Europe tightens controls to intercept the tomato rugose virus

Added on 15 January 2025

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Europe tightens controls to intercept the tomato rugose virus

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The worldwide expansion of the tomato rugose virus (ToBRFV) has led the European authorities to update the regulation, which includes measures to prevent its introduction through the import of pepper and tomato seeds and modifies the frequency of official controls.

The European Commission revised the regulations in May 2023 to try to stop the entry of this pathogen, with much stricter controls on tomato and pepper imports from certain countries. However, since then, it has been identified for the first time in Ireland, Lithuania, Latvia, Romania, and Croatia. Outside the EU, in the last two years, it has been detected in Australia, India, Morocco, and Argentina.