New measures to help prevent the spread of tomato brown rugose fruit virus (ToBRFV) in the European Union will come into effect in September, following an amendment to regulation (EU) 2020/1191 published in the Official Journal of the European Union on 26 May.
The notice explains, ‘Tomato brown rugose fruit virus (ToBRFV) is not currently included in the EU quarantine pest list nor in the list of regulated non-quarantine pests contained in the Commission’s Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/2072. However, it meets the criteria set out in Regulation (EU) 2016/2031 for a preliminary assessment to identify pests, which are provisionally classified as EU quarantine pests requiring the application of temporary measures.’
It continues, ‘In order to ensure the most proactive approach to plant health protection, measures should be provided for situations in which any person within EU territory suspects or becomes aware of the presence of this pest, including its notification to the competent authority and the actions to be taken.
‘If the presence of the specified pest is officially confirmed in the territory of a Member State, the competent authority of said Member State should establish a demarcated area to ensure the eradication of the pest and the prevention of its spread to the rest of the Union’s territory.’
The regulation allows for different rules for the demarcation of the affected area when the presence of the specified pest is confirmed in physically protected production sites. ‘Member States should [also] carry out annual surveys to detect the presence of the specified pest in their territory.’
It also calls for the establishment of rules ‘for the movement within the Union of seeds of Solanum lycopersicum L. and its hybrids, as well as Capsicum spp., and plants for planting.’ However, varieties known to be resistant are exempt from these rules, although, ‘Member States must submit to the Commission and other Member States a list of these resistant varieties, which must be regularly updated.’