Update of the list of invasive alien species of Union concern (European Union)
The Regulation (EU) 1143/2014 on Invasive Alien Species entered into force on the 1st January 2015. At the core of the Regulation is a list of invasive alien species of Union concern. On the 14th July 2016, the European Commission published the Commission Implementing Regulation 2016/1141 which adopted a list of 37 invasive alien species of Union concern of which 14 species were invasive alien plants. In July 2017, a further 12 invasive alien species were added to the list, of which 8 were invasive plant species. In July 2019, an additional 17 invasive alien species were added to the list, of which 13 are invasive alien plants. In total, 35 invasive alien plants are included on the list of invasive alien species of Union concern. For each species on the list, Member States will need to implement the following measures: (1) prevention, (2) early detection and rapid eradication of new invasions, (3) management of populations that are already widely spread.
Table 1. Thirty-six invasive alien plants included in the List of Union (EU) concern. Species with an EPPO PRA are highlighted in bold. Distribution information for each species is included in the EPPO Global Database.
Species | Form | Addition to the List of Union concern | EPPO List |
Acacia saligna (Fabaceae) | Tree | 2019 | None |
Ailanthus altissima (Simaroubaceae) | Tree | 2019 | Invasive Alien Plants |
Alternanthera philoxeroides(Amaranthaceae) | Aquatic perennial herb | 2017 | A2 |
Andropogon virginicus (Poaceae) | Perennial grass | 2019 | A2 |
| Asclepias syriaca (Apocynaceae) | Perennial herb | 2017 | None |
Baccharis halimifolia(Asteraceae) | Deciduous shrub | 2016 | A2 |
Cabomba caroliniana (Cabombaceae) | Aquatic perennial herb | 2016 | Invasive Alien Plants |
Cardiospermum grandiflorum (Sapindaceae) | Annual or perennial vine-like climber | 2019 | A2 |
Cortaderia jubata (Poaceae) | Perennial grass | 2019 | A1 |
Ehrharta calycina (Poaceae) | Perennial grass | 2019 | A2 |
Eichhornia crassipes(Pontederiaceae) | Aquatic floating perennial herb | 2016 | A2 |
Elodea nuttallii (Hydrocharitaceae) | Aquatic perennial herb | 2017 | Invasive Alien Plants |
Gunnera tinctoria (Gunneraceae) | Perennial | 2017 | Invasive Alien Plants |
Gymnocoronis spilanthoides (Asteraceae) | Aquatic perennial herb | 2019 | A2 |
Heracleum mantegazzianum (Apiaceae) | Monocarpic perennial | 2017 | Invasive Alien Plants |
Heracleum persicum(Apiaceae) | Perennial herb | 2016 | A2 |
Heracleum sosnowskyi(Apiaceae) | Biennial/perennial herb | 2016 | A2 |
Humulus scandens (Cannabaceae) | Annual vine | 2019 | A2 |
Hydrocotyle ranunculoides(Apiaceae) | Perennial aquatic herb | 2016 | A2 |
Impatiens glandulifera (Balsaminaceae) | Annual herb | 2017 | Invasive Alien Plants |
Lagarosiphon major (Hydrocharitaceae) | Submerged aquatic | 2016 | Invasive Alien Plants |
Lespedeza cuneata (Fabaceae) | Perennial herbaceous legume | 2019 | A1 |
Ludwigia grandiflora (Onagraceae) | Emergent perennial aquatic | 2016 | A2 |
Ludwigia peploides(Onagraceae) | Emergent perennial aquatic | 2016 | A2 |
Lygodium japonicum (Lygodiaceae) | Perennial climbing fern | 2019 | A1 |
Lysichiton americanus (Araceae) | Perennial | 2016 | Observation |
Microstegium vimineum (Andropogonaeae) | Annual grass | 2017 | A2 |
Myriophyllum aquaticum (Haloragaceae) | Aquatic herb | 2016 | Invasive Alien Plants |
Myriophyllum heterophyllum (Haloragaceae) | Aquatic herb | 2017 | A2 |
Parthenium hysterophorus (Asteraceae) | Annual herb | 2016 | A2 |
Pennisetum setaceum (Poaceae) | Perennial grass | 2017 | Invasive Alien Plants |
Persicaria perfoliata (Polygonaceae) | Annual herbaceous vine | 2016 | A2 |
Prosopis juliflora (Fabaceae) | Perennial woody shrub/tree | 2019 | A2 |
Pueraria montana var. lobata (Fabaceae) | Deciduous vine | 2016 | A2 |
Salvinia molesta (Salviniaceae) | Perennial floating aquatic | 2019 | A2 |
Triadica sebifera (Euphorbiaceae) | Deciduous tree | 2019 | A1 |
Sources
European Commission website: http://ec.europa.eu/environment/nature/invasivealien/