Delegates from Western Balkan plant protection services took their active role at the IPPC Regional Workshop for Europe and Central Asia last week in Montenegro. Also the Project expert team participated as observer at workshop, which was held from September 4 to 6 at the Hilton hotel in Podgorica.

Participants from several European and Central Asian countries discussed proposals of international standards for phytosanitary measures in the first half of the regional meeting. Draft standards are in the process of consultation before adoption within the framework of the International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC). In the second half of the regional meeting the discussions were held on different activities, events, and strategic issues for ISPM implementation, which are contributing to the topic “Healthy plants for environmental protection”.

The IPPC Regional Workshop for Europe and Central Asia is held annually in co-organization by the IPPC Secretariat of FAO, European and Mediterranean Plant Protection Organization (EPPO) and the hosting country. This year the local organizer was the Government of Montenegro, represented by the Minister of Agriculture and management of Administration for Food Safety, Veterinary and Phytosanitary Affairs, director Vladimir Đaković and deputy director Zorka Prljević with plant health colleagues. (https://www.gov.me/clanak/direktor-vladimir-dakovic-sa-saradnicima-na-regionalnom-sastanku-u-podgