Commission regulation to establish containment of an invasive pest
On 11 October 2022, the European Commission adopted Implementing Regulation (EU) 2022/1927 regarding protective measures against the species Aleurocanthus spiniferus, also called a citrus spiny whitefly.
This pest targets citrus and tea plants, and it originates from tropical Asia. It has been discovered in the Dubrovnik Neretva and Split Dalmatia counties of Croatia and the Ionian Islands of Greece.
Because of the risk of further spread, Implementing Regulation (EU) 2022/1927 establishes the following requirements for regional authorities:
1) making containment and buffer zones around infested areas.
2) creating biological controls, treatments, or traps to eliminate Aleurocanthus spiniferus, or to ensure the controlled destruction of targeted plants.
3) raising public awareness of the pest.
4) carrying out surveys in infested areas, focusing on sampling, testing, trapping, and examining the pests and nearby plants.
5) submitting yearly survey results to the Commission.
