(1)

Pursuant to Article 6(2) of Regulation (EU) 2016/2031 the Commission is empowered to establish a list of priority pests.

(2)

Priority pests are Union quarantine pests, which fulfil all of the following conditions: firstly, they are not known to be present in the Union territory or are known to be present either in a limited part of that territory or for scarce, irregular, isolated and infrequent presences in it, secondly, their potential economic, environmental or social impact is the most severe in respect of the Union territory, and, thirdly, they are listed as priority pests.

(3)

The Commission has carried out an assessment to determine, which pests to list as priority pests. That assessment was based on a methodology developed by the Commission’s Joint Research Centre and the European Food Safety Authority.

(4)

That methodology comprises composite indicators and an analysis based on multiple criteria. It takes into account, for the Union territory, the probability of spreading, establishment and consequences of the pests assessed. In addition, that methodology takes into account the criteria listed in Section 1, point (2) and Section 2 of Annex I to Regulation (EU) 2016/2031, which cover economic, social and environmental dimensions.

(5)

The assessment took into account the outcome of the methodology implemented by the Commission’s Joint Research Centre and the European Food Safety Authority, as well as the consultation of the general public carried out via the Better Regulation Portal. As result, it was concluded that there are 20 pests, for which the potential economic, environmental or social impact is considered to be the most severe in respect of the Union territory.

(6)

Furthermore, those pests are not known to be present in the Union territory or are known to be present in limited parts of it or for scarce, irregular, isolated and infrequent presences in it.

(7)

It is therefore appropriate to list those pests in the Annex to this Regulation.

(8)

In order to ensure a consistent application of all rules concerning the Union quarantine pests, this Regulation should apply from the same date as Regulation (EU) 2016/2031, that is from 14 December 2019,