Risk analysis and its impact on prevention and control measures of economic important pests

Abstract EN

Analysis of risks from plant pests has been an important role of the European and Mediterranean Plant Protection Organization since its foundation in 1951.

Pest Risk Analysis, with capital initial letters, often shortened to PRA, is a more recent activity.

The Sanitary and Phytosanitary Agreement of the World Trade Organisation in 1995 required technical justification of phytosanitary measures on traded commodities.

This necessitated the development of formal technical justification through Pest Risk Analysis.

Three International Standards have been adopted describing how to conduct PRAs.

EPPO Standards and computer tools provide more detailed guidance.

There are currently two contrasting trends in the EPPO region with regard to pest risk analysis.

On the one hand there are pressures to produce more quantitative PRAs making use of tools such as epidemiological spread models and climate matching.

These can enable a more thorough comparison of costs and benefits of possible interventions.

On the other hand there is also a need to respond rapidly to a wide range of emerging threats, using quick methods to screen large numbers of organisms.

This can help plant health services to target regulation effectively against current risks and to give appropriate priority to each pest for phytosanitary inspections, surveillance, contingency plans and awareness raising campaigns.