EUROPEAN COMMISSION HEALTH & CONSUMER PROTECTION DIRECTORATE-GENERAL

Directorate F - Food and Veterinary Office

DG(SANCO)/8272/2006 MR - FINAL

REPORT OF A MISSION

CARRIED OUT IN

FROM 10 TO 19 OCTOBER 2006

IN ORDER TO EVALUATE THE SITUATION AND CONTROLS

FOR ANOPLOPHORA CHINENSIS

15/06/07 - 38360

Executive summary

This report describes the outcome of a mission carried out in Italy from 10 to 19 October 2006. The objective of the mission was to evaluate the situation and control measures for the Citrus longhorn beetle - Anoplophora chinesis - in Italy.

This pest is present only in ; it is believed to have been introduced with bonsai plants imported from Asia. It was first discovered in Italy in 2000, but was not officially notified to the Commission until 2005. In spite of its name, this pest is polyphagous and has caused serious damage in Italy on a range of woody species, including maple, plane, birch, beech, apple and pear.

Three non-infested regions visited during the mission carry out monitoring inspections including for this pest. Only Piedmont has carried out a targeted and intensive survey, in areas bordering Lombardy. No evidence of the pest has been found in any other region.

Lombardy has put in place an extensive control programme under regional legislation and funding. The control programme is being impeded by a lack of resources and in spite of the measures taken, the pest continues to spread. It has now been found over an area of approximately 100 km2 and was found for the first time in urban areas of in 2006. So far there has been no national involvement in the control of the pest.

Although the control programme is generally well supported, many outbreaks are now in private gardens and householders are reluctant for their trees to be destroyed.

As a result of the presumed pathway for introduction, Lombardy has introduced regional legislation imposing inter alia a two-year quarantine period for host plants from Asia (e.g. bonsai) introduced into the region. These measures have not been notified to the Commission.

In spite of the measures taken, the pest continues to spread and has the potential to pose a significant risk to surrounding regions and other Member States. Recommendations are made in the report to address the shortcomings found.

2 TABLE OF CONTENTS

1. INTRODUCTION...... 5

2. OBJECTIVE...... 5

3. LEGAL BASIS...... 5

4. RELEVANT COMMUNITY LEGISLATION...... 6

5. BACKGROUND...... 6 5.1. Previous missions ...... 6 5.2. Anoplophora chinensis ...... 6 6. MAIN FINDINGS...... 7 6.1. National situation...... 7 6.2. Situation of A. chinensis in Lombardy ...... 9 6.3. Control programme for A. chinensis in Lombardy...... 11 6.4. Control measures for A. chinensis in Lombardy ...... 13 6.5. Research and Development ...... 17 7. CONCLUSIONS...... 18 7.1. National situation...... 18 7.2. Situation of A. chinensis in Lombardy ...... 19 7.3. Control programme for A. chinensis in Lombardy...... 19 7.4. Control measures for A. chinensis in Lombardy ...... 20 7.5. Research and development...... 20 7.6. Overall conclusion...... 20 8. CLOSING MEETING...... 21

9. RECOMMENDATIONS ...... 21

10. SINGLE AUTHORITY RESPONSE TO RECOMMENDATIONS ...... 21

3 ABBREVIATIONS USED IN THE REPORT

EPPO European and Mediterranean Plant Protection Organisation ERSAF The Regional Agency for Agricultural and Forest Development FVO Food and Veterinary Office SFR Servizio Fitosanitario Regionale (Regional Phytosanitary Service)

4 1. INTRODUCTION

The mission took place in Italy from the 10 to 19 October 2006 as part of the Food and Veterinary Office's (FVO) planned mission programme. It was combined with two other missions: DG(SANCO)8274/2006 - to evaluate the situation and control of Dryocosmus kuriphilus in Italy and DG(SANCO)8273/2006 - to evaluate the control measures taken against Diabrotica virgifera virgifera in Italy; separate reports will be issued for these.

The mission team consisted of four FVO inspectors; it was accompanied by representatives of each Regional Phytosanitary Service (SFR - Servizio Fitosanitario Regionale) during visits in their region. A pre-mission questionnaire was sent to the Single Authority, requesting information and data relevant to the mission, which was completed and returned to the FVO, before the start of the mission. An opening meeting was held on 10 October 2006 at the headquarters of the Piedmont SFR in Turin, during which, the objectives and itinerary for the mission were confirmed. A closing meeting was held at the headquarters of the Single Authority, in Rome on 19 October 2006.

