Vertebrate pest species are an economically and ecologically important subset of the broader environmental problem of invasive alien species. Risk assessment has been shown to be a useful paradigm for identifying and comparing potential solutions to environmental problems in a variety of contexts, including problems associated with invasive species. Here I briefly review the important components of the risk assessment paradigm, and discuss potential applications of risk assessment approaches to several aspects of the control of invasive vertebrate pest species, including import and export controls to prevent establishment, evaluation of control measures for established species, and assessment of the severity of potential non-target impacts of control measures. Risk assessment can contribute to the solution of vertebrate pest problems by connecting science to policy and management decisions, by identifying and alleviating values-based controversies, and by integrating public participation and stakeholder involvement into science-based decision-making.

Following a request from the European Commission, the Panel on Plant Health was asked to deliver a scientific opinion on 30 pest risk assessments made by France on organisms, which are considered by France as harmful in four French overseas departments, i.e. French Guiana, Guadeloupe, Martinique and Réunion. In particular, the Panel was asked whether these organisms can be considered as harmful organisms for the endangered area of the above departments, in the meaning of the definition mentioned in Article 2.1.(e) of Directive 2000/29/EC and thus potentially eligible for addition to the list of harmful organisms in Directive 2000/29/EC.This document presents the opinion of the Panel on Plant Health on the full[1] pest risk assessment conducted by France on Hop stunt viroid (HSVd) with Réunion considered as endangered area.HSVd isa well-characterised viroid of the family Pospiviroidae, which infects citrus, grapevine, apricot, almond, plum, peach and several other species of economic importance belonging to different families. HSVd is considered as widespread in all citrus-growing areas of the world.The Panel examined in detail the risk assessment provided, and considered the accuracy and quality of the information provided and methods applied for pest risk assessment purposes. The review was based on the principles and terminology of the International Standard on Phytosanitary Measures ISPM No. 11[2] [Pest risk analysis for quarantine pests including analysis of environmental risks and living modified organisms (2004)] and the terminology of ISPM No. 5 [Glossary of Phytosanitary Terms (2007)] by the International Plant Protection Convention (FAO, 2007).The French document concludes that HSVd could feature as a pest in Réunion and notes the possibility that it may already be present in the PRA area[3] in a latent state.The Panel found that statements in the French document and ratings given in the risk assessment are neither substantiated by references nor supported by verifiable data. HSVd is present in citrus producing countries worldwide, and it can be spread by graft-propagation of infected planting material (budwood). Therefore, the Panel agrees that the introduction of infected propagation material is the most important entry pathway. The volume of imported material into Réunion, however, is acknowledged in the French assessment to be low, due to the small area of citrus under production.HSVd is a well-characterised viroid in terms of its molecular and biological properties and suitable methods are available to identify and detect it in plant material. As a result the Panel considers that viroid-indexing can reduce the probability of entry via propagation material to a negligible level. However, in the absence of viroid-indexing, the probability of entry would be moderate to high.The Panel considers the probability of entry to be low in the presence of the existing management measures. However, should these measures be lifted, in the absence of pathogen-testing the probability of entry would be moderate to high.The Panel concludes that the probability of establishment following the entry of the viroid is high. The probability of spread is, however, considered low, as HSVd is not seed transmitted and has no natural vectors.The French assessment concludes that the potential for economic impact can be fairly severe but the additional comments do not substantiate this conclusion. The Panel concludes that even though HSVd is a pathogenic agent for certain sensitive citrus cultivars/species grown in Réunion, the information provided is insufficient to suggest that economic consequences would be severe.Existing risk management measures prevent the importation of citrus planting material from third (non-EU) countries (Annex III A of Directive 2000/29/EC). Virus indexing procedures can be applied as part of existing certification schemes for citrus propagation material in the EU. Furthermore, in the absence of virus indexing, the Panel considers the impact of HSVd to be limited, due to the absence of a natural vector, which limits the potential for further dissemination of the viroid.Therefore, the Panel concludes that HSVd is not appropriate for evaluation of further risk management measures and thus is not considered by the Panel to be eligible for addition to the list of harmful organisms in Directive 2000/29/EC

