69th EPPO Council Session

UNESCO headquarters, Paris, 2019-09-24/25

 

The 69th Session of EPPO Council took place in Paris at the UNESCO headquarters from the 24th to the 25th of September 2019. It was preceded by meetings of the Accounts Verification Panel and the Executive Committee, and followed by the Euphresco Governing Board and Colloquium (‘Plant Health at the age of metagenomics’). Ms Karola Schorn (Chair) welcomed delegates from 27 EPPO member countries and observers from the European Commission and the Eurasian Economic Commission (EEC).

 

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Council members were updated on the technical work being carried out by EPPO Panels under the guidance of the Working Party on Phytosanitary Regulations and the Working Party on Plant Protection Products. They also received reports on a number of current and future projects such as the Minor Uses Co-ordination Facility (MUCF), Euphresco, EPPO-Q-bank database, revision of EPPO datasheets, EPPO Codes, research projects (e.g. XF-actors, Valitest). A first discussion also took place about the future of the EPPO Bulletin in the context of the many changes that are taking place in the world of scientific publishing, such as the move towards Open Access.

 

A number of new and revised EPPO Standards were agreed (view a list of newly adopted Standards), and three pests (Agrilus bilineatus, A. fleischeri and Ambrosia trifida) were added to the EPPO A2 List of pests recommended for regulation as quarantine pests.

 

 

 

 

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The discussions on the administrative business of the Council went smoothly, with acceptance of the annual report for 2018, and the budget and work programme for 2020.

 

The participation of EPPO in global activities was discussed and the newly adopted ISPMs were endorsed by Council. EPPO activities planned for the International Year of Plant Health were also presented including an EPPO ‘pest’ that will raise awareness of Plant Health globally.

 

Concerning statutory elections, as Sweden and Kazakhstan were reaching the end of their normal term of office on the EPPO Executive Committee, Belgium and Moldova were elected to serve in their place from 2020. To ensure continuity, Portugal was asked to serve for an additional year. For the Accounts Verification Panel, Ireland agreed to replace Belgium and Algeria was elected as alternate.

 

Ms Karola Schorn (Chair) thanked all delegates and observers for their participation. The next session of EPPO Council will take place from the 29th to the 30th of September 2020.