Protecting plants in Central and Eastern Europe and Central Asia: 2018 IPPC - FAO Regional Workshop

Participants at the IPPC Regional workshop in Central and Eastern Europe and Central Asia shared their experiences in safeguarding plant health. Photo credit: © All-Russian Plant Quarantine Center (VNIIKR)

8 September 2018, Bykovo - Protecting the environment while safeguarding plant health were among topics discussed at the International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC ) - FAO Central and Eastern Europe and Central Asia regional workshop. The event took place in Bykovo, the Russian Federation from 3 to 7 September 2018. The workshop gave participants an opportunity to discuss and comment on draft International Standards for Phytosanitary Measures (ISPM); and exchange experiences, including in developing phytosanitary capacity, at the regional level.

The workshop is of great value because it fosters closer collaboration between regional stakeholders and allows them to meet face to face and discuss important phytosanitary issues, said Ketevan Lomsadze, Implementation Facilitation Officer of the IPPC Secretariat.

Topics of special interest in the region included the:

• implementation of the standard for the international movement of seeds (ISPM 38)

• authorization of entities to perform phytosanitary actions - a draft ISPM that provides a framework for National Plant Protection Organizations (NPPOs) that wish to authorize private entities to perform specific phytosanitary actions associated with import, export and domestic systems.

Concerning the draft ISPM, there was consensus that the tasks performed by authorized entities should have at least the same level of the quality as those performed by the NPPO; and that auditing or supervision functions should stay with the NPPO.

The workshop was attended by 24 participants from 17 National Plant Protection Organizations, the European and Mediterranean Plant Protection Organization (EPPO), FAO REU Office, the Bureau of the Commission on Phytosanitary Measures (CPM) and the IPPC secretariat. Observers from Uzbekistan and the Eurasian Economic Commission were present. Organizers included the FAO Regional Office for Europe and Central Asia, the FAO Sub-regional Office for Central Asia, and the EPPO. It had support from the Federal Service for Veterinary and Phytosanitary Surveillance (NPPO) and the All-Russian Plant Quarantine Center (VNIIKR).

For more information, please see:

• Workshop report for the 2018 IPPC-FAO Regional Workshop for Central and Eastern Europe and Central Asia (coming soon)
• Regional Workshop Presentations