Ce rapport est disponible dans : EFSA Journal | Following a request from the European Commission, the Panel on Plant Health was asked to deliver a scientific opinion on 30 pest risk assessments made by France on organisms which are considered by France as harmful in four French overseas departments, i.e. French Guiana, Guadeloupe, Martinique and Réunion. In particular, the Panel was asked whether these organisms can be considered as harmful organisms for the endangered area of the above departments, in the meaning of the definition mentioned in Article 2.1.(e) of Directive 2000/29/EC and thus potentially eligible for addition to the list of harmful organisms in Directive 2000/29/EC.This document presents the opinion of the Panel on Plant Health on the simplified[1] pest risk assessment conducted by France on Prays endocarpa with French Guiana, Guadeloupe, Martinique and Réunion considered as endangered area.Prays endocarpa Meyrick (Insecta: Lepidoptera: Yponomeutidae), the citrus rind borer or citrus pock caterpillar, is usually found on Citrus, but has also been reported to attack other Rutaceae, including the bael tree Aegle marmelos. The larva feeds on the rind of different citrusfruit, causing gall-like swellings (pocks). Larval development is completed within these galls and the larvae never enter the endocarp. This species is distributed in parts of the Indian subcontinent, South-East Asia and the Pacific.The Panel examined in detail the risk assessment provided, and considered the accuracy and quality of the information provided and methods applied for pest risk assessment purposes. The review was based on the principles of the International Standard on Phytosanitary Measures ISPM No. 11[2]: Pest risk analysis for quarantine pests including analysis of environmental risks and living modified organisms (2004) by the International Plant Protection Convention (FAO, 2007).The Panel concludes that:* Many statements in this simplified risk assessment are neither substantiated by references nor supported by verifiable data. This applies to, amongst others, i) the possible introduction pathways, ii) the climatic similarities between the PRA area[3] and the area where the pest is currently distributed, iii) the size of the area under cultivation with susceptible hosts and the economic importance of these hosts in the PRA area, iv) current or potential control strategies, and v) the potential impact in the PRA area.* Information given in the pest risk assessment on the related species Prays endolemma, reported from the Philippines, is irrelevant for the pest risk assessment on P. endocarpa. It is recommended that this species be treated in a separate pest risk assessment.* The Panel considers the probability of entry to be very low, given the lack of trade in citrus fruit between the area of current distribution of P. endocarpa and the PRA area. Moreover, symptoms of infested fruit are very conspicuous and contaminated batches of citrus fruits could easily be detected prior to export. For the same reason, it is unlikely that passengers would carry infested citrus fruit the long distances from countries where P. endocarpa occurs into the PRA area.* The Panel agrees that the probability of establishment is very high, should the pest gain entry in the PRA area, given the presence of suitable host plants (citrus) and the fact that the pest is currently distributed in areas with similar climatic conditions to those in the PRA area.* The conclusion of the pest risk assessment that economic impacts would be "moderate to high" cannot be supported by the information given in the French document or that available in the literature. There is only sparse evidence of the harmfulness of P. endocarpa to citrus crops in its area of current distribution. In the majority of its current range, the organism is considered a minor pest of citrus and evidence of economic damage is confined to a limited number of reports in Indonesia. Varieties of citrus may differ in their susceptibility to the pest, but the pest risk assessment does not provide any information on cultivars of the different citrus crops grown in the PRA area.The degree of uncertainty is high, given the lack of data provided in the assessment and available in the scientific literature on the biology and impact of the organism.The Panel, based on the information provided in the document and on additional literature consulted, concludes that P. endocarpa is not appropriate for evaluation of pest risk management options for the French overseas departments of French Guiana, Guadeloupe, Martinique and Réunion and is thus not potentially eligible for addition to the list of harmful organisms in Directive 2000/29/EC

