Agreement on the launch of a comprehensive plant health awareness-raising strategy was reached on 14 June among the chief plant health officers from the 28 EU member states.
The strategy consists of a series of suggested priority actions to be carried out by both member states and the Commission and will help national authorities give appropriate information to all those involved in the prevention of and reaction to potentially devastating plant pests, such as Xylella fastidiosa or pine wood nematode.
The new strategy is seen as an effective means of facilitating enforcement, effective control measures and rapid intervention in the eradication and control of pests.
The five priority actions are: - development of awareness-raising strategies; - creation of a Commission working group of member states experts; - creation of a toolkit and awareness-raising materials; - engagement with target groups and training of communicators; - monitoring and evaluation.
The European strategy “will play a key role in the context of the International year of plant health, which should be held in 2020”, states a press release from the Council of the EU. Preparedness for plant, and also animal, health emergencies was among the priorities of the Maltese Presidency of the Council, whose term of office will end on 30 June. The Presidency took stock of the state of play in these areas at the meeting of EU agriculture ministers in Luxembourg on 12 June. (Original version in French by Lionel Changeur)