Niveau juridique : Union européenne
Texte de la question :
« Plant pathology is a major factor in plant production. By enabling an understanding and correct diagnosis of plant pathogens, it provides an essential platform from which to assess and implement strategies for combating plant diseases. Sometimes farmers are unable to establish what precise type of plant disease or pest infestation they are facing, as they are not plant pathologists.
Some diseases resemble each other very closely and require in-depth laboratory analysis. One such problematic disease is black wheat stem rust, against which all fungicides are ineffective.
The farming industry needs quarantine laboratories which can promptly forecast and issue warnings for these diseases by detecting and diagnosing harmful organisms in good time.
What instruments does the Commission have at its disposal to resolve the plant disease issues that farmers encounter? »
Texte de la réponse :
« Answer given by Mr Andriukaitis on behalf of the Commission
In order to improve the reliability and the effectiveness of plant diagnostic tools, the Commission already grants research projects and foresees to fund research under the EU Framework Programme for Research and Innovation Horizon 2020, aimed at developing, validating and disseminating plant diagnosis protocols(1).
Furthermore, the Commission is in the process of establishing European Union Reference Laboratories (EURLs) for plant health in accordance with the provisions laid down in Article 92 of the new Regulation (EU) 2017/625 on official controls(2).
These EURLs shall, among others, contribute to the improvement and harmonisation of methods of analysis, test or diagnosis to be used by official laboratories and of the analytical, testing and diagnostic data generated by them.
(1) SFS-13-2017 in the Horizon 2020 Societal Challenge 2 work programme 2016-2017 ec.europa.eu/research/participants/data/ref/h2020/wp/2016_2017/main/h2020-wp1617-food_en.pdf
(2) OJ L 95, 7.4.2017, p. 1‐142. »
Question disponible ici