Following a request from the European Commission, the Panel on Plant Health was asked to deliver a scientific opinion on 30 pest risk assessments made by France on organisms which are considered by France as harmful in four French overseas departments, i.e. French Guiana, Guadeloupe, Martinique and Réunion. In particular, the Panel was asked whether these organisms can be considered as harmful organisms for the endangered area of the above departments, in the meaning of the definition mentioned in Article 2.1.(e) of Directive 2000/29/EC and thus potentially eligible for addition to the list of harmful organisms in Directive 2000/29/EC.This document presents the opinion of the Panel on Plant Health on the simplified[1] pest risk assessment conducted by France on Prays endocarpa with French Guiana, Guadeloupe, Martinique and Réunion considered as endangered area.Prays endocarpa Meyrick (Insecta: Lepidoptera: Yponomeutidae), the citrus rind borer or citrus pock caterpillar, is usually found on Citrus, but has also been reported to attack other Rutaceae, including the bael tree Aegle marmelos. The larva feeds on the rind of different citrusfruit, causing gall-like swellings (pocks). Larval development is completed within these galls and the larvae never enter the endocarp. This species is distributed in parts of the Indian subcontinent, South-East Asia and the Pacific.The Panel examined in detail the risk assessment provided, and considered the accuracy and quality of the information provided and methods applied for pest risk assessment purposes. The review was based on the principles of the International Standard on Phytosanitary Measures ISPM No. 11[2]: Pest risk analysis for quarantine pests including analysis of environmental risks and living modified organisms (2004) by the International Plant Protection Convention (FAO, 2007).The Panel concludes that:* Many statements in this simplified risk assessment are neither substantiated by references nor supported by verifiable data. This applies to, amongst others, i) the possible introduction pathways, ii) the climatic similarities between the PRA area[3] and the area where the pest is currently distributed, iii) the size of the area under cultivation with susceptible hosts and the economic importance of these hosts in the PRA area, iv) current or potential control strategies, and v) the potential impact in the PRA area.* Information given in the pest risk assessment on the related species Prays endolemma, reported from the Philippines, is irrelevant for the pest risk assessment on P. endocarpa. It is recommended that this species be treated in a separate pest risk assessment.* The Panel considers the probability of entry to be very low, given the lack of trade in citrus fruit between the area of current distribution of P. endocarpa and the PRA area. Moreover, symptoms of infested fruit are very conspicuous and contaminated batches of citrus fruits could easily be detected prior to export. For the same reason, it is unlikely that passengers would carry infested citrus fruit the long distances from countries where P. endocarpa occurs into the PRA area.* The Panel agrees that the probability of establishment is very high, should the pest gain entry in the PRA area, given the presence of suitable host plants (citrus) and the fact that the pest is currently distributed in areas with similar climatic conditions to those in the PRA area.* The conclusion of the pest risk assessment that economic impacts would be "moderate to high" cannot be supported by the information given in the French document or that available in the literature. There is only sparse evidence of the harmfulness of P. endocarpa to citrus crops in its area of current distribution. In the majority of its current range, the organism is considered a minor pest of citrus and evidence of economic damage is confined to a limited number of reports in Indonesia. Varieties of citrus may differ in their susceptibility to the pest, but the pest risk assessment does not provide any information on cultivars of the different citrus crops grown in the PRA area.The degree of uncertainty is high, given the lack of data provided in the assessment and available in the scientific literature on the biology and impact of the organism.The Panel, based on the information provided in the document and on additional literature consulted, concludes that P. endocarpa is not appropriate for evaluation of pest risk management options for the French overseas departments of French Guiana, Guadeloupe, Martinique and Réunion and is thus not potentially eligible for addition to the list of harmful organisms in Directive 2000/29/EC