EU tackles invasive species

摘要

There are currently more than 12,000 species present in Europe that are alien to the natural environment. Around 15% of these are invasive and this number is rising rapidly. It is more than time to react, according to the European Commission, which, on 9 September, proposed a regulation to prevent and manage the introduction and propagation of invasive alien species (IAS). There is no legal framework under which to combat IAS effectively at European level. The new proposal for a regulation is meant to address that need while respecting international commitments made in the context of the Convention on Biological Diversity.