The National Reference Laboratory (NRL) for Plant Health - Fungi and Oomycetes fulfills various tasks according to Art. 101 of the EU Control Regulation 2017/625 to ensure comparable and valid results in the diagnosis of plant damaging fungi and Oomycetes classified as EU quarantine pests according to Regulation (EU) 2016/2031.

This includes, but is not limited to.

• Identification/diagnosis of quarantine pests with recognized methods in compliance with relevant accreditation requirements (EN ISO/IEC 17025)
  • Collaborating with the relevant European Union reference laboratory (EU-RL;
• Improving expertise through participation in EU-RL training courses;
• Demonstrating expertise through participation in EU-RL interlaboratory tests;
• Establishment and maintenance of a reference collection of plant pathogenic fungi and egg fungi;
• Distribution of the information provided by the EU-RL to the competent authorities;

Samples to be tested from international trade (import, domestic trade and export) or from official surveillance activities are transmitted by the competent Official Plant Protection Services (APSD).

Links:

Official Plant Protection Service - Regulated Pests

Official Plant Protection Service - Scope of duties

• Morphological identification/detection of fungi and Oomycetes classified as quarantine pests (new pests, Union quarantine pests and sanctuary quarantine pests) by microscopic examination;
• Molecular genetic identification/detection of fungi and Oomycetes classified as quarantine pests (new pests, Union quarantine pests and protected area quarantine pests) by PCR and DNA barcoding;
• Morphological identification/detection of fungi and Oomycetes classified as Union regulated non-quarantine pests by microscopic examination;
• Molecular identification/detection of fungi and Oomycetes classified as Union regulated non-quarantine pests by PCR and DNA barcoding;