Pest categorisation of non-EU viruses of Ribes L.

Following a request from the EU Commission, the Panel on Plant Health addressed the pestcategorisation of the viruses ofRibesL. determined as being either non-EU or of undetermined standingin a previous EFSA opinion. These infectious agents belong to different genera and are heterogeneous intheir biology. Alaska vitivirus 1 and Ribes virus F were excluded from categorisation because these arevery poorly characterised viruses. The pest categorisation was completed for seven viruses with clearidentity and for which detection methods are available. All these viruses are efficiently transmitted byvegetative propagation techniques, with plants for planting representing the major pathway for long-distance dispersal and thus considered as the major pathway for entry. Depending on the virus,additional pathway(s) can also beRibesseeds, pollen and/or vector(s). Most of the viruses categorisedhere are known to infect only one or few plant genera, but tomato ringspot virus (ToRSV) has a widehost range, thus extending the possible entry pathways. ToRSV meets all the criteria evaluated by EFSAto qualify as potential Union quarantine pest (QP). With the exception of impact in the EU territory, onwhich the Panel was unable to conclude, Actinidia virus X, blackcurrant leaf chlorosis-associated virus,blackcurrant leafroll-associated virus, black currant-associated rhabdovirus, blackcurrant waikavirus Aand Ribes americanum virus A satisfy all the other criteria to be considered as potential Union QPs. Forseveral viruses, especially those recently discovered, the categorisation is associated with highuncertainties mainly because of the absence of data on their biology, distribution and impact. Since thisopinion addresses specifically the non-EU viruses, in general these viruses do not meet the criteriaassessed by EFSA to qualify as potential Union regulated non-quarantine pests.