2. OBJECTIVE

The objective of the mission was to evaluate the situation and control measures for Anoplophora chinensis, with particular reference to Council Directive 2000/29/EC1 of 8 May on protective measures against the introduction into the Community of organisms harmful to plants or plant products and against their spread within the Community. In pursuit of this objective, the following sites were visited:

COMPETENT AUTHORITY VISITS Comments Single Authority Headquarters 1 Servizio Fitosanitario Centrale, Rome Responsible 4 Lazio, Lombardy and Piedmont SFR Official Bodies PLANT HEALTH CONTROL SITES Comments Outbreak sites Lombardy, area of 2 Private garden and public areas Lombardy, area of 1 Public park Milan Other Sites: Lombardy, area of 1 Collection site for disposal of infested and symptomatic Parabiago trees

3. LEGAL BASIS The mission was carried out under the general mandate of Articles 21 and 27a of Directive 2000/29/EC.

Community legislation cited in this report refers, where applicable, to the version as last amended. 1OJ L 169, 10.07.2000, p.01 5 4. RELEVANT COMMUNITY LEGISLATION

• Directive 2000/29/EC.

5. BACKGROUND

A. chinensis is listed in Annex I Part A Section I to Directive 2000/29/EC – its introduction into and spread within the European Union is prohibited. Article 16(1) of the same Directive requires the immediate notification of its presence and that all necessary measures to eradicate, or if that is impossible, to inhibit the spread of the pest, be taken.

5.1. Previous missions

The FVO has previously carried out several missions to Italy on a variety of topics. These are available on the FVO web-site: http://ec.europa.eu/food/fvo/ir_search_en.cfm

5.2. Anoplophora chinensis

The Citrus longhorn beetle - Anoplophora chinensis – is found in Asia, principally China, Japan and Korea, where it causes extensive damage, particularly in orchards. Despite its common name, A. chinensis is polyphagous and is damaging to at least 50 species of woody plants in addition to Citrus and is highly damaging to at least four Genera: Acer, Betula, Carpinus and Corylus, all of which are common in northern Italy. A. chinensis is included on the European and Mediterranean Plant Protection Organisation (EPPO) Alert List. Further information on this pest is available from their web-site: www.eppo.org.

The pest has been occasionally intercepted by Member States on wood packing material and bonsai plants originating in eastern Asia. There have been two outbreaks reported in the European Union; in 2000 in the Region of Lombardy in northern Italy, and in 2004 a limited outbreak in Soyons in France, which is reported to have been successfully eradicated.

The outbreak in Lombardy was discovered in a nursery situated in Parabiago in June 2000, as a result of a survey carried out by the Institute of Entomology of the Agricultural University of Milan. This survey was funded by the SFR in order to check for possible introductions of exotic pests in nurseries and glasshouses near Milan. There are some reports that indicate that the pest was present in the region much earlier – for example, adult A. chinensis was found in a specimen collection from 19972. In addition, the mission team visited an outbreak in a park in the west of Milan, where there was extensive damage caused by this pest. This outbreak was discovered in 2006 however, the SFR stated that the high numbers and extensive damage would indicate that the pest had been in that area for approximately 10 years. The Lombardy SFR stated that the most likely source of the original outbreak was bonsai plants from Asia.

A detailed report has been prepared by the SFR on the development of the outbreak and their control measures from 2000 to 2004, which is available on the EPPO website. In summary:

2 Anoplophora malasiaca Thomson (Coleoptera Cerambycidae Lamiinae Lamiini) in Europe; M. Colombo and L. Limonta; Boll. Zool. Agr. Bachic, Ser. II, 33(1) 65-68, 30 April 2001.

6 – The presence of A. chinensis was confirmed in a nursery on 8 June 2000

– Summer 2001 - 6 adults were collected in the area of the outbreak

– August 2002 - Lombardy SFR extended the survey to include 16 municipalities; adults were found in 2 municipalites, a total of 38 adults were collected. The SFR notified the Single Authority of the situation.

– January 2003 - 3 new infested trees were found in Saronno 15 Km away from the outbreak site. The SFR initiated a publicity campaign.

– Feb 2004 - the first (regional) legislation for the control and eradication of A. chinensis was adopted (see section 6.3.1.1. below)

– Spring 2004 - the population of A. chinensis 'explodes'; 741 infested trees were discovered and adults were found in 13 villages around Parabiago. The area subject to phytosanitary measures approximately was 60 km2.

The Single Authority officially notified the Commission and other Member States of the presence of A. chinensis in 2005.

6. MAIN FINDINGS

6.1. National situation

A. chinesis has only been found in the Lombardy region; the specific situation there is covered in detail in sections 6.2 and 6.3 below.

6.1.1. Legislation

A. chinensis is included in Annex I Part A Section I to Directive 2000/29/EC and the (national legislation) Decreto Legislativo no. 214 of 19 August 2005, which transposes this Directive. Specific legislation has been adopted in Lombardy; this is covered in detail in section 6.3.1.1 below. There is no specific legislation at national level or in non- infested regions relating to A. chinensis.

The SFR met during the mission stated that once a pest occurs in more than one region, national legislation has to be adopted, although it may be possible to take action in the interim based on emergency regional legislation.

6.1.2. Competent authorities

The structure and responsibilities of the Plant Health Service in Italy has already been described in detail in previous mission reports. Additional information is available in the FVO country profile (http://ec.europa.eu/food/fvo/country_profiles/CP_italy.pdf).

