Chapter IV, Article 9 · Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2025/2520

Contents

Article 9Eradication measures#

1.In order to eradicate the specified pest, the competent authorities shall take the following measures in the infested zones:

(a)the immediate felling of infested plants and plants with symptoms caused by the specified pest, and the complete removal of their roots if larval galleries are observed below the root collar of the infested plant;

(b)the felling of all specified plants within a radius of at least 100 m around infested plants and the examination of those specified plants for any sign of infestation;

(c)removal, examination and safe disposal of plants felled in accordance with points (a) and (b), taking all necessary precautions to avoid spreading of the specified pest during and after felling;

(d)removal, examination and safe disposal of the wood and wood packaging material associated with the infestation, taking all necessary precautions to avoid spreading of the specified pest during and after felling;

(e)prohibition of any movement of potentially infested plants, wood and wood packaging material out of the demarcated area;

(f)investigation of the origin of the infestation by tracing back the plants, wood, wood packaging material and other objects associated with the infestation, and examination thereof for any sign of infestation, including targeted destructive sampling;

(g)replacement of specified plants by other non-susceptible plant species, where appropriate;

(h)prohibition of presence of new specified plants in the open air in the area referred to in point (b), except for:

—places of production referred to in Annex VIII, p. 17.4, to Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/2072, and

—sentinel plants;

(i)raising public awareness of the threat of the specified pest and the measures adopted to prevent its introduction into and spread within the Union territory, including the conditions regarding movement of specified plants, specified wood and wood packaging material from the demarcated area;

(j)specific measures to address any particularity or complication that could reasonably be expected to prevent, hinder or delay eradication, in particular those related to the accessibility and adequate eradication of all plants that are infested or suspected of infestation, irrespective of their location, public or private ownership or the person or entity responsible for them;

(k)any other measure which may contribute to the eradication of the specified pest, in accordance with ISPM No 9^note and applying a systems approach in accordance with the principles set out in ISPM No 14^note.

In the cases of point (a), where it is not possible to remove deeply seated stumps and surface roots, they shall be ground to at least 40 cm below surface level, or covered by insect-proof material. Where the infested plants were found outside the flying period of the specified pest, the felling and removal shall be carried out before the start of the next flying period.

2.The annual official surveys within a width of at least 1 km around the places of production referred to in Annex VIII, p. 17.4, to Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/2072 shall be based on the Authority’s General guidelines for statistically sound and risk-based surveys of plant pests, and the survey design and sampling scheme used shall be able to identify, with at least 99 % confidence level, a level of presence of infested plants of 1 %.

3.In case of movement of specified wood and wood packaging material outside of the demarcated area and if no treatment or processing facilities are available within the demarcated area, the specified wood or wood packaging material shall be moved, under official control, and under closed conditions in such a manner to ensure that the specified pest cannot spread, to the nearest facility outside the demarcated area to ensure immediate treatment or processing in accordance with points 33-35 of Annex VIII to Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/2072.The competent authority shall carry out annual surveys at appropriate times for the presence of the specified pest through inspections on specified plants within at least a width of 1 km of that treatment or processing facility.

4.By way of derogation from paragraph 1, first subparagraph, point (b), where a competent authority concludes that felling is inappropriate for a limited number of individual plants, due to their particular social, cultural or environmental value, those individual plants shall be subject to a monthly individual examination for any sign of infestation and measures alternative to felling ensuring a high level of protection shall be taken to prevent any possible spread of the specified pest from those plants.