Better Training for Safer Food

Initiative

Interaction between Plant Health

and Plant Protection
MARICA GATT

BTSF
IMPROVING AND
STRENGTHENING THE
SANITARY AND
PHYTOSANITARY FRAMEWORK
IN NON-EU COUNTRIES
8-12 December 2014 –
"BTSF WORLD“ Rabat, Morocco
Consumers,
Health And Food
Executive Agency
Outline

1. Objective and Scope

2. Plant Health and Plant Protection in the EU
3. Integrated approach
4. Interaction between the two regimes

Consumers,
Health And Food
Executive Agency
Plant Health and Plant Protection

The Objective:
The control of organisms harmful to plants, while
protecting human and animal health and the environment

The Scope:
pests and diseases in agriculture, horticulture, green
spaces, forests and natural landscape

Consumers,
Health And Food
Executive Agency
 Plant Health and Plant Protection in EU

DGSANCO:

One Directorate:
SAFETY OF THE FOOD CHAIN

Integrated approach

Plant Health & Plant

Protection

Consumers,
Health And Food
Executive Agency
Plant Health

EU rules on plant health aim to protect crops, fruit,

vegetables, flowers, ornamentals and forests from
harmful pests and diseases (harmful organisms) by
preventing their introduction into the EU and their
spread within the EU.

Plant Protection

The EU sets rules for the sustainable use of pesticides

to reduce the risks and impacts of pesticide use on
people’s health and the environment.
Consumers,
Health And Food
Executive Agency
Integrated approach: Plant Health and Plant Protection

Control of harmful organisms:

from prevention of introduction

up to eradication/ control (use of plant protection products )

Consumers,
Health And Food
Executive Agency
Integrated approach: Plant Health and Plant Protection

Control of harmful organisms:

from prevention of introduction

up to eradication/ control (use of plant protection products )

Quarantine measures;
Prevention Healthy propagating
material;
Certified seeds
Resistance;
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IPM ………
Health And Food
Executive Agency
Plant Health and Plant Protection in EU

PLANT HEALTH REGIME currently being reviewed

Prevention of the introduction of new pests and

diseases [Control Regulation]

Timely measures right at the beginning to limit the

use of pesticides in time and quantity

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Health And Food
Executive Agency
Plant Health Regime

• Stricter Import control on plants / products

• TRACES e-notification and registration system for imports

• EUROPHYT, e-database for interceptions

• Follow-up of interceptions

Seeds and Propagating Material Regime

stimulate the production of high quality

starting material for crops/ plants

Consumers,
Health And Food
Executive Agency
Plant Health and Plant Protection in EU

Control of harmful organisms:

from prevention of introduction

up to eradication/ control (use of plant protection products )

PLANT PROTECTION LEGAL FRAMEWORK was reviewed on:

• Approval of substances and products (2009)

• Use of plant protection products (2009)
• Setting of maximum residue levels (2005)

PRIORITY: Protection of human health and the environment

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Health And Food
Executive Agency
Directive in Sustainable use of pesticides

• requires to establish targets for reduction of pesticides

• information/ advice to professional users

• integrated pest management - IPM

•Promotion of low pesticide-input management including

non-chemical methods.

•Since 1 January 2014 professional users have to apply

general principles of IPM.
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Health And Food
Executive Agency
 IPM

Plant protection using non-chemical methods:

• Certified seed and planting material

• Hygiene measures
• Tolerant / resistant varieties
• Monitoring of harmful organisms
• Crop rotation

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Health And Food
Executive Agency
Interactions between Plant Health and Plant Protection

Access to healthy propagation

material:
- plant breeding (access to pest
resistant/tolerant cultivars)
- propagation of pathogen free, pest
free seeds and plants Decrease use of
Prevention of introduction and pesticides
spread of (new) pests
- identify emerging risks and
appropriate preventive measures
- rapid and effective action for
eradication or containment of
outbreaks
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Health And Food
Executive Agency
Interactions between Plant Health and Plant Protection

Control measures against plant pests must fully integrate

the sustainable use of pesticides

Better monitoring and Decrease use of

surveillance of the pest status pesticide
in an area

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Health And Food
Executive Agency
Plant Health and Plant Protection Strategy in the EU

PREVENTION IS BETTER
THAN THE CURE

Consumers,
Health And Food
Executive Agency