In summary, the Central Phytosanitary Service (Servizio Fitosanitario Centrale), which is part of the Ministry of Agricultural and Forestry Policies (Ministero delle Politiche Agricole e Forestali), acts as the Single Authority as defined in Article 1.4 of Directive 2000/29/EC. Plant health controls are implemented by the SFR of each of the 19 Regions and 2 autonomous Provinces.

7 6.1.3. Human and financial resources

The SFR in Piedmont and Lazio informed the mission team that they both had adequate staff and resources to carry out monitoring and other surveillance activities, they would require additional funding, either on a regional or a national basis, in order to manage an outbreak of the pest. There are no contingency plans in place for this. The opinion of the Single Authority and the visited SFR was that the provision of additional funding would require prior agreement by the European Commission because of the risk that it would be considered to be ('illegal') State Aid. The same concern was cited as being the reason for not giving financial support to the Lombardy region.

6.1.4. Coordination and work planning

The competence and responsibility for agricultural matters, including plant health, has been transferred to regional/provincial level and as a result, the Single Authority does not act directly in plant health matters that relate to individual regions only (although it does have the legal authority to do so, in the event that the SFR do not comply with national or Community provisions). The Single Authority informed the mission team that since A. chinensis was present only in one region, the competence and responsibility for handling the outbreak remained with that region. There are no national contingency plans or obligatory measures e.g. surveys, required or coordinated by the Single Authority.

The Single Authority stated that its coordination role had been strengthened with the formalising of the National Phytosanitary Committee (Comitato Fitosanitario Nationali) in Article 52 of Decreto Legislativo no. 214 of 19 August 2005. This Committee, which includes representatives from each SFR and the Single Authority, meets at least monthly to discuss plant health related issues. The same Article also permits the effective secondment of representatives from the Committee to assist the Single Authority when necessary. The mission team met with SFR staff in three non-infested regions: Piedmont, Veneto and Lazio who stated that they had visited the Lombardy region and had been informed about developments. However, the mission team were also informed by two of the SFR that it had been difficult for them to obtain information, such as lists of customers (in their regions) who had bought host plants from places of production situated in areas di focolaio (see section 6.4 below), from the Lombardy SFR. They had therefore not been able to perform targeted inspections or surveys for the pest in their regions.

The Lombardy SFR informed the mission team that several meetings had been held with neighbouring SFR to develop common action plans for pests that are present in all of the regions – for example Diabrotica virgifera virgifera; the same has not been done for A. chinensis.

Inspectors from the three non-infested regions visited had attended training seminars in Lombardy and each of the SFR had issued publicity material for the trade and for technical advisors. Staff from Piedmont SFR had visited Lombardy SFR in 2005 and received information on the pest situation and recent findings including in the Parco Valle del , which straddles the border between the two regions. Following this visit, the SFR issued additional publicity material and published articles in the local press to increase awareness amongst the public.

8 6.1.5. Surveys in non-infested regions

The SFR inspectors met by the mission team were fully aware of this pest and stated that they looked for symptoms of infestation during the course of their routine activities. Piedmont was the only SFR to have carried out a specific detailed survey for the pest. This was started in 2006 focussing on the Province of Novara and included 13 cities, surrounding forest and all tree nurseries. The SFR stated that the 2006 survey was mainly 'scientific' in nature, but in 2007 would be intensified; more sites would be included in the survey and increased efforts would be made to involve the public and producers in the conduct of the survey.

6.2. Situation of A. chinensis in Lombardy

The Lombardy SFR reported that between 2005 and 2006, the population continued to expand; by the time of the mission, the area subject to phytosanitary measures was approximately 100 to 130 km2 and included 21 villages. The expansion and extent of the infestation from 2000 to 2006 is shown in the following figure:

FIGURE 5.1: EXPANSION OF A. CHINENSIS IN LOMBARDY 2000 – 2006 (SOURCE: LOMBARDY SFR)

Milan

Key:

- Municipalities - new outbreaks - 2000 - new outbreaks - 2002 - new outbreaks - 2004 - new outbreaks – 2005 - new outbreaks - 2006

9 A. chinensis has now been found in 15 municipalities in the province of Milan and 6 municipalities in the .

6.2.1. Life-cycle of A. chinensis in Lombardy

In northern Italy, A. chinensis usually completes its life-cycle in two years. Adults are active from the end of May to the end of August, although peak emergence and activity is in mid-June. Adult exit holes are evident at the base of the trunk and on exposed 'superficial' roots. The adults feed on the tender bark on small twigs and branches, and occasionally on leaf petioles. The female also chews through the bark of the host-tree to the cambial layer, forming oviposition scars. A single egg is laid in each 'scar'; these are concentrated around the collar of the trunk or on accessible roots by the end of August. The eggs hatch within two weeks; the larvae then feed and develop in the phloem and xylem of the main roots and trunks, excavating tunnels, for one to two years. Sawdust is often visible around the oviposition scar and heavily infested trees die or fall. The larvae then pupates from February, in a chamber in the outer bark.

