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EU: Bacteria threatening olive trees

The EU countries want to stop the further spread of the bacterium Xylella that threatens mainly olive trees. On Tuesday in Brussels, Experts from the EU member states agreed on measures to prevent the import and redistribution of the bacterium from America.

According to EU figures, Xylella Fastidiosa attacks olive trees and is dangerous to other crops such as grapevines and citrus.

The EU member states will be obliged to report new outbreaks in the EU to collect official data and to distinguish the concerned regions. To eradicate the bacteria, it is advised to cut down the affected trees and a surrounding area of a 100 meters radius.

Italy, where Xylella spreads quickly in the province of Lecce, has the permission to do whatever necessary for the containment. Due to the high transmission risk, the EU experts also agreed to an import ban on coffee plants from Honduras and Costa Rica. The bacterium first appeared in the EU in October 2013 in Italy.