EU Regulation on IAS
What you need to know as a scientist in Belgium
The IAS Regulation in a nutshell
The Regulation (EU) 1143/2014 on invasive alien species (IAS) is all about preventing IAS from getting introduced and spreading, reacting rapidly if an incursion occurs and mitigating damage caused by more widespread invasives. As a scientist you are obliged to adhere to permit requirements and there are things you can do to act responsibly.
Union list
The Regulation centers around a list of impactful IAS for which measures of prevention, rapid response and management need to be implemented by each Member State. This list of species – the species of Union Concern - is highly dynamic and prone to additions every few years. Consult the up-to-date version of the list here.
Know your species:
- Consult the booklet on IAS of Union Concern: NL - FR
- Watch identification videos of aquatic plants and crayfish: Youtube
- Visit the living reference collection of plants of Union Concern at Meise Botanic Garden
Restrictions and prevention
If a species gets listed, all intentional acts with such a species are forbidden – no more importation, transport, breeding or keeping is allowed in Europe. This also applies to any hybrids, varieties or breeds. Exceptions are possible only for scientific research or ex-situ conservation but are subject to permits. Additionally, each Member State needs to adopt an Action plan to prevent the unintentional introduction and spread of IAS.
Implementation in Belgium
Addressing the threat of IAS in Belgium requires coordination and cooperation. That is why the Regions, Communities and the federal authority signed a Cooperation agreement. This cooperation is facilitated by the existence of a National Committee as a discussion platform for representatives of the authorities, a National Scientific Council that pools Belgian IAS expertise for scientific advice on Belgian questions related to IAS, and a National Scientific Secretariat that operationalizes the coordination, and ensures the scientific support for the Committee and the Council.
What are your obligations as a scientist?
Acquire permits
Whether out in the field or in the lab, if you are doing experiments on IAS of Union Concern which involve the keeping, breeding, transporting or handling of live specimens or their propagules, you will need to apply for a permit at the competent authority, since these activities are not allowed without a permit. You are also obliged to ensure contained holding of specimens during your research. In your application, make sure to provide adequate information on the relevance of the experiment (e.g. research on the invasion, assessing management effectiveness…) and how you will keep these species from getting out into the wild. Here are the contacts for applying for such permits:
- Flanders: link to form.
- Wallonia: invasives@spw.wallonie.be
- Brussels Capital Region: biodiv@leefmilieu.brussels
- Federal government (imports/exports only): link to form
The permit requirement only applies to live specimens or propagules (e.g. gametes, seeds, eggs). In doubt on whether or not you need a permit? Contact secretariat@iasregulation.be.
Report first observations
If you encounter an EU listed species previously unknown to the regional territory or are informed of such a presence by a citizen, you have the legal obligation to inform authorities immediately, by sending an email to the National Scientific Secretariat (secretariat@iasregulation.be). This is of utmost importance as it allows a proper response by competent authorities, including notification to Europe and other Member States (via the IAS NOTSYS portal) and to allow a rapid response. Delaying communicating on such observations is irresponsible and can compromise the effectiveness of a response. Of course, this does not prevent you to valorize your data afterwards by publishing your findings. If you are the editor of a scientific journal you can act responsibly by ensuring authors adhered to the rapid reporting obligation.
Report your observations on an online platform (e.g. waarnemingen.be, iNaturalist, OFFH) if ever you encounter any IAS in the field. This is especially important for species with very limited distribution on the territory. Thanks to a harmonized dataflow, all observations from these platforms of non-native species are then centralized on GBIF and can be used by early warning systems (e.g. https://alert.riparias.be/).
Apply biosecurity
Be hygienic! When you are out in the field performing any type of monitoring, sampling or management activity, take care to implement proper biosecurity protocols: check your equipment and boots for propagules and remove mud or other matter, then clean it with tap water before moving to another spot. Ideally, equipment should be dried for at least 48h before using it in another location, but if this is not possible the use of multiple sets of equipment can be considered. The use of separate sets for use in invaded areas and areas of conservation importance is highly recommended. More information on the proper biosecurity procedures can be found on the Check-Clean-Dry page. Hygienic measures are being implemented by many recreational and professional sectors as part of our National Action plan on IAS.
Do not transport live specimens off site if you encounter a (listed) IAS during your field activities. Unless there is a real strategy in place and permits are secured, it is generally advised to not mess around with IAS that you encounter in the field and put back any bycatch that may arise from your activities.
Doing research on management?
Competent authorities have the obligation to rapidly eradicate species whose presence on the territory was previously unknown, and to implement management plans for widespread species. You can contribute by helping in the development of new techniques but also by reporting details of management measures such as cost, effectiveness, side-effects,… Finally, when your research involves the handling of animals, you should always ensure they are spared avoidable pain or distress (consult guide) and adhere to rules and regulations with respect to the use of experimental animals in research such as getting ethics approval from your ethical commission.
Further questions? Contact us at secretariat@iasregulation.be
More information on the EU Regulation : https://environment.ec.europa.eu/topics/nature-and-biodiversity/invasive-alien-species_en