The SFR reported that the level of infestation observed may be very high; 113 exit holes have been observed on one tree. The damage caused by this pest to the trees undermines the strength of the trunk and roots so that infested trees may present a danger to the public and buildings. In addition, the damage permits bacterial and/or fungal infections to develop, which further weakens or kills infested trees.

6.2.2. Host plants

A. chinensis is polyphagous; a list of known host plants has been established in Decreto no. 5704 (see section 6.3.1.1. below) and are prohibited from being moved or planted within quarantine areas (see section 6.4.2 below).

TABLE 5.1: PREFERRED HOST PLANTS OF A. CHINENSIS IN ITALY (SOURCE: DECRETO NO. 5704) Scientific name Common name Acer spp. Maple Platanus spp. Plane Betula spp. Birch Carpinus spp. Hornbeam Fagus selvatica Beech Corylus avellana Hazel Lagerstroemia indica Mirto Crespo – Crape Myrtle Pyrus spp. Pear Malus spp. Apple

The same Decreto also includes a list of plants which are advised not to be planted in quarantine areas:

10 TABLE 5.2: LIST OF PLANTS THAT IT IS ADVISED NOT TO PLANT IN QUARANTINE AREAS (SOURCE: DECRETO NO. 5704) Scientific name Common name Prunus laurocerasus Laurel Prunus spp. Ornamental Prunus Rosa spp. Rose

The survey activity reported by the Lombardy SFR suggests a much wider potential host range, with a total of 19 different host plants. During the mission, it was also stated that A. chinensis had been found on Rhododendron plants.

TABLE 5.3: LIST OF POTENTIAL HOST PLANTS OF A. CHINENSIS IN ITALY (SOURCE: LOMBARDY SFR) Scientific name Common name Populus Poplar Ulmus Elm Cotoneaster Cotoneaster Aesculus hippocastanum Horse chestnut Salix Willow Alnus Alder Quercus Oak

It has not been determined that A. chinensis is able to complete its life-cycle in those plants included in Table 5.3 above. For example, symptoms of infestation and damage have been found on Populus trees however, following their destruction and a detailed examination no viable larvae have so far been recovered.

The mission team noted that the host plants included in table 5.1 are common and widespread in the two provinces visited and that the pest is locally very damaging on these plants.

6.3. Control programme for A. chinensis in Lombardy

6.3.1. Organisational aspects

6.3.1.1.Legislation and legal powers of inspectors

Starting in 2004, the Lombardy Region has introduced legislation which details and permits the implementation of control measures including the designation of quarantine areas3,4,5,6,7. The measures for the control and eradication of A. chinensis contained in the

3 Decreto no. 731, 26/1/2004 4 Decreto no. 1898, 11/2/2005 5 Decreto no. 9174, 16/6/2005 6 Decreto no. 1111703, 12/7/2005 7 Decreto no. 18087, 5/12/2005 11 most recent of this legislation, Decreto no. 57048, are detailed in section 6.4 below.

Although the legislation does provide the SFR with powers of entry, the inspectors met by the mission team reported that entry and control in private property was becoming increasingly problematical.

6.3.1.2.Work planning and financial resources

The Lombardy Region establishes a three year plan of activities, which is implemented through detailed annual plans. The current three year plan9 has made provision for a total of €333,000 for monitoring activities for A. chinensis. The same document refers to the financial impact of the control measures, which in 2004 alone, was €160,000.

The three year plan also defines the control policy for A. chinensis as gradual eradication or containment.

The annual plan for 200610 defines six areas of activity relating to A. chinensis:

(1) Scope of the monitoring - to delimitate the focus zones and to identify the extent of the spread.

(2) The quarantine areas - these comprise a total area of approximately 100km2 in the provinces of Milan and Varese.

(3) Extent of the survey - the survey should be carried out in the infested areas and the surroundings.

(4) The organisations involved in the monitoring and control programme - see section 6.3.1.4 below.

(5) Training and information - for the SFR as well as for producers and advisors.

(6) Financial resources - €160,000 is allocated for all of the above activities.

The Lombardy SFR informed the mission team that since 2004, €1,024,000 had been spent on the survey and control programme for A. chinensis. The difference between the funds provided in the three year plan and the overall total cost, was provided by the Regional Department of the Environment. The costs for destruction of the infested trees was said to be almost cost-neutral as the waste is now disposed of by thermal generation plants (see section 6.4.2 below).

The SFR has issued specific instructions for the inspectors and all of the staff met by the mission team had attended training sessions on the symptoms and control of A. chinensis.

8 Decreto Dirigente Unità Organizzativa no. 5704 of 23 March 2006 Nuove misure regionali di controllo eradicazione di Anoplophora chinensis in Regione 9 Deliberazione no. VII/21064 of 11 March 2005 Approvazione del piano delle attivita' fitosanitarie per il trienno 2005 – 2007 (sentita la commissione competente) 10Decreto no. 007256 of 26 June 2006 Approvazione del piano annuale delle attivita' fitosanitarie anno 2006 pg. 25

12 6.3.1.3.Official bodies involved

The Regional service of Lombardy has 18 plant health inspectors based in 11 Provinces and two diagnostic laboratories. Twelve of the 18 inspectors are involved in the survey and control of A. chinensis.

