11 mn euros earmarked to combat organisms that endanger plants

Two co-financing decisions amounting to 11 million euros were endorsed by experts meeting in the Standing Committee on Plant Health. This amount is earmarked to fund 17 programmes in seven Member States that aim to curb the spread of organisms that endanger plants.

EU plant health funding is an important trigger to help Member States to safeguard EU agriculture, forests and landscape.

On the basis of applications submitted by Member States, the allocation was distributed among: Cyprus (€ 0.13 million), France (€ 0.3 million), Germany (€ 0.22 million), Italy (€ 0.19 million), The Netherlands (€ 0.29 million), Spain (€ 2.27 million), and Portugal (€ 7.6 million).

€ 3.9 million of Portugal's total amount of allocation is devoted to control outbreaks of pinewood nematode (Bursaphelenchus xylophilus), a microscopic worm attacking coniferous trees. The rest of the allocation (i.e. € 3.7 million) will help Portugal contain pinewood nematode within the existing demarcated zone, safeguard other Member States and protect trade interests with non-EU countries.

Actions taken by Spain to successfully eradicate 3 isolated outbreaks of pine wood nematode in Extramadura and Galicia will also benefit from the financing. As will actions to control the island apple snail (Pomacea insularum),one of the largest freshwater snails, which attacks rice plots and can also have devastating effects on natural wetlands. The potential size of the EU's endangered rice area is 420,000 hectares.

The funding will contribute to several other control programmes. For example, Asian longhorn beetle (Anoplophora glabripennis), an insect that attacks a wide range of woody plant species in France, Germany, Italy and The Netherlands; red palm weevil (Rynchophorus ferrugineus) which attacks palm trees in Cyprus and France; Western corn rootworm (Diabrotica virgifera) in Germany; and the bacterial canker of kiwi (Pseudomonas syringae pv.actinidiae) in Italy.

Those Decisions are intended to be adopted by the Commission by end 2012 and funds will be available from early 2013.