Brussels, 10/09/2013 (Agence Europe) - The coordinated approach proposed by the European Commission to prevent and manage the massive damage done by invasive alien species in the European Union was described as a “good start” by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), on Tuesday 10 September 2013 (see EUROPE 10917).
According to the IUCN, in order to implement the proposed measures it is necessary as a priority to clarify the process for identifying priority species and essential that sufficient financial resources are made available for emergency responses to invasions.
“The proposal by the European Commission paves the way for more, better and coordinated action in Europe and its overseas entities to tackle invasive alien species. The prevention, early-warning systems, eradication and control measures included in the proposal, and supported by IUCN experts, go in the right direction. However, there are some elements which still need to be clarified, such as the process for identifying priority species”, Luc Bas, Director of the IUCN European Union Representative Office, says.
The list of 50 priority species that the Commission is proposing would be drawn up by a committee composed of representatives from member states and EU institutions. The committee would also have the prerogative of adding to or removing species from that list. The IUCN takes the view that a cap of 50 species is far too low for the EU's and the international community's objective on biodiversity to be reached (i.e. an end to biodiversity loss and deterioration of the ecosystem services by 2020). Also, the five-year timeline for possible revision of the list does not guarantee the flexibility required for an early response to new threats.
“The process for adding species to the list is crucially important. It should be science-based and time-efficient. Decisions should be taken following risk assessment recommendations and not be based on political interests”, states Piero Genovesi, Chair of the Invasive Species Specialist Group of the IUCN Species Survival Commission. The IUCN calls moreover for the involvement in the committee of key players other than institutional, and also scientific experts.
Furthermore, the IUCN considers it is essential that the necessary financial resources in order to implement proposed measures be made available at EU and national levels, in particular to allow an urgent response to invasion by alien invasive species. Lessons have been learned on this from failed experiments in France (on Vespa veluntina), in Spain (Procyon lotor), Italy (Sciurus carolinensis), Sweden (Arion vulgaris) and in the Caribbean region (genus pterois). It was with the involvement of all players and sufficient financial resources that the rats were removed from the small Mediterranean island of Montecristo, the IUCN underlines. (AN/transl.jl)