Introduction to PM 7 Standards on Diagnostics

EPPO Standards are approved by the EPPO Council. However, a fast-track procedure described in EPPO (2019) exists for pest-specific Diagnostic Standards. The date of approval appears in each individual Standard. In the terms of Article II of the IPPC, EPPO Standards are Regional Standards for the members of EPPO.

EPPO Diagnostic Standards are subject to periodic review in the relevant Diagnostic Panels.

Revisions will be issued as necessary, numbered and dated.

EPPO Diagnostic Protocols are intended to be used by NPPOs in their capacity as bodies responsible for the application of phytosanitary measures to detect and identify regulated pests. In 1998, EPPO started a new programme to prepare Diagnostic Protocols for the regulated pests of the EPPO region (including the EU). The work is conducted by the EPPO Panel on Diagnostics and Quality Assurance and other specialist Diagnostic Panels. The objective of the programme is to develop an internationally agreed diagnostic protocol for most of the EPPO list of pests recommended for regulation (EPPO, 2024). The protocols are based on the many years of experience of EPPO experts. The first drafts are usually prepared by a drafting team composed of experts. They are written according to a ‘common format and content of a diagnostic protocol’ agreed by the Panel on Diagnostics and Quality Assurance, modified as necessary to fit individual pests.

The EPPO Standard PM 7/76 describes the purpose and use of EPPO Diagnostic Standards and includes general provisions that apply to all diagnostic protocols.

Definitions of the general terms used in EPPO Diagnostic Standards are described in EPPO Standard PM 7/76 (6) Use of EPPO Diagnostic Protocols, published in this issue.

EPPO Standards of series PM 7 include general Standards on diagnostics and Diagnostic Protocols for individual pests. The Diagnostic Protocols provide all of the information necessary for a named pest to be detected and positively identified. Each Protocol begins with some short general information on the pest (its appearance, relationship with other organisms, host range, effects on host, geographical distribution and identity) and then gives details on detection and identification (including comparison with similar species, requirements for a positive diagnosis). Tests are described in the Appendices and validation data is also provided. Lists of institutes or individuals where further information on that organism can be obtained and references (on the diagnosis, detection/extraction method and test methods) are provided as well.

Over 150 EPPO Standards on Diagnostic Protocols, including 15 general Standards, have now been approved and published (including the revised Standards published here). Each Standard is numbered in the style PM 7/4 (1), meaning an EPPO Standard on Phytosanitary Measures (PM), in series no. 7 (Diagnostic Protocols), in this case Standard no. 4, first version.

The full list of Diagnostic Standards (Series PM7) is available at https://www.eppo.int/RESOURCES/eppo_standards/pm7_diagnostics, with direct links to the Standards in the EPPO Bulletin. The Standards are also available in the EPPO Global Database (https://gd.eppo.int/standards/PM7/).

The new and revised Standards published in the present issue of the EPPO Bulletin are listed below:

PM 7/45(2) Cryphonectria parasitica, PM 7/76 (6) Use of EPPO Diagnostic Standards, PM 7/130 (2) Guidelines on the authorization of laboratories to perform diagnostic activities for regulated pests.