EPPO’s mission, goals and strategy
Period 2006-2009

EPPO member countries were presented with a fuller version of this document (doc. 06-12872) at Council session in September 2006. 1. EPPO’s mission EPPO promotes the exchange and synthesis of information and facilitates collaboration in support of the role of National Plant Protection Organizations (NPPOs) concerning: technical justification of phytosanitary measures sustainable and effective plant protection practices scientifically-based harmonization of methods and procedures

EPPO does this by:

• providing relevant information (topical, in-depth and science-based, including in the form of databases for reference)
• organizing platforms, seminars and specific workshops for members to discuss key concerns and to explore possibilities of collaborating
• developing guidance based on input of experts collaborating in panel and working group meetings
• developing recommendations to alert members of phytosanitary risks and to encourage action, if needed
• developing recommendations for good plant protection practices
• developing and supporting implementation of standards (such as diagnostic protocols, phytosanitary procedures, efficacy evaluation, International Standards on Phytosanitary Measures - ISPMs)
• guarding the scientific quality and status of EPPO output by means of a scientific staff and meticulous approval procedures
• producing pest risk assessments and relevant options for the management of pests
• interacting with the IPPC, RPPOs and other relevant international organizations to explain and seek support for the views of the EPPO region.

The main outputs of the EPPO organization are: regional standards and guidelines, recommendations, and scientifically justified and topical documentation services.

Output is provided for the following target groups:

• NPPOs in Member Countries and organizations working under their authority  involved in assuring plant protection, including the preservation of biodiversity,
• official organizations in Member Countries responsible for the evaluation and authorization of plant protection products,
• other national organizations in Member Countries responsible for areas of the work of EPPO (in particular in regard to Invasive Alien Species - IAS),
• other international organizations (such as the European Crop Protection Association - ECPA, Bern Convention) and users of EPPO information so that they can benefit from the output from EPPO.

Member Countries face needs for which international exchange and collaboration within EPPO is important such as:

• justifying inspection and diagnostic results and the need to justify phytosanitary measures, in the event that the NPPO is challenged
• following a justifiable risk approach taking into consideration increasing trade flows of plants and plant products on the one hand and limited resources on the other
• exploring international collaboration in order to sustain an adequate basis of diagnostic expertise
• maintaining an effective set of plant protection products which are used in a sustainable way, including in the case of minor uses
• analyzing risks of developing resistance in plant protection products and develop a strategy in those cases where resistance becomes problematic
• providing scientific support for sustainable use of plant protection products and place this use within a context of Good Plant Protection Practice and taking the possible environmental impact into consideration
• assuring plant health while streamlining their administrative organization
• being able to implement national policy in regard to Invasive Alien Species.

2. Important developments for EPPO

The world around EPPO…
Although not an exhaustive list, the following developments in the plant health sector are relevant for EPPO priorities and ways of communication:

• information technology is becoming increasingly important in obtaining and exchanging information
• legal considerations are gaining importance; NPPOs are often challenged, nationally or internationally, when they take measures. Their abilities to justify measures using sound science is indispensable
• the scope of tasks for NPPOs is widening; they now need to address the environmental impacts of plant protection products or of invasive alien species
• most plant health authorities are facing budgetary restraints, while the burden of their work is growing due to increasing trade in plants and plant products. This is leading plant health authorities to explore new ways of inspection. Moreover, analysis of risks is increasingly important in order to focus on critical points in production and trade.

Experts, a key factor… EPPO depends on the input of national experts for the delivery of output. This output is presently mainly prepared in panels. A reasonable number of experts, coming from different parts of the EPPO region, is important to sustain the quality and relevance of this output. Results should be delivered promptly in order to be relevant for the urgencies of today. The continuing availability and commitment of experts is therefore a key factor for EPPO’s future. Budgetary constraints or organizational changes within NPPOs are reasons for the reduced availability of experts, although they (and their NPPOs) clearly benefit from their participation in panels.

