Developing innovative phytosanitary treatments for regulated plant pests to support safe international trade

Expected Outcome:

Project results are expected to contribute to all of the following expected outcomes:

• innovative cost-effective environmental-friendly phytosanitary treatments for regulated plant pests with proven efficacy and practical applicability are developed and tested;
• science-based guidelines and standardised protocols to support the consistent and efficient application of the developed treatments are available;
• enhanced capacity for implementation, including scalability and cost-effectiveness of treatment solutions and engagement of industry and trade actors, regulatory authorities, and third parties involved in testing and application.

Scope:

Effective plant health measures play a vital role in protecting agriculture and supporting global food security, safeguarding the environment, forests, and biodiversity, and enabling safe international trade. Among these measures, (post-harvest) phytosanitary treatments ^[1] — such as vapour, heat, cold, irradiation, and controlled atmosphere — are critical tools to prevent the introduction and spread of regulated plant pests^[2] through imported goods.

However, the current range of available phytosanitary treatments remains limited. In many cases, existing methods lack proven efficacy against specific pests, or scientifically sound protocols are unavailable. Moreover, practical challenges related to the implementation, scalability, potential health and environmental impact of these treatments often hinder their widespread adoption.

This action aims to stimulate innovation in phytosanitary (post-harvest) treatment solutions^[3] to be used in trade.

Proposals should:

• develop innovative, cost-effective (post-harvest) phytosanitary treatment(s) to prevent the introduction of pests through imports, with a specific focus on EU quarantine pests^[4];
• test and validate the proposed treatment(s) considering economic, technical, human health and environmental dimensions;
• asses the cost-effectiveness, feasibility, scalability and practical applicability of the proposed treatment(s) under operational conditions;
• evaluate efficacy and specificity of the treatment(s), establishing scientifically sound and user-friendly protocols and operational guidelines to ensure consistent application, safety and regulatory compliance.

Proposals should either address Area A: treatment(s) applicable to wood and wood products or Area B: post-harvest treatment(s) for fruits and vegetables. The area (A or B) should be clearly indicated on the application.

Proposals may provide financial support to third parties (FSTP) to, for instance, test and demonstrate the innovative treatments solutions in diverse contexts involving SMEs.

The projects under this topic are relevant to the EU policies related to the common agricultural policy, align with the Vision for Agriculture and Food, and support Regulation (EU) 2016/2031 on protective measures against pests of plants.

[1] Treatment (as phytosanitary measures) is the official procedure for killing, inactivating, removing, rendering infertile or devitalizing regulated pest. IPPC Secretariat. 2024. Glossary of phytosanitary terms. International Standard for Phytosanitary Measures No. 5. Rome. FAO on behalf of the Secretariat of the International Plant Protection Convention

[2] A pest is defined here as any species, strain or biotype of plant, animal or pathogenic agent injurious to plants or plant products (EU Regulation 2016/2031)

[3] See ISPM 28. 2007. Phytosanitary treatments for regulated pests. Rome, IPPC, FAO

[4] EU Regulation 2016/2031 https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/reg/2016/2031/oj