The aim of this law is to stop the spread of invasive alien species of plants and animals (especially insects) getting in the European Union, as well as to limit the ecological and economic damage caused by these species.

IAS are a severe threat for biodiversity conservation. They can cause a range of different health issues, and affect forestry and agriculture, among other problems. The cost of damage due to IAS is estimated to be at least €12 billion per year in the EU.

Since the spread of these species does not respect the borders between countries, cooperation among the different states is key when dealing with this issue. IAS legislation would therefore encourage the EU Member States to coordinate their efforts in the fight against this problem, providing a ban on species declared to be of EU concern, and requiring the Member States to develop surveillance systems and action plans.

The IAS legislation backed by the European Parliament will now need to be formally approved by the EU Council of Ministers.

The full text adopted by the European Parliament can be downloaded from this link (click in Texts-Part 2).