Regulation (EU) 2016/2031 of the European Parliament of the Council of 26 October 2016 on protective measures against pests of plants, amending Regulations (EU) No 228/2013, (EU) No 652/2014 and (EU) No 1143/2014 of the European Parliament and of the Council and repealing Council Directives 69/464/EEC, 74/647/EEC, 93/85/EEC, 98/57/EC, 2000/29/EC, 2006/91/EC and 2007/33/EC (c. 2031)

ANNEX I U.K. CRITERIA FOR THE QUALIFICATION OF PESTS ACCORDING TO THEIR RISK TO THE UNION TERRITORY

SECTION 1 U.K. Criteria to identify pests which qualify as a quarantine pest, as referred to in Article 3, Article 6(1), Article 7, Article 29(2), Article 30(2) and Article 49(3)

(1) Identity of the pest U.K.

The taxonomic identity of the pest shall be clearly defined or, alternatively, the pest shall have been shown to produce consistent symptoms and to be transmissible.

The taxonomic identity of the pest shall be defined at species level or, alternatively, a higher or lower taxonomic level, where that taxonomic level is scientifically appropriate based on its virulence, host range or vector relationships.

(2) Presence of the pest in the territory in question U.K.

One or more of the following conditions shall apply:

(a)

the pest is not known to be present in the territory in question;

(b)

the pest is not known to be present in the territory in question, except in a limited part of it;

(c)

the pest is not known to be present in the territory in question, except for scarce, irregular, isolated and infrequent presences in it.

Where point (b) or (c) applies, the pest shall be considered to be not widely distributed.

(3) Capability of entry, establishment and spread of the pest in the territory in question U.K.

(a) Capability of entry U.K.

The pest shall be considered capable of entry into the territory in question, or, if present but not widely distributed, into the part of that territory where it is absent (‘relevant part of the endangered area’), either by natural spread, or if all of the following conditions are fulfilled:

(i)

it is associated, as regards plants, plant products or other objects which are moved into the territory in question, with those plants, plant products and other objects in the territory where they originate or from where they are moved into the territory in question;

(ii)

it survives during transport or storage;

(iii)

it may be transferred to a suitable host plant, plant product or other object in the territory in question.

(b) Capability of establishment U.K.

The pest shall be considered capable of ‘establishment’ in the territory in question, or, if present but not widely distributed, in the part of that territory where it is absent, if all of the following conditions are fulfilled:

(i)

hosts of the pest and, where relevant, vectors for transmission of the pest are available;

(ii)

the decisive environmental factors are favourable for the pest concerned and, where applicable, its vector, enabling it to survive periods of climatic stress and complete its life cycle;

(iii)

cultivation practices and control measures applied in that territory are favourable;

(iv)

the survival methods, reproductive strategy, genetic adaptability of the pest and its minimum viable population size support its establishment.

(c) Capability of spread U.K.

The pest shall be considered capable of territorial spread in the territory in question, or, if present but not widely distributed, in the part of that territory where it is absent, if one or more of the following conditions is fulfilled:

(i)

the environment is suitable for natural spread of the pest;

(ii)

barriers to natural spread of the pest are insufficient;

(iii)

commodities or conveyances allow for movement of the pest;

(iv)

hosts and, where relevant, vectors of the pest are present;

(v)

cultivation practices and control measures applied in that territory are favourable;

(vi)

natural enemies and antagonists of the pest are not present or not sufficiently capable of suppressing the pest.

(4) Potential economic, social and environmental impact U.K.

The entry, establishment and spread of the pest in the territory in question, or, if present but not widely distributed, in the part of that territory where it is absent, shall have an unacceptable economic, social and/or environmental impact on that territory, or the part of that territory where it is not widely distributed, as regards one or more of the following points:

(a)

crop losses in terms of yield and quality;

(b)

costs of control measures;

(c)

costs of replanting and/or losses due to the necessity of growing substitute plants;

(d)

effects on existing production practices;

(e)

effects on street trees, parks and natural and planted areas;

(f)

effects on native plants, biodiversity and ecosystem services;

(g)

effects on the establishment, spread and impact of other pests, for example due to the capacity of the pest concerned to act as a vector for other pests;

(h)

changes to producer costs or input demands, including control costs and costs of eradication and containment;

(i)

effects on producer profits that result from changes in quality, production costs, yields or price levels;

(j)

changes to domestic or foreign consumer demand for a product resulting from quality changes;

(k)

effects on domestic and export markets and prices paid, including effects on export market access and likelihood of phytosanitary restrictions imposed by trading partners;

(l)

resources needed for additional research and advice;

(m)

environmental and other undesired effects of control measures;

(n)

effects on Natura 2000 or other protected areas;

(o)

changes in ecological processes and the structure, stability or processes of an ecosystem, including further effects on plant species, erosion, water table changes, fire hazards, nutrient cycling;

(p)

costs of environmental restoration and prevention measures;

(q)

effects on food security and food safety;

(r)

effects on employment;

(s)

effects on water quality, recreation, tourism, landscape heritage, animal grazing, hunting, fishing.