Antigoni Akrivou

Plant diseases caused by fungi remain a major challenge for global agriculture, undermining both food security and ecosystem resilience. The increasing concern about the use of chemical pesticides, the onset of resistance, and environmental pollution are accelerating the search for effective and more sustainable plant protection alternatives. In this context, basic substances have emerged as prominent solutions for integrated pest management because they are naturally derived and have consistently been shown to present a low risk to human health and the environment. In the meantime, advances in green nanotechnology are enhancing their functional potential through improved stability, bioavailability, and targeted delivery. By reducing application rates and decreasing residues, environmentally friendly nanoformulations, which may be produced using biopolymers, plant extracts, or mineral precursors, would have greater durability. These innovations are in line with the Farm to Fork Strategy under the European Green Deal and the United Nations’ 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, enabling the transition to more sustainable food systems. Addressing challenges related to safety evaluations of nanoformulations and production scalability will contribute to public acceptance. This review synthesizes current scientific advances in the formulation and application of natural compound-based nanoformulations alongside evolving policy frameworks and identifies pathways to integrate harmonized risk-assessment approaches into future governance. It aims to promote the adoption of nano-based natural substances as key elements of next-generation sustainable crop protection strategies.

The European Commission requested the EFSA Panel on Plant Health to prepare and deliver risk assessments for commodities listed in Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2018/2019 as ‘High risk plants, plant products and other objects’. This Scientific Opinion covers plant health risks posed by rooted plants in pots of Hamamelis mollis imported from the United Kingdom (UK). The assessment was performed considering the available scientific information, including the technical information provided by the UK. All pests associated with the commodities were evaluated against specific criteria. Two EU regulated pests (Phytophthora ramorum non‐EU isolates and Scirtothrips dorsalis), present in the UK and potentially associated with the commodity, were considered as relevant for this Opinion. No pests non‐regulated in the EU were identified to be selected for further evaluation.

The European Commission requested the EFSA Panel on Plant Health to evaluate the likelihood of pest freedom at entry in the EU, including both regulated and non‐regulated pests, potentially associated with unrooted cuttings of the genera Petunia and Calibrachoa produced under physical isolation in Uganda. The relevance of any pest for this opinion was based on evidence collected according to specific criteria, following the methodology used for high‐risk plants adapted for the specificity of this assessment. Twelve EU‐regulated pests [Bemisia tabaci (non‐European populations), cowpea mild mottle virus (CpMMV, Carlavirus vignae), potato leaf roll virus (PLRV, Polerovirus PLRV), potato spindle tuber viroid (PSTVd, Pospiviroid fusituberis), potato virus S (PVS, Carlavirus sigmasolani, non‐EU isolates), potato virus × (PVX, Potexvirus ecspotati, non‐EU isolates), Ralstonia solanacearum, Ralstonia pseudosolanacearum, Scirtothrips dorsalis, tomato leaf curl Uganda virus (ToLCUV), tomato spotted wilt virus (TSWV, Orthotospovirus tomatomaculae) and tomato yellow leaf curl virus (TYLCV, Begomovirus coheni)] and one non‐regulated pest (Nipaecoccus viridis) were selected for further evaluation. For the selected pests, the risk mitigation measures implemented in Uganda and described in the technical dossier were evaluated taking into account the factors reducing their efficacy. For these pests, an expert judgement is given on the likelihood of pest freedom taking into consideration the risk mitigation measures acting on the pest. The degree of pest freedom varies between the pests evaluated, with the contact‐transmitted viroid and virus [potato spindle tuber viroid (PSTVd, P. fusituberis) and potato virus × (PVX, P. ecspotati, non‐EU isolates)] being the pests most frequently expected on Petunia and Calibrachoa spp. imported unrooted cuttings. Expert knowledge elicitation indicated, with 95% certainty, that between 9916 and 10,000 per 10,000 Petunia and Calibrachoa spp. unrooted cuttings would be free from these pests.

The European Commission requested the EFSA Panel on Plant Health to prepare and deliver risk assessments for commodities listed in Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2018/2019 as ‘High risk plants, plant products and other objects’. This Scientific Opinion covers plant health risks posed by (a) rooted plants in pots and (b) bare root plants and whips of Lonicera ligustrina var. pileata, L. ligustrina var. yunnanensis and Lonicera periclymenum from the United Kingdom (UK). The assessment was performed considering the available scientific information, including the technical information provided by the UK. All pests potentially associated with the commodities were evaluated against specific criteria. Five EU‐quarantine pests [honeysuckle yellow vein virus (HYVV, Begomovirus macrotylomae), Bemisia tabaci, Meloidogyne fallax, Phytophthora ramorum and Scirtothrips dorsalis], present in the UK and which could be associated with the commodity, were considered relevant for this Opinion. No pests non‐regulated in the EU were identified to be selected for further evaluation.

