EPPO Workshop for Heads of Plant Quarantine Services of Central and Eastern European Countries Risks presented to the forests of the EPPO region by quarantine pests Sankt‐Peterburg (RU), 1997–10–14/17

Abstract

The main technical theme of the 2nd EPPO Worksh op for Heads of Plant Quarantine Services of central and eastern European countries was the risks presented to the forests of the EPPO region by quarantine pests. Measures currently recommended by EPPO concentrate on A1 quarantine pests, not present in the region. Nevertheless, measures applied by many European countries, and in particular by the EU, target non‐European forest pests. This presents a particular problem for Russia, since its territory lies partly in Europe and partly in northern Asia and the export of forest products is very important for its economy. Against the background of the new global developments in plant protection (revision of the IPPC, SPS agreement), the Workshop opened the question whether there are forest pests in northern Asia which present a risk to Europe (and vice versa). Recognizing that one of the main non‐European pests targeted by the regulations of European countries is Bursaphelenchus xylophilus, the Workshop took note of the fact that this pest does not occur in Russia. Certain known or potential vectors of B. xylophilus in the genus Monochamus do occur in Russia, but also occur widely throughout the palaearctic region. The forest fauna of northern Russia remains fairly homogeneous from Europe to the River Yenisei, and then becomes progressively more different. Nevertheless, specific pests from this eastern region presenting a risk to Europe remain to be identified and subjected to pest risk analysis.