The EU Regulation (1143/2014) on invasive alien (non-native) species background;
- On 14 July 2016 the European Commission published Commission Implementing Regulation 2016/1141 which sets out an initial list of 37 species to which EU Invasive Alien Species Regulation 1143/2014 will apply. There were further updates in 2017 and 2019, and the current list now contains 66 Species of Union Concern. The corresponding Northern Ireland legislation, The Invasive Alien Species (Enforcement and Permitting) Order (Northern Ireland) 2019 came into force on 1st December 2019.
- All of these species have been accepted as meeting agreed criteria concerning their invasiveness and ability to establish in several Member States.
- The aim of this new regime is to prevent or manage the introduction, or spread, of invasive non-native species across the European Union.
- In order to achieve this aim the EU Regulation requires Member States to put in place surveillance and rapid response mechanisms and to develop Management Measures, as per the Regulation.
- Listing imposes restrictions on the commercial keeping, sale, and transporting of the listed plants and animals, and their intentional breeding or release.
- A permit scheme will be in operation to allow derogations from some of these restrictions (other than their release) but only in very limited circumstances.
The 66 Species of Union Concern Listed are;
FAQs
- National Parks & Wildlife Service Ireland has produced their own FAQs
Other Information and resources;
- The Northern Ireland Explanatory Memorandum to the above legislation is provided for further guidance
- Link to Regulation (EU) 1143/2014 on Invasive Alien Species
- European and Mediterranean Plant Protection Organization (EPPO)
- North Europe and Baltic Network on Invasive Alien Species (NOBANIS)
