Commission adopts first EU list of invasive alien species

More species on the Union list to come

The Union list will be regularly reviewed and kept up-to-date. An update of the list is already under preparation. Future updates of the list are expected to introduce more species that are not yet present in the EU, and to shift the focus to prevention.

Union list, national lists and regional lists of invasive alien species

On the Union list are – and can only be – species that are non-native to any part of the European Union. However, Member States may establish their own “national list of invasive alien species of Member State concern”. Such lists can include both non-native as well as species native to parts of the European Union. Additionally, Member States may identify, from their national list, species that require “enhanced regional cooperation”. If Some Member States agree such a regional list, it is worth noticing that other Member States “to which those species are native, shall cooperate with the Member States concerned” with regard to identification of pathways and how to avoid further spread of those species.

Note: An obvious species for “enhanced regional cooperation” would be Quagga mussels. These mussels are native to those countries at the bottom of the Danube but risk assessments have shown that they are / would be highly damaging if they transferred into countries in western Europe.

EAA has been engaged with the IAS Regulation and its Union list through the whole of the legislative process, which ran for a number of years. Overall, we are pleased with both the Regulation (adopted last year) and this first list of IAS species of Union concern. However, we would have liked a sufficient EU fund set aside to secure, that “rapid eradication” can and will happen, and not stalled due to individual Member State concern over cost implication.