Markets and Trade
AreaEuropean Union
Commodity GroupOilseeds, oils and meals
CommodityDisease \'xylella fastidiosa\'
Date01/12/2017
Policy CategoryOther
Policy InstrumentPest control measures & regulations
DescriptionAgreed on a roadmap outlining steps to combat the bacterial disease that threatens olive trees and other plants across the EU.
NotesTen EU member countries agreed on a road map outlining next steps to combat the bacterial disease xylella fastidiosa that was first detected on olive trees in Italy in 2013 and is now present in four member states, threatening a range of crops (see also MPPU Feb.’17). The European Food Safety Authority agreed to update its 2015 risk assessment of the disease, and the European Commission offered to make available EUR 10 million (USD 12.1 million) to support research, improve prevention measures and combat the pest. Concerned countries highlighted the need to i) restrict the movement of risky material within the EU, ii) enhance detection and surveillance and maintain an updated list of locations where the disease is present, and iii) consider containment strategies where eradication is not possible. Currently, no treatment exists for the insect-transmitted pest. The European Union’s past focus on culling infected trees in Italy’s Apulia region met with resistance by local growers (see MPPU July’16).