6.3.1.4.Co-operation between the Regional Plant Protection Service and other administrations

The Lombardy SFR has established detailed cooperation with provincial and municipal services, which play an essential and significant role in the operation of the control measures. – The park agencies have conducted survey activities and destruction of plants in the natural parks as well as the parks in the urban areas of Milan.

– The Regional Agency for Agricultural and Forest Development (ERSAF) has been responsible since February 2006, for carrying out the destruction and removal of infested plants.

– In addition, the SFR has scientific support from the Institute of Entomology of the Agricultural University of Milan, the Minoprio Foundation and the INRA Joint Biological Research Centre in Montpellier, France. In the case of the Minoprio Foundation, the researcher also assists in the survey activities.

A high level of cooperation between all of these bodies was evident during the mission.

6.4. Control measures for A. chinensis in Lombardy

The intention of the control programme, as defined in the annual and tri-annual work plans, is for gradual eradication or containment. In order to achieve this, a number of measures are carried out:

– An extensive survey is carried out as detailed in section 6.4.1 below.

– Following the discovery of an insect, the following areas are established in accordance with Decreto no. 5704:

(1) Area di quarantina (quarantine area). This is an area consisting of the outbreak site and a 1km radius of the surrounding area.

(2) Area focolaio (outbreak area) – this usually consists of the whole of the municipality in which the outbreak was found.

(3) Fascia di sicurezza (safety belt) – this consists of an area of 2km of the municipalities surrounding an outbreak area

The Decreto includes the names of towns and municipalities included in each of the areas above. It also includes a variety of measures to be taken in each of these areas; these are described in sections 6.4.2 to 6.4.4 below. The Decreto does not include any provisions for 'de-scheduling' the above areas; the inspectors met by the mission team reported that areas would only be proposed for descheduling if they were found free from the pest for at least three years.

13 Decreto no. 5704 also requires that all nurseries operating in Lombardy that import or sell host plants from Asian countries must notify the SFR of the arrival of the plants. These must be inspected by the SFR to ensure that they are free from the pest. The plants must also remain in quarantine for a minimum period of two years. The SFR staff met by the mission team reported that most of the imported host plants arrive via Genoa port and that they were notified by the SFR inspectors at point of entry, however, they had difficulty in controlling plants imported via other Member States.

The Lombardy SFR also stated that it has established a special programme, in cooperation with the airport police and customs at Malpensa airport, to check arriving passengers and their baggage for host plants.

The SFR has issued a wide range of technical literature and publicity relating to A. chinensis and the control measures. The mission team noted that there are additional posters in the quarantine areas to advise of the restrictions in place. The collection areas for felled trees were also well marked with 'dangerous pest' warning signs to deter theft of the wood.

6.4.1. Surveys

A survey is carried out according to the following priorities established in the annual plan:

– Highest priority: New outbreaks, and municipalities bordering the Parco del Ticino (a national park bordering Piedmont), Cardano al Campo, , Gallarate, , , and .

This survey is to ensure that the quarantine area has been correctly delimited and also that the pest has not spread to particularly vulnerable or sensitive areas. All plants in the quarantine area will be inspected as well as all host species in a radius of 500 m around the quarantine area. The survey in the other, named, areas is described in section 6.4.4 below.

– Medium priority: quarantine areas where trees had been destroyed as part of the control measures, i.e.: , , San Giorgio su , Saronno and .

In these areas, all public and private plants in the area immediately surrounding the destroyed trees are inspected, as well as all host plants within an additional 500 m radius. This is to ensure that the destruction of the infested trees has eradicated the pest and also that there has been no further introductions. – Lower priority: the municipalities at the centre of the original outbreaks, i.e: Legano, , Parabagio and San Vittore .

In all three cases, the survey is carried out starting at the periphery and working inwards. The public and private green areas in safety belt are normally inspected by Municipal authorities. The surveys are all based on visual symptoms e.g. holes in bark and the presence of saw- dust around roots. The Minoprio Foundation has also experimented with the use of aggregation type pheromones to enable trapping of adults, however so far, the results have not been promising.

14 In 2006, the surveys covered an area of 400 km2 and 60,200 plants of 21 species were inspected. The number of plants found to be infested during the surveys in 2004 – 2005 is summarised, by species, in table 5.4. below.

TABLE 5.4: NUMBER OF PLANTS, BY SPECIES, FOUND TO BE INFESTED BY A. CHINENSIS DURING THE SURVEYS 2004 – 2005 (SOURCE SFR LOMBARDY)

This table only relates infested trees identified during surveys; the total number of trees found to be infested during 2005 was 1,650.

