What is EUROPHYT?
EUROPHYT brings together the words 'European' and 'Phytosanitary' and describes a notification and rapid alert system dealing with Interceptions for plant health reasons of consignments of plants and plant products imported into the EU or being traded within the EU itself.
EUROPHYT is established and run by the Directorate General for Health and Food Safety of the European Commission.
With the increase in trade over the last decades, the risk of introducing new pests and diseases has increased. Given favourable weather conditions and a lack of natural enemies, they can spread and lead to environmental damage, destruction of native plant species, substantial economic losses in agricultural production and an increase in the use of pesticides. Therefore measures to prevent their introduction and spread are essential.
EUROPHYT provides an essential support for the implementation of preventative measures by ensuring that the data on risks to plant health from trade in plants and plant products is up-to-date and accurate.