3. Objectives and strategy for EPPO

New tasks

1. EPPO will take a lead in the region in its support of members by using its risk-based approach in justifying phytosanitary management and regulation.
             
2. EPPO will expand its role in addressing diagnostic needs by supporting diagnostic laboratories, leading to the introduction of quality assurance systems and/or accreditation.
           
3. EPPO will support members in their need to sustain a diagnostic basis to support the plant health responsibilities of NPPOs, by developing and maintaining a database of diagnostic abilities in the member countries.

Existing output to increase

4. EPPO will assist members in the prevention of introduction, establishment and spread of Invasive Alien Plants by providing documentation, recommending action and providing guidance on measures. The increase is already taking shape with the appointment in 2005 of a scientific staff officer dealing with Invasive Alien Species of plants.

5. EPPO will provide guidance on eradication and containment (elaborate official controls for major quarantine pests). EPPO will accelerate and prioritize work on the Standard series PM 9 'National regulatory control systems' and develop guidance for contingency planning.
Work on harmonized phytosanitary procedures will continue.

6. EPPO will increase its role regarding mutual recognition and minor uses. It will address the technical questions and harmonize classification of uses. In particular EPPO will start harmonization work on schemes for crop safety and efficacy extrapolation and identify new possible extrapolations. EPPO will explore ongoing activities and gaps regarding extrapolation for residues.
EPPO will continue and expand work on analyzing risks of resistance in Plant Protection Products.

7. EPPO will help members with implementation of International Standards for Phytosanitary Measures (ISPM) by organizing practical workshops for NPPO heads, based on reported implementation difficulties.

Existing output to be consolidated

8. EPPO is providing selected, reviewed or validated documentation on pests to members, supporting them in assuring plant health. EPPO recommends actions based on Pest Risk Analysis (PRAs) for new phytosanitary risks.

9. EPPO is developing criteria for efficacy evaluations of Plant Protection Products.

10. EPPO is assisting members in establishing collective views on issues discussed at a global level in relation to the IPPC and to the SPS agreement.

These 10 described goals require the following Panels: efficacy evaluation of fungicides and insecticides efficacy evaluation of herbicides and plant growth regulators resistance risk assessment general standards for plant protection products phytosanitary measures phytosanitary procedures pest risk analysis invasive alien species diagnostic protocols technical requirements for diagnostic laboratories Commission for Phytosanitary Measures affairs bacterial diseases quarantine nematodes

and the following one-off meetings:

1. pest risk analysis for specific priority pests
2. official control and contingency plan of some important pests
3. phytosanitary procedures for specific commodities
4. guidance on proficiency testing
5. specific elements regarding mutual recognition and minor uses

Existing output to be put on hold

Some ongoing panels are not covered by the above mentioned goals. They should finish ongoing work and become dormant. If needs arise or if revision of existing standards is necessary they can be re-activated.

General changes…

Fewer panels, more one-off meetings…
Most EPPO output is developed within panels. This way of working is under pressure. This might affect on the long term the quality and the timely delivery of the output. The Secretariat proposes to gradually change the working structure.
More of the requested EPPO output will be prepared in one-off meetings. The experts in these meetings will be selected by the Secretariat. For expert groups performing PRA on a specific pest, costs for travelling and accommodation may be paid by the Organization.
It is proposed to deliver gradually more work by one-off meetings from 2008. These working groups may function under a relevant panel. In this case the panel draws up the specifications for the required output and evaluates the quality and consistency of the output. The Working Party guides work done in one-off meetings and evaluates and recommends draft standards for adoption.
This gradual change will help the organization to sustain the status and quality of the output, the timely delivery of this output and give more flexibility to address upcoming needs.

Contracting work…
Until now the organization has limited experience of contracted work. EPPO’s capacity to do contract work on request is limited but it is important to be able to do contract PRA work in particular. The demand for PRA analyses is expected to grow. The Secretariat proposes to develop a fee, calculated on a cost-recovery basis, which could be used for contracting work.