Supporting plant health policies

European agriculture, horticulture, forestry and the general environment face increasing threats from regulated and quarantine plant pests. The Community Plant Health Regime (CPHR) has been tasked with preventing the introduction and spread of these pests.

In order to better coordinate research activities in support of the CPHR, the 'European phytosanitary research coordination II' (EUPHRESCO) project was established with Seventh Framework Programme (FP7) funding. It built on the foundations laid by the FP6 project of the same name.

Specifically, these projects set out to consolidate national, transnational and EU funding for plant health research. This project also aimed to coordinate collaborative studies that support capacity development, as well as policies and operations related to plant health.

Through a newly developed online tool (on the project's web page), partners, observers and advisors suggested research topics. Potential funders could then prioritise topics using the same tool.

A number of workshops were held to explore plant health issues in the Baltic Sea, Nordic countries, the Balkan region and Eastern Europe. The workshops also covered forestry-specific threats and ways to improve trade of plant materials.

EUPHRESCO's approach is a proven model for creating a long-lasting, sustainable network that keeps key funders, stakeholders and end users of research in dialogue. This network also fosters cooperation between countries with similar climates, plant species and challenges, thus enhancing the European Research Area (ERA) in support of the CPHR.