The EFSA Panel on Plant Health performed a pest categorisation of Coccus viridis (Hemiptera: Coccidae), the green coffee scale, for the territory of the European Union (EU), following the commodity risk assessment of Jasminum polyanthum from Uganda, in which C. viridis was identified as a pest of possible concern to the EU. Coccus viridis is distributed in tropical and subtropical areas of the Americas, Africa, Asia and Oceania. In the EU, C. viridis occurs on the Azores and Madeira Islands (Portugal). It is a polyphagous pest, feeding on plant species belonging to more than 200 genera from 72 plant families, primarily on coffee (Coffea arabica), guava (Psidium guajava) and cacao (Theobroma cacao) plants. Hosts that are grown in the EU include Apium graveolens, Citrus spp., Eriobotrya japonica, Eucalyptus camaldulensis, Mangifera indica, Pyrus communis and some ornamental plants. Plants for planting, fruits, vegetables and cut flowers provide potential pathways for entry into the EU. Climatic conditions and availability of host plants in southern and central EU countries would allow this species to establish and spread. However, since little is known about the pest‐specific temperature requirements, and considering its tropical and subtropical origin, there is uncertainty about its ability to establish outdoors in central EU. Nevertheless, establishment could occur in greenhouses and on indoor plantings in such areas. Introduction and spread of C. viridis would likely have an economic impact in the EU, but there is uncertainty on the magnitude. This insect is not listed in Annex II of Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/2072. Phytosanitary measures are available to reduce the likelihood of entry and further spread. While the magnitude of impact in the EU is associated with uncertainty, all criteria assessed by EFSA for consideration as a potential quarantine pest are met.

The European Commission requested the EFSA Panel on Plant Health to prepare and deliver risk assessments for commodities listed in Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2018/2019 as ‘high risk plants, plant products and other objects’. Taking into account the available scientific information, including the technical information provided by the applicant country, this Scientific Opinion covers the plant health risks posed by the following commodities: Berberis thunbergii, bare root plants (up to 3 years old), whips (up to 2 years old) and rooted plants in pots (up to 4 years old) imported into the EU from the UK. A list of pests potentially associated with the commodities was compiled. The relevance of each pest was assessed based on evidence following defined criteria. One EU quarantine pest (Phytophthora ramorum (non‐EU isolates)), one protected zone quarantine pest (Bemisia tabaci (European populations)) and one non‐quarantine pest (Phytophthora kernoviae) were selected for further evaluation. For the selected pests, the risk mitigation measures implemented in the UK and specified in the technical dossier were evaluated taking into account the factors reducing their efficacy. For these pests, an expert judgement is given on the likelihood of pest freedom taking into consideration the risk mitigation measures acting on the pest, including uncertainties associated with the assessment. The degree of pest freedom varies between the pests evaluated, with P. ramorum being the pest most frequently expected on the evaluated imported commodities. Expert Knowledge Elicitation indicated, with 95% certainty, that between 9975 and 10,000 per 10,000 B. thunbergii rooted plants in pots would be free from P. ramorum.

The European Commission requested the EFSA Panel on Plant Health to prepare and deliver risk assessments for commodities listed in Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2018/2019 as ‘high risk plants, plant products and other objects’. This Scientific Opinion covers the plant health risks posed by the following commodities: Alnus cordata and A. glutinosa as specimen trees (from 7 to 25 years old) in pots imported into the EU from the UK. A list of pests potentially associated with the commodities was compiled. The relevance of each pest was assessed based on evidence following defined criteria. Three pests were selected for further evaluation: one EU‐protected zone quarantine pest (Entoleuca mammata), one EU quarantine pest (Phytophthora ramorum (non‐EU isolates)) and one non‐quarantine pest (Phytophthora siskiyouensis). For the selected pests, the risk mitigation measures implemented in the UK and specified in the technical dossier were evaluated. For these pests, an expert judgement is given on the likelihood of pest freedom taking into consideration the risk mitigation measures acting on the pest, including uncertainties associated with the assessment. In the assessment of risk, the age of the plants was considered, as larger trees are more likely to be infested mainly due to longer time grown in the field. In addition, large canopies and root systems are more difficult to inspect, thereby making the detection of pests more challenging on large trees. The degree of pest freedom varies between the pests evaluated, with E. mammata being the pest most frequently expected on imported Alnus spp. specimen trees. Expert Knowledge Elicitation indicated, with 95% certainty, that between 9905 and 10,000 per 10,000 Alnus spp. specimen trees would be free from E. mammata.

