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

2. 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 agri-cooperatives
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3. 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
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4. 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
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5. 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
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