Copa-Cogeca engagement in the WG IAS 1st Meeting of the Working Group on Invasive Alien Species WG IAS Brussels, 12 June 2015

Copa-Cogeca in a nutshell Brussels based umbrella organisation - European farmers (including gardeners and forest holders) and their cooperatives 66 member organisations from EU-28 representing 12 million farmers and their families Representing 22 000 agri-cooperatives 12.06.2015 | 2

Work packages to which Copa-Cogeca is willing to contribute to Awareness raising on IAS Farmers, gardeners and foresters are the first to deal with IAS being the main land managers Due to professional knowledge and daily work on fields and in forest new species are detected BUT being not responsible for their introduction/ appearence as well as spreading shouldn’t be made responsible nor charged for actions to eradicate them -> polluter pays principle difficult to be applied in practice -> professional journals / web-sites key for awareness raising (language), focus on voluntary information -> long positive experience in dealing with IAS, in particular for easily detectable plants and animals -> problems with invasive (vector born) diseases Xylella fastidiosa 12.06.2015 | 3

Work packages to which Copa-Cogeca is willing to contribute to 3. Experiences with widely spread IAS IAS in the form of pathogens, pests and harmful plants to be addressed in line with the new plant and animal health legislations under revision In cases where early eradication failed cost-effective long(er) term management is needed, focus on avoiding wider spreading Targeted campaigns addressing specific species to be coordinated with sectors concerned -> ownership rights need to be addressed / respected -> need to take into account regional, climatic aspects and propagation patterns (”invasive elsewhere”) -> focus on IAS not yet established and/or early phase -> good collaboration between authorities and land owners/ managers essential + realistic compensation Drosophila suzukii 12.06.2015 | 4

Work packages to which Copa-Cogeca is willing to contribute to 6. Development of guidelines and training material Need for clear criteria for list ”IAS of Union concern”, taking into account socio-economic aspects, local conditions Guidelines shall not only address authorities, but should be suitable for all operators Training material to be co-developped with professional organisation -> clear distinction needed between hybrids, varieties or breeds that don’t survive or reproduce and the one classified as IAS -> need for management tools, coherence with other rules essential -> good information of the concerned sectors should be given priority to allow self-responsibility – ridig control systems will fail 12.06.2015 | 5