In addition to this survey, the SFR has established 40 'spy-points' in the security belts (see section 6.4.4 below).

6.4.2. Control measures in Quarantine area

The mission team found that quarantine areas had been established following an occurence of the pest, in accordance with Decreto no. 5704; each consisted of the outbreak site and a minimum 1 km radius of the surrounding area.

General measures relating to the quarantine area

– Prohibition on planting the host plants listed in table 5.1 above.

– The sale of host plants listed in table 5.1. is prohibited until 31 December 2006.

– The movement of host plants, listed in table 5.1. outside of the quarantine area is prohibited.

– The planting of the less favoured host plants listed in table 5.2. above is not advised.

– A minimum of three insecticide treatments should be applied to all host plants, listed in table 5.1 above, in the municipalities of Parabiago, San Vitore Olona, Nerviano and Lagano. The first treatment should be applied at the beginning of

15 June – subsequent treatments should be carried out at 15 – 20 day intervals. The municipal authorities are responsible for ensuring that owners of private green areas are aware of the requirement to treat.

Measures relating to nurseries within the quarantine area

– All nurseries that cultivate or sell plants listed in table 5.1. must be inspected by the SFR.

– Four insecticide treatments must be applied to all plants listed in table 5.1. starting at the beginning of June and repeated every 15 – 20 days. These treatments must be recorded in a log-book.

Measures to control the insect within the quarantine area

– All infested plants must be destroyed, with limited possibility for derogation for exceptional plants. The destruction should preferably be carried out between October and May as there is less risk of spreading adults during this period.

– If the destruction is carried out privately, the SFR must be notified two days in advance of the destruction to ensure that it may be officially supervised.

– The roots must be either destroyed (using a stump-grinder), covered with a wire mesh (to prevent the spread of any adults that may emerge), or be drenched with herbicide to ensure that the roots are killed.

– If the infested plant is (exceptionally) not destroyed, a wire mesh must be attached to the trunk to a height of 1m, and the roots must also be covered with wire mesh, to a minimum radius of 2m from the tree.

– In all cases where wire mesh has been used, this must be inspected regularly by the SFR to ensure that it is not damaged.

– The movement of logs and plant debris from the quarantine area is restricted between May and the end of September. Any such material moved during this period must be transported either in sealed containers or be securely covered by a tarpaulin.

The landowner was responsible for carrying out the control measures (destruction and treatments) up to February 2006. Since this date, ERSAF has been responsible for carrying out all of the destruction of infested plants; the landowner is still responsible for the chemical treatments. In the case of public areas, the local authorities or park agencies are responsible for carrying out the pesticide treatments. In 2005, 80% of the trees destroyed were Acer (35%), Betula (20%), Carpinus (13%) and Corylus (9%).

The mission team observed the destruction of some heavily infested trees in a private garden in Parabiago. ERSAF carried out the whole process, including the felling of the trees, destruction of the roots and the removal of the timber.

In this case, the trees were taken to a specially designated and secured collection site – one of five established in the area. This site was capable of holding hundreds of felled trees, which are subsequently sold for use in a thermal generation plant. The mission team were informed that the revenue from this was sufficient to cover the costs of destroying the trees. 16 The SFR stated to the mission team that in 2005, a total of 1,650 plants had been identified as infested, although due to a lack of resources, it had not been possible to destroy all of these before May 2006. By the time of the mission, 1,025 had been destroyed. In addition the SFR stated that since the financial and human resources had not increased while the pest had spread, that this situation would be worse in the future.

Only two nurseries in Lombardy have experienced an occurrence of the pest during the last three years. Where the pest had been found the SFR stated that the infested plants were destroyed and that inspections were carried out to verify that the chemical treatments had been applied.

6.4.3. Control measures in Area focolaio (outbreak area)

In the majority of cases, the whole of the municipality surrounding a quarantine area is designated as an outbreak area. Occasional exceptions have been made where only a very low population of the pest was found. The Decreto requires that a detailed survey must be carried out in the whole of the outbreak area and a specific report be submitted by 30 October 2006.

6.4.4. Control measures in Fascia di sicurezza (safety belt)

The Decreto also requires that a safety belt with a minimum width of 2 km be established around the outbreak area. The communal administrations within the security zones are obliged to carry out inspections in public and private green areas.

In addition to the surveys detailed in section 6.4.1 above, the SFR had also established a network of 40 'spy-points' – vulnerable host-plants in municipalities bordering the security belt in the provinces of Milan and Varese. The density of points is 1 tree/km2 in areas bordering the Parco del Ticino national park and 1 tree/2 km2 in all other areas. A data sheet had been prepared for each point, which enables the tree to be accurately identified. Each point is checked The plants are photographed and their location mapped by GPS in order to ensure that the correct plant is always monitored.

6.4.5. Compensation and financial assistance

The Lombardy Region refunded 90% of expenses incurred for the destruction of infested plants up to February 2006, after which time, ERSAF has carried out the destruction without charge. According to the SFR the refund of 90% of expenses in 2004 amounted to €120,000.

