02 Aug 2016 FIRST LIST OF INVASIVE ALIEN SPECIES OF UNION CONCERN ADOPTED

The first “Union list” of 37 species consisting of 23 animals and 14 plants comes into force, following the recent publication (in July 2016) of Commission Implementing Regulation (2016/1141). The “Union list” comprises species considered to have potential adverse impacts across the European Union.

FACE Members will recall the initial Regulation on Invasive Alien Species (1143/2014), which came into force on 1 January 2015. This Regulation sets out the restrictions and measures that will now apply to the species on the Union list. These include restrictions on keeping, importing, selling, breeding and growing.

Specifically, EU Member States will be required to take measures for early detection and rapid eradication of these species, and to manage species that are already widely spread in the territory of some Member States. The Regulation also includes special provisions to deal with the specific needs of pet owners, traders, breeders and other stakeholders. It is envisaged that the IAS list of species will be updated regularly to include further species likely to have significant impacts on biodiversity and ecosystems.

Hunters play a significant role in the monitoring, surveillance and management of IAS in Europe. In most cases, this work is undertaken voluntarily, however, some projects have been supported by EU LIFE funds and a range of other stakeholders.

FACE will be following progress on this Regulation and promoting ongoing initiatives such as the European Code of Conduct on Hunting and IAS, for which FACE keeps the Secretariat of the Bern Convention updated on the progress for the implementation of the Code.

For further information, please see to the European Commission webpage.

The 23 Animals on the “Union list” include:

Amur sleeper Perccottus glenii
Asian hornet Vespa velutina
Chinese mitten crab Eriocheir sinensis
Coypu Myocastor coypus
Fox squirrel Sciurus niger
Grey squirrel Sciurus carolinensis
Indian house crow Corvus splendens
Marbled crayfish Procambarus spp.
Muntjac deer Muntiacus reevesii
North american bullfrog Lithobates (Rana) catesbeianus
Pallas’s squirrel Callosciurus erythraeus
Raccoon Procyon lotor
Red swamp crayfish Procambarus clarkii
Red-eared terrapin/slider Trachemys scripta elegans
Ruddy duck Oxyura jamaicensis
Sacred ibis Threskiornis aethiopicus
Siberian chipmunk Tamias sibiricus
Signal crayfish Pacifastacus leniusculus
Small Asian mongoose Herpestes javanicus
South American coati Nasua nasua
Spiny-cheek crayfish Orconectes limosus
Topmouth gudgeon Pseudorasbora parva
Virile crayfish Orconectes virilis
The 14 Plants are on the “Union list” include:

American skunk cabbage Lysichiton americanus
Asiatic tearthumb Persicaria perfoliata (Polygonum perfoliatum)
Curly waterweed Lagarosiphon major
Eastern Baccharis Baccharis halimifolia
Floating pennywort Hydrocotyle ranunculoides
Floating primrose willow Ludwigia peploides
Green cabomba Cabomba caroliniana
Kudzu vine Pueraria lobata
Parrot’s feather Myriophyllum aquaticum
Persian hogweed Heracleum persicum
Sosnowski’s hogweed Heracleum sosnowskyi
Water hyacinth Eichhornia crassipes
Water primrose Ludwigia grandiflora
Whitetop weed Parthenium hysterophorus