Invasive species cost EU €12bn per year

Alien species are invading Europe, and it is costing countries €12bn a year to fight the damage they are causing to humans, animals, the environment, agriculture, and buildings.

There are more than an estimated 12,000 animals, fish, and plants not native to Europe, developing rapidly, threatening native species and causing huge damage.

The €1.6bn a year that national governments are spending on fighting them is not managing to control the dangers and the EU wants to co-ordinate the fight across borders to control it better.

Many of the animals and plants have been introduced deliberately by people because they like them, but the majority have come in surreptitiously and by accident with imports of goods or by visitors.

A sting from the Asian hornet or a bite from the tiger mosquito can be fatal, while Japanese knotweed is damaging buildings and the coypu — a beaver-like rat introduced for its fur — is harming crops.

One plant alone — giant hogweed — is costing the German medical service €1m a year to treat people stung by the plant.

Giant hogweed sap can cause severe burns and dermatitis when the skin is exposed to sunlight, and it may even lead to blindness if it comes in contact with the eyes.

Janez Potocnik, the European environment commissioner, said that these alien species are now the second-greatest threat to biodiversity, replacing native plants and animals without their accustomed food chain in place to keep them in check naturally.

Belgium is spending €500,000 a year trying to eradicate giant hogweed, but fears that if France does not take similar action, the plant will reinvade along rivers.

Meanwhile, black cherry is seriously disturbing forest ecosystems, while grey squirrels are replacing the native red squirrel in Ireland, Britain, and many other EU countries.

The commission wants member states to organise checks to prevent more species invading, organise to take immediate action to eradicate any found, and to begin to manage and control those that are already thriving.

One step is to establish a black list of 50 aliens that countries will try to eradicate.

However, Eurogroup for Animals disagreed with a black list, saying that the figure is too low compared with the speed and spread of the invasion, and instead want a white list showing what species are considered safe.

“We have been waiting for this proposal for some time and had high expectations for its content,” said Reineke Hameleers, director at Eurogroup for Animals, which represents animal welfare groups in almost all EU countries.

“The proposal goes some way towards addressing our concerns but is not as far reaching or forward looking as we hoped,” Ms Hameleers said.