The European Commission requested the EFSA Panel on Plant Health to prepare and deliver risk assessments for commodities listed in Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2018/2019 as ‘high‐risk plants, plant products and other objects’. Taking into account the available scientific information, including the technical information provided by the applicant country, this Scientific Opinion covers the plant health risks posed by the following commodities: Alnus cordata, A. glutinosa and A. incana graftwood, bare‐root plants and rooted plants in pots up to 7 years old imported into the EU from the UK. A list of pests potentially associated with the commodities was compiled. The relevance of each pest was assessed based on evidence following defined criteria. Two EU‐quarantine pests (Entoleuca mammata, Phytophthora ramorum (non‐EU isolates)) and one non‐quarantine pest (Phytophthora siskiyouensis) were selected for further evaluation. For the selected pests, the risk mitigation measures implemented in the UK and specified in the technical dossier were evaluated taking into account the factors reducing their efficacy. For these pests, an expert judgement is given on the likelihood of pest freedom taking into consideration the risk mitigation measures acting on the pest, including uncertainties associated with the assessment. The degree of pest freedom varies between the pests evaluated, with E. mammata being the pest most frequently expected on imported Alnus spp. small trees. Expert knowledge elicitation indicated, with 95% certainty, that between 9927 and 10,000 per 10,000 Alnus spp. small trees (bare‐root plants or rooted plants in pots up to 7 years old) would be free from E. mammata.

The European Commission requested the EFSA Panel on Plant Health to evaluate the probability of entry of pests (likelihood of pest freedom at entry), including both regulated and non‐regulated pests, associated with unrooted cuttings of the genera Petunia and Calibrachoa produced under physical isolation in Costa Rica. The relevance of any pest for this opinion was based on evidence collected according to specific criteria, following the methodology used for high‐risk plants adapted for the specificity of this assessment. Twenty‐two EU regulated pests (beet curly top virus, Bemisia tabaci, Chloridea virescens, Eotetranychus lewisi, Epitrix cucumeris, Epitrix tuberis, euphorbia mosaic virus, Helicoverpa zea, Liriomyza huidobrensis, Liriomyza sativae, Liriomyza trifolii, pepper golden mosaic virus, potato spindle tuber viroid, Ralstonia pseudosolanacearum, Ralstonia solanacearum, Spodoptera ornithogalli, squash leaf curl virus, Thrips palmi, tomato golden mosaic virus, tomato leaf curl Sinaloa virus, tomato spotted wilt virus, tomato yellow leaf curl virus) and one pest that is not regulated in the EU (Aleurodicus dispersus) fulfilled all relevant criteria and were selected for further evaluation. For these pests, the risk mitigation measures proposed in the technical dossier from Costa Rica were evaluated taking into account possible factors limiting their efficacies. Additionally, an expert judgement is given on the likelihood of pest freedom taking into consideration the risk mitigation measures acting on the pest, including uncertainties associated with the assessment. The estimated degree of pest freedom varies among the pests evaluated, with tomato spotted wilt virus being the pest most frequently expected on the imported cuttings. The expert knowledge elicitation indicated, with 95% certainty that between 9927 and 10,000 bags containing unrooted cuttings of Petunia spp. and Calibrachoa spp. per 10,000 would be free of tomato spotted wilt virus.

The European Commission requested the EFSA Panel on Plant Health to prepare and deliver risk assessments for commodities listed in Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2018/2019 as ‘high risk plants, plant products and other objects’. Taking into account the available scientific information, including the technical information provided by the applicant country, this Scientific Opinion covers the plant health risks posed by the following commodities: Sorbus aucuparia bare‐root plants and rooted plants in pots up to 7 years old and specimen trees in pots up to 15 years old imported into the EU from the UK. A list of pests potentially associated with the commodities was compiled. The relevance of any pest was assessed based on evidence following defined criteria. Three EU quarantine pests (Entoleuca mammata and Phytophthora ramorum (non‐EU isolates), Erwinia amylovora), were selected for further evaluation. For two of the selected pests (E. mammata and P. ramorum), the risk mitigation measures implemented in the UK and specified in the technical dossier were evaluated taking into account the possible limiting factors. For these pests, an expert judgement is given on the likelihood of pest freedom taking into consideration the risk mitigation measures acting on the pest, including uncertainties associated with the assessment. The degree of pest freedom varies between the pests evaluated, with P. ramorum being the pest most frequently expected on the imported S. aucuparia plants. The Expert Knowledge Elicitation indicated, with 95% certainty, that between 9812 and 10,000 bare‐root S. aucuparia plants per 10,000 will be free from P. ramorum.