Calls for rethink over invasive alien species proposal

European Commission’s plans to regulate IAS needs a more science-based approach, say experts

December 2013: A group of 235 individual experts and organisations from 36 countries, including 23 EU Member States, are calling on the European institutions to adopt a more science-based approach to the European Commission’s proposal on the regulation of invasive alien species.

Invasive alien species (IAS) are organisms introduced to areas outside their natural habitat, whose populations grow out of control and affect native ecosystems. They are one of the main drivers of biodiversity loss globally, and can also affect human health while causing serious economic damage. In the EU alone, the damage caused by IAS costs at least €12 billion annually.

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