Starting January 1, 2025, EU Member States are expected to reclassify ToBRFV as a regulated non-quarantine pest (RNQP). This will have widespread implications for the horticulture value chain in Europe, as ToBRFV emergency measures end and actors adapt to better manage this nearly ineradicable plant virus.
Article by Tiziana Centofanti from the VIRTIGATION project
Decision to be confirmed in mid-December 2024
In early October 2024, most European member states had already indicated plans to end emergency measures for ToBRFV and reclassify it as a RNQP. The Dutch Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, Food Security, and Nature further reports that the decision to reclassify ToBRFV as a RNQP will be formally voted on in mid-December 2024, after consultations with the WTO and industry stakeholders.
Impact of reclassifying ToBRFV as a RNQP
This reclassification will change how the virus is monitored in the Netherlands, but also in other EU Member States. The ToBRFV plant virus is now widespread across the European Union and has proven nearly impossible to eradicate. As an RNQP, the obligation to eradicate the virus will be lifted, and no measures will be taken in fruit-growing operations in case of infection. Additionally, reporting obligations will also be lifted, except for suspected cases in imported seeds. This change will also allow unrestricted work with the virus for research purposes.
By December 31, 2024, all measures in currently affected fruit-growing operations will be lifted, and inspections and monitoring will be suspended. Growers will remain responsible for maintaining good hygiene practices.
Policies on seed imports and testing
For seed imports, the testing requirement for 20% to 100% of shipments will remain in place after January 1, 2025, depending on the country of origin. The EU will continue to report seed infestations to third countries, and these reports will be used to evaluate the new legislation in two years.
Control and Marketing
In the Netherlands e.g. Naktuinbouw, the competent authority for RNQP, will take over the control of seed production and propagation operations from the Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority (NVWA). The requirements for marketing seeds and vegetable plants of tomatoes and peppers will continue to apply, ensuring that all starting material is proven free of ToBRFV before being marketed in the EU. Furthermore, resistant pepper varieties will remain exempt from testing, and small seed lots will continue to have their parent plants tested. Moreover, for vegetable plants, only tested and ToBRFV-free seeds will be used.
Expected impact on the VIRTIGATON Project
The expected reclassification of ToBRFV as a RNQP could significantly impact the R&I efforts of the VIRTIGATION project. This potential shift will require the project to adapt its monitoring and management strategies, allowing for more flexibility in research as the obligation to eradicate the virus is lifted. With fewer restrictions in place, VIRTIGATION partners could conduct more extensive research on ToBRFV and gain access to more samples from growers, facilitating a broader understanding of the virus’s spread and impact in the EU. Overall, this reclassification could enhance the project’s efforts to foster ToBRFV mitigation strategies and thereby ensure plant health of tomato and cucurbit crops.
© Title image: Prof. Salvatore Davino, EPPO