There are no grants or assistance for replanting with non-host plants; the SFR informed the mission team that while the eradication campaign had generally been well supported, this issue was making it more difficult to get cooperation from the public, especially since the pest was now present in urban areas. The agency responsible for parks in Milan also stated to the mission team, that since the pest had now spread into private gardens, they were also experiencing similar problems.

6.5. Research and Development

The Lombardy SFR has funded an extensive programme of research on the biology and control of A. chinensis. Much of this research has been carried out by the Minoprio Foundation, the Institute of Entomology in Milan and the INRA Joint Biological Research Centre in Montpellier in France. In 2005-6, the SFR provided a further €120,000 for research projects. To date, the research projects have included studies on 17 the effectiveness of pre and post-infestation chemical control and the presence and potential of parasitoids. A researcher from the Minoprio Foundation informed the mission team that the trials for chemical control suggest that a single pre-infestation, or two post-infestation, trunk injection treatments may be effective in reducing the incidence of A. chinensis11. Observations in the area of Parabiago, where regular treatments against mosquitoes are applied, suggest that these treatments are also effective in reducing the adult populations and activity.

Research on new associations between Anoplophora spp. and local parasitoides in Italy12 has shown ten 'new associations' between European parasitoids and Anoplophora spp in the laboratory. So far, one egg parasitoid and 6 early stage parasitoides have been confirmed at 3 outbreak sites. Two larval parasitoids Spathius erythrocephalus and Trigonoderus princes were the most abundant and further evaluation of their potential to act as biological control agents for A. chinensis is planned. The research also revealed the presence of the egg parasitoid Aprostocetus anoplophorae; trials have shown that this is highly specific to A. chinensis. It is speculated that this parasitoid was introduced into Italy together with its host. The outcome of this research suggests that there may be potential for the biological control of A. chinensis.

7. CONCLUSIONS 7.1. National situation

There is a clear division of responsibilities between the Central and Regional Phytosanitary Services. Operational responsibilities have been delegated to the regional services, while the Central Phytosanitary Service acts as the Single Authority and is responsible for co-ordinating the work of the regional Services.

The responsibilities of the Single Authority are established in Article 1(4) of Directive 2000/29/EC. These include coordination and contact with the Commission in relation to matters covered by the Directive.

The presence of A. chinensis was not notified immediately to the Commission or other Member States as required by Article 16 (1) of Directive 2000/29/EC. In fact the official notification was not provided until 2005. The second paragraph of Article 16(1) requires that Member States shall also inform the Commission and the other Member States of the measures taken to eradicate or inhibit the spread of the pest. This was done at the same time as the official notification of the presence of the pest, in 2005.

Given the serious potential risk to other regions and Member States and the fact that the pest continues to spread, it should be appropriate to ensure that the Commission and other Member States are kept informed of the up-to-date situation and the measures that are being taken.

11 Jucker., C et al, Biological notes on Anoplophora chinensis and control techniques in Italy, Supplementary Abstract, VIIIth European Congress of Entomology, Izmir, Turkey, 17 – 22 September 2006. 12 Hérard, F., et al, New Associations between the Asian pests Anoplophora spp. and Local Parasitoids in Italy (2005). Proceedings of the United States Department of Agriculture inter-agency research forum on Gypsy moth and other invasive species, January 2006, Annapolis, MD, USA.

18 The regional phytosanitary service in Piedmont has carried out a specific survey for the presence of A. chinensis; the two other regional services visited have checked for symptoms during their routine activities. However, since A. chinensis may have been present in Lombardy since at least 1997, and that controls were only fully implemented there after a lengthy delay, in 2004, it may be appropriate to carry out a specific survey, at least in areas were host plants originating in Lombardy have been planted, to ensure that this pest has not already spread further.

There has been exchange of technical information between regions and all of the inspectors met by the mission team all appeared to be well trained and competent. However, details of customers who have purchased trees in nurseries situated in or near to quarantine areas had not been provided by the Lombardy SFR to other regions, which would assist them in carrying out trace-forward exercises and targeting of potentially high-risk areas.

Since A. chinensis only occurs in one region, no national legislation, contingency plans or funding have been adopted for this pest. The success or failure of the control of A. chinensis is therefore subject to the ability of one region (Lombardy) to take and fund appropriate measures. It was found that there was a lengthy delay in implementing control measures and that while these have slowed the rate of spread of A. chinensis, they have not succeeded in either eradicating or containing it. It was found that the current financial and other resources are impacting on the effectiveness of the control measures, especially with regards to the disposal of infested trees, despite the recovery of costs from the sale of the felled trees.

There does not appear to be a point beyond which, the State or other regions will assist in the controls, other than the pest actually spreading to an adjacent region. It may be reasonable to consider that if this does happen, the pest will then be present over such a wide area and in such numbers that containment or adequate control will no longer be possible, regardless of the financial or other resources that may be made available. In addition, such an approach means that the Single Authority, is not able to ensure that all necessary measures can and are being taken to eradicate or inhibit the spread of this pest as required by Article 16(1) of Directive 2000/29/EC.

