Here’s a breakdown of the Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2025/1949:
**1. Essence of the Act:**
This regulation amends existing regulations (EU) 2018/2019 and (EU) 2020/1213 to update phytosanitary (plant health) measures for certain Prunus species (like cherry, plum, apricot, peach) entering the EU from Ukraine and the United Kingdom. It removes certain Prunus plants from the list of high-risk plants, based on risk assessments conducted by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA). However, it also introduces specific measures to address potential pest risks associated with Prunus plants from the UK.
**2. Structure and Main Provisions:**
* **Amends Implementing Regulation (EU) 2018/2019:**
* Removes specific Prunus plants from Ukraine (hybrids of *Prunus cerasus* and *Prunus canescens*) and the UK (*Prunus armeniaca, Prunus cerasifera, Prunus domestica, Prunus incisa,* and *Prunus persica*) from the list of high-risk plants. This means these plants are no longer automatically considered a high phytosanitary risk to the EU.
* **Amends Implementing Regulation (EU) 2020/1213:**
* Expands the scope of this regulation to include *Prunus armeniaca, Prunus cerasifera, Prunus domestica, Prunus incisa,* and *Prunus persica* plants for planting originating in the United Kingdom. This subjects these plants to specific phytosanitary measures related to pests like *Colletotrichum aenigma* and *Eulecanium excrescens*.
* **Based on EFSA Opinions:** The regulation relies heavily on scientific opinions from EFSA regarding the risk assessments of these plants.
* **Specific Pests:** The regulation addresses concerns about specific pests, including *Bemisia tabaci*, *Candidatus Phytoplasma aurantifolia-related strains*, *Colletotrichum aenigma*, *Erwinia amylovora*, *Eulecanium excrescens,* and *Scirtothrips dorsalis*.
* **Entry into Force:** The regulation takes effect three days after its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union.
**3. Main Provisions Important for Use:**
* **** For Ukrainian exporters of *Prunus cerasus* and *Prunus canescens* hybrids, this regulation means that up to two-year-old, non-grafted, free of leaves plants for planting are no longer considered high-risk. However, they must still comply with the import requirements outlined in Annex VII to Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/2072.
* For UK exporters of *Prunus armeniaca, Prunus cerasifera, Prunus domestica, Prunus incisa,* and *Prunus persica*, this regulation removes these plants from the high-risk list. However, it also means that these plants are now subject to the phytosanitary measures outlined in Implementing Regulation (EU) 2020/1213, particularly concerning *Colletotrichum aenigma* and *Eulecanium excrescens*.
* The regulation highlights the importance of complying with Annex VII to Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/2072, which sets out specific import requirements for plants.
* The regulation underscores that further pest risk assessments are needed for *Colletotrichum aenigma* and *Eulecanium excrescens* to determine if they should be added to the list of Union quarantine pests. This could lead to further changes in phytosanitary requirements in the future.
