Statutory plant pests and diseases can cause serious economic and environmental damage in Europe. Although the legislation that underpins phytosanitary (plant health) policy for these statutory pests and diseases is determined at the EU level, the research that supports policy development and implementation is primarily done at the national level and is currently uncoordinated.

EUPHRESCO is a European Research Area Network (ERA-NET) project for research policy development and implementation in the field of statutory and emerging plant pests, diseases and invasive species (but not: GMO's).

The project is fully supported by the EU Council Working Party of Chief Officers for Plant Health Services (COPHS), The European Commission's Directorate General for Health and Consumer Protection (DG SANCO), the European and Mediterranean Plant Protection Organisation (EPPO) and the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), all of which have European plant health responsibilities.

EUPHRESCO draws together national research programmes to better serve the needs of EU phytosanitary policy, operations and science. Its Partners represent all of the key national phytosanitary research funders from the current 22 European partner countries. Additionally, there are 12 Observers from other Government Bodies in Europe, plus 2 international Observers.

EUPHRESCO-1 (2006-2010) achieved its objectives through an ambitious step-wise approach involving:

• Mapping of information on national phytosanitary research programmes.
• Establishing instruments, tools and processes for trans-national phytosanitary research.
• Developing common research agendas based on shared priorities.
• Establishing a long-term, sustainable network that will strategically facilitate joint trans-national activities to underpin EU phytosanitary policy and science capacity.

EUPHRESCO-2 (2011-2013) aims to deepen and enlarge the cooperation and has the following main aims:

• To implement, test and refine the proposed long-term, selfsustainable Network structure and modus operandi
• To deepen the coordination and collaboration through transnational research projects
• To deepen the coordination and collaboration through improved trans-national processes and tools
• To enlarge the Network cooperation