7.2. Situation of A. chinensis in Lombardy

A. chinesis has definitely been present in the Lombardy region since 2000, although it may have been present much earlier. Since the initial findings, the pest has continued to spread and cause extensive damage, despite a comprehensive control programme.

The regional service did not notify the central service of the presence of A. chinensis until 2002, and did not implement control measures until 2004, after the adoption of regional legislation. Such a response is not in accordance with the requirements of Article 16(1) of Directive 2000/29/EC.

7.3. Control programme for A. chinensis in Lombardy

The regional phytosanitary service in Lombardy has established a comprehensive system of controls for A. chinensis. These are based on specific regional legislation. The Lombardy region has spent approximately €1 million since 2004 on control measures and research programmes for this pest. No financial assistance has been provided by the State.

19 The control programme is planned on a three-yearly and annual basis. The situation of A. chinesis appears to have exploded and it is not clear that the available financial resources, which are planned on a three-year basis, are flexible or adequate enough to cope with the evolving situation.

The regional service has issued an extensive range of technical and publicity information and has taken steps to ensure that the trade and the public are aware of this pest.

As a result of the presumed pathway for introduction, Lombardy has introduced regional legislation imposing inter alia a two-year quarantine period for host plants (e.g. bonsai) originating in Asian countries introduced into the region. These protective measures have not been notified to the Commission and other Member States as required by Article 16(2) of Directive 2000/29/EC.

7.4. Control measures for A. chinensis in Lombardy

Comprehensive control measures, based on regional legislation, have been taken following the discovery of an occurrence of this pest. These apply mainly to the quarantine area and are intended to eradicate the pest and to minimise the risk of spread on planting material. The eradication and containment campaign has generally been supported by the public, however this support was said to be weakening now that the pest has spread into urban areas and private gardens, due in part, to the lack of compensation, or replacement non- host trees. This lack of support is likely to have a significant impact on the ability of the SFR to implement the necessary control measures effectively. A detailed survey has been carried out, although this is mainly concentrated around the quarantine area and the edge of focus areas and as such could be regarded more of a delimiting survey, rather than a detection survey. The full extent of A. chinensis in the region may not be known.

7.5. Research and development

The regional service in Lombardy has established good and beneficial links with relevant institutes and experts. The region continues to fund a research programme focussing on the biology and control of A. chinensis. This research has assisted in the development of the current control strategy and also raises the prospect of biological control for this pest.

7.6. Overall conclusion

A. chinensis is present in Europe only in approximately 100km2 of the Lombardy region of Italy, where it has caused extensive damage. After a significant delay, the regional service has developed and implemented a comprehensive control programme and has taken measures intended to eradicate or contain the pest. These measures are based on regional legislation and funding. The control programme is being impeded by a lack of resources and in spite of the measures taken the pest continues to spread and has the potential to pose a significant risk to surrounding regions and other Member States.

20 8. CLOSING MEETING

A closing meeting was held with the Ministry of Agricultural and Forestry Policies in Rome on 19 October 2006, during which the main findings and preliminary conclusions of the mission were presented. The representatives of the Single Authority provisionally accepted these.

9. RECOMMENDATIONS

The Single Authority in Italy is recommended to take appropriate action to in order to ensure that:

(1) The current control strategy for A. chinensis, including funding, is reviewed in order to ensure that all necessary measures can and are being taken to eradicate or inhibit the spread of this pest as required by Article 16(1) of Directive 2000/29/EC.

(2) The Commission and other Member States are notified of the protective measures taken with regards host plants originating in Asian countries, in accordance with Article 16(2) of Directive 2000/29/EC.

(3) All necessary measures are always taken following the appearance of harmful organisms listed in Annex I, Part A, Section I or Annex II, Part A, Section I to eradicate, or if that is impossible, inhibit their spread, in accordance with Article 16(1) of Directive 2000/29/EC.

The Single Authority in Italy is advised to consider:

(4) The Commission and other Member States are kept regularly informed of the control measures taken to eradicate or inhibit the spread of A. chinensis and its up-to-date situation in Italy.

(5) Details of customers who have purchased host and potential host plants from nurseries situated in quarantine areas, are available to the Single Authority and other SFR to enable targeted inspections and surveys to be carried out.

(6) In light of the review recommended above, whether a national strategy, funding or contingency plans should be developed and implemented.

(7) Carrying out specific surveys in regions other than Lombardy, focussing on high-risk areas, in order to ensure that the pest has not spread outside of Lombardy.

The competent authorities are invited to provide, within 25 working days of receipt of the report, an action plan containing details of the actions taken and planned, including deadlines for their completion, to address the above recommendations.

10. SINGLE AUTHORITY RESPONSE TO RECOMMENDATIONS

When a response from the Single Authority is received it will be available at the following web address: http://ec.europa.eu/food/fvo/ap/ap_italy_8272_2006.pdf

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