Harmonization of the Regulation of Invertebrate Biological Control Agents in Europe

The regulation of import and release of invertebrate biological control agents is not harmonized yet in Europe. Each country has its own regulatory system in place that is legally based on either the nature protection and/or the Plant Protection Act. The publication of the FAO Code of Conduct in 1996 for import and release of exotic biological control agents was the turning-point for the activities related to the import and release of biological control agents in Europe. An EPPO expert panel developed from 1998 to 2002 two guidelines on the safe use of biological control and established a list of biological control agents widely used in the EPPO region. An EU funded project with the goal to develop scientific methods for evaluating environmental risks of biological control introductions into Europe (ERBIC) was conducted from 1998 to 2002. In 1999, the OECD initiated a working group with the aim to develop a guidance document on appropriate regulation of invertebrate biological control agents. Biological control industry was very concerned about these developments and proposed to the International Organization for Biological Control (IOBC/WPRS) to co-ordinate harmonization among European countries. A commission of the IOBC/WPRS was put in place in 2003 with the aim to facilitate and harmonize regulation in Europe. In 2004, the EU released a call for project proposals with the aim to develop a balanced system for harmonized registration of biological control agents. __________________ Harmonization of the Regulation of Invertebrate Biological Control Agents in Europe Second International Symposium on Biological Control of Arthropods 693 INTRODUCTION In the past, Europe has generally been a source rather than a recipient of invertebrate biological control agents in comparison to other countries with extensive experience in classical biological control, such as Australia, Canada, New Zealand, South Africa and the U.S.A. These countries had legislation and procedures in place relatively early to regulate imports and to analyze risks of exotic biological control agents (Sheppard et al. 2003). Most classical biological control programs in Europe have focused mainly on controlling exotic pests in the Mediterranean region. Today, there is a growing interest in classical biological control of invasive weeds throughout Europe, especially in conservation areas (Waage 1997). Increasing international trade in agricultural products and growing accidental introductions of organisms related to tourism and global trade are nowadays important sources of new imports of exotic pest species into Europe, as demonstrated by Bin and Bruni (1997) for Italy. Many of these introduced organisms are candidates for classical biological control if they establish in conservation reserves where they may threaten native species and communities. Most if not all European countries are signatories of the Convention on Biological Diversity and, thus, have the obligation to prevent the introduction and, as far as possible, to control those alien species that threaten indigenous ecosystems and habitats. Because chemical and mechanical control of such organisms may have negative effects on ecosystems greater than those of the introduced alien species itself, classical biological control may offer adequate solutions. Protected crops grown in glasshouses have developed rapidly in many European and Mediterranean countries, and the protected environment has favored the temporary or permanent establishment of imported pests. On the other hand, customers in most European countries are increasingly concerned about pesticide residues in food, and food quality regulations are becoming more stringent in Europe where most of the glasshouse crops are marketed. This situation offers new avenues for non-chemical pest control. Biological control by augmentation or inundation has developed during the last 35 years and is now a major component of pest control in protected crops. About 90 species of invertebrate biological control agents are presently on the EPPO list of widely used and commercialized biological control agents in the EPPO region (EPPO 2002), and many more are under investigation for future release. Some agents on this list may have disappeared from the market, but new ones have come up in the meantime. Europe leads the world in this activity, and national regulatory agencies have therefore an obligation to rule and facilitate international trade in an efficient and appropriate way. Regulations for introductions of invertebrate biological control agents differ between European countries and some have yet to establish these (Bigler 1997; 2001). Obligations in international laws and agreements, and an increasing interest in the import and release of exotic biological control agents calls for harmonized and better regulation between European countries. In many cases introductions of invertebrate biological agents are administered under regulations which were established for other purposes, such as plant quarantine, wildlife conservation and genetically modified plants. The application of appropriate regulatory procedures is important in order to maintain public confidence in biological control and to facilitate introductions and the commercial use of exotic biological control organisms.