Bactrocera dorsalis (oriental fruit fly)

Subject: Bactrocera dorsalis (oriental fruit fly)

The oriental fruit fly Bactroera dorsalis — a species considered to be devastating for crops — was detected in the region of Campania, a first in Europe and the Mediterranean basin. This pest has no effect on human health but is highly invasive and can attack a large number of high-value fruit and horticultural crops, and its discovery could jeopardise the internal market and Italian fruit exports to international markets.

In view of the above, can the Commission, within the bounds of its powers, say:

1) What information it has on the matter?

2) If it intends to support further investigations into the possible risks resulting from the spread of this pest, which could also adapt to our environment, characterised as it is by a typically Mediterranean climate?

3) What steps it intends to take to tackle and stem the spread of this harmful species of insect that could pose serious problems for crops and exports?

Answer given by Mr Andriukaitis on behalf of the European Commission (7 March 2019)

The Commission was notified by the Italian authorities about an outbreak of Bactrocera dorsalis through the EUROPHYT system on 2 November 2018. The notification was updated on 11 January 2019 with further information, and the matter was discussed at the Standing Committee on Plants, Animals, Food and Feed. The Commission carried out a fact-finding mission from 14 to 18 January 2019, where the facts reported by the Italian authorities in the notification were reviewed.

Research concerning the potential spread, impact and control of Bactroera dorsalis is ongoing in non-EU Countries where the pest currently occurs. The climatic requirements of the pest are known, and although the climate in the EU is not optimal for its development, following a scientific pest risk analysis of the European Plant Protection Organisation (EPPO) it cannot be excluded that it might be able to establish in some parts of the EU territory (1).

The Italian authorities informed the Commission that they consider the presence of the fly as ‘transient’ and ‘under eradication’. The Commission will closely follow the ongoing monitoring proposed by the Italian authorities, to check whether the recent outbreak in Campania has been eradicated or not. Measures at national and/or EU level will be taken, if appropriate, based on the results of this monitoring.

⋅1∙ https://pra.eppo.int/getfile/e305d81c-e170-4685-8f70-eea5488d404f | | ( | | )