News
New Law Against Aliens
The European Parliament has approved new legislation aiming to stem the spread of alien species.
By alien they mean invasive species that come from far away, like the so-called "demon shrimp" originating from the Black Sea, or the Asian Harlequin ladybird.
The new law will require member states to analyse how troublesome species enter the country and to improve surveillance systems.
Official checks at EU borders will be improved, but action plans on how to manage established invasive species are still to be developed. And as someone in Bruxelles said, the species do not respect geographical boundaries.
There are an estimated 12,000 alien species in Europe at the moment. Only a minority causes problems but when it does, it can be really bad news. When new predators find their way into an ecosystem, they can alter the balance considerably, kicking off a series of chain effects that can end up harming plants, animals and humans. Awareness has led to new legislation, but how to implement it is still a matter for debate.
By alien they mean invasive species that come from far away, like the so-called "demon shrimp" originating from the Black Sea, or the Asian Harlequin ladybird.
The new law will require member states to analyse how troublesome species enter the country and to improve surveillance systems.
Official checks at EU borders will be improved, but action plans on how to manage established invasive species are still to be developed. And as someone in Bruxelles said, the species do not respect geographical boundaries.
There are an estimated 12,000 alien species in Europe at the moment. Only a minority causes problems but when it does, it can be really bad news. When new predators find their way into an ecosystem, they can alter the balance considerably, kicking off a series of chain effects that can end up harming plants, animals and humans. Awareness has led to new legislation, but how to implement it is still a matter for debate.