The EFSA Panel on Plant Health updated its 2017 pest categorisation of coconut cadang cadang viroid (CCCVd) for the EU territory due to new data on its host range. The identity of CCCVd, a member of the genus Cocadviroid (family Pospiviroidae), is established and detection and identification methods are available. It is included as a quarantine pest for the EU in the Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/2072. CCCVd has been reported from the Philippines and Malaysia. It is not known to be present in the EU. The host range of CCCVd is restricted to Arecaceae species (palms), in particular, coconut palm (Cocos nucifera) to which it causes a lethal disease. Oil palm (Elaeis guineensis) and buri palm (Corypha utan) are other natural hosts of CCCVd. Palm species of several genera, including Phoenix spp. and other species grown and/or cultivated in the EU, have been identified as potential hosts. The viroid is naturally transmitted at low rate by seeds and pollen and possibly by additional not yet identified natural transmission means. It can be transmitted through vegetative propagation applied to some palm species. Plants for planting including seeds of its hosts have been identified as the main entry pathway of CCCVd. Potential hosts of CCCVd are present in the EU, therefore establishment is possible. Should the pest establish in the EU, an impact is expected, with uncertainty on its magnitude. The Panel identified the susceptibility of palm species grown in the EU as a key uncertainty potentially affecting the conclusion of this pest categorisation. Nevertheless, the pest satisfies the criteria that are within the remit of EFSA to assess for this viroid to be regarded as potential Union quarantine pest.
The Panel on Plant Health performed a pest categorisation of Hishimonus phycitis (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae) for the EU. H. phycitis is a well-defined species, occurring in tropical and subtropical Asian countries from Iran to Malaysia. H. phycitis is polyphagous. Hosts of particular relevance to the EU include Citrus spp. and Solanum melongena. While harmful in its own right as a leafhopper extracting host nutrients through feeding, it is regarded in the Middle East more significantly as a vector of Witches' broom disease of lime phytoplasma, which limits production of Citrus aurantifolia, and in India as a vector of brinjal little-leaf phytoplasma impacting S. melongena yields. H. phycitis is currently regulated by Council Directive 2000/29/EC, listed in Annex II/AI as Hishomonus phycitis (sic). Eggs planted on host plants for planting could provide a pathway for entry into the EU. The EU has eco-climatic conditions that are also found in countries where H. phycitis occurs although it is unknown whether H. phycitis occurs in those areas. There is therefore considerable uncertainty around EU establishment. Any establishment is likely to be limited to the warmest areas around the Mediterranean. As a free-living organism with adults capable of flight, spread within the EU would be possible but confined to the limited area where establishment could occur. Measures are available to inhibit entry via traded commodities (e.g. prohibition on the introduction of Citrus plants for planting; sourcing other hosts from pest free areas). H. phycitis does satisfy all of the criteria that are within the remit of EFSA to assess to be regarded as a Union quarantine pest. It is uncertain if eggs of H. phycitis would carry phytoplasmas into the EU as transovarial transmission from infected females to eggs has not been demonstrated.
The EFSA Panel on Food Contact Materials, Enzymes and Processing Aids (CEP) assessed the safety of the recycling process Intco Malaysia (EU register number RECYC309), which uses the VACUNITE (EREMA basic and Polymetrix SSP V-leaN) technology. The input consists of hot caustic washed and dried poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) flakes mainly originating from collected post-consumer PET containers, with no more than 5% PET from non-food consumer applications. The flakes are pre-decontaminated in the ■■■■■ at ■■■■■ under ■■■■■ (step 2), then extruded and pelletised. The ■■■■■ pellets are then ■■■■■ and submitted to solid-state polycondensation (SSP) at ■■■■■ under ■■■■■ and ■■■■■. Having examined the challenge tests provided, the Panel concluded that the step 2 (flake reactor) and steps 4 and 5 (preheating and SSP) are critical for determining the decontamination efficiency of the process. The operating parameters to control the performance are temperature, pressure and residence time for steps 2, 4 and 5 as well as the ■■■■■ for steps 4 and 5. It was demonstrated that this recycling process is able to ensure that the level of migration of potential unknown contaminants into food is below the conservatively modelled migration of 0.1 μg/kg food. Therefore, the Panel concluded that the recycled PET obtained from this process is not of safety concern, when used at up to 100% for the manufacture of materials and articles for contact with all types of foodstuffs, including drinking water, for long-term storage at room temperature or below, with or without hotfill. The final articles made of this recycled PET are not intended to be used in microwave and conventional ovens and such uses are not covered by this evaluation.
The EFSA Panel on Plant Health performed a pest categorisation of Lepidosaphes pineti Borchsenius the pine oyster scale, Lepidosaphes pini (Maskell) the Oriental pine scale and Lepidosaphes piniphila Borchsenius (Hemiptera: Diaspididae) for the EU, following a commodity risk assessment of dwarfed Pinus parviflora grafted onto P. thunbergii from China in which the three Lepidosaphes species were identified as pests of possible concern to the EU. All three species are native to Asia. L. pineti is only known from China; L. piniphila occurs in China, Japan and Malaysia; and L. pini is present in China, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, and has been introduced to the USA. All three species feed primarily on Pinus spp., including several important forestry and ornamental trees, and L. pineti and L. pini have adapted to feed on North American species of pine. L. pineti also feeds on Torreya grandis; L. pini on Abies sp., Cunninghamia lanceolata, Cycas spp., Podocarpus spp., Taxus sp. and Torreya sp.; and L. piniphila on Podocarpus spp. and T. grandis. All developmental stages occur on the foliage. Host plants for planting and cut branches with foliage could provide pathways into the EU. However, prohibitions on the import of Pinus close the main pathway. Certain dwarfed Pinus spp. from Japan are provided with a derogation for entry into the EU. The main hosts (Pinus spp.) occur throughout the EU in climate zones that match those where the three Lepidosaphes species occur in Asia. If any of the three Lepidosaphes species were to enter the EU, conditions in most of the EU are conducive to establishment. Following establishment, impacts on pines by L. pineti and L. pini would be expected. There are no published reports of L. piniphila causing damage to pine. L. pineti and L. pini satisfy the criteria that are within the remit of EFSA to assess for them to be regarded as potential Union quarantine pests. L. piniphila does not satisfy the criteria, as there is no evidence that it is harmful; however, there is a key uncertainty regarding whether it is synonymous with a closely related species, L. pitysophila, which is recorded as a pest of pine in China.
The EFSA Panel on Food Contact Materials, Enzymes and Processing Aids (CEP) assessed the safety of the recycling process INTCO MALAYSIA (EU register number RECYC236), which uses the EREMA Basic technology. The input material is hot caustic washed and dried poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) flakes originating from collected post-consumer PET containers, including no more than 5% PET from non-food consumer applications. The flakes are heated in a continuous reactor under vacuum before being extruded. Having examined the challenge test provided, the Panel concluded that the continuous reactor (step 2, for which a challenge test was provided) is critical in determining the decontamination efficiency of the process. The operating parameters to control the performance of this step are temperature, pressure and residence time. It was demonstrated that this recycling process is able to ensure a level of migration of potential unknown contaminants into food below the conservatively modelled migration of 0.1 μg/kg food, derived from the exposure scenario for infants when such recycled PET is used at up to 100%. Therefore, the Panel concluded that the recycled PET obtained from this process is not considered to be of safety concern when used at up to 100% for the manufacture of materials and articles for contact with all types of foodstuffs, including drinking water, for long-term storage at room temperature. Articles made of this recycled PET are not intended to be used in microwave and conventional ovens and such uses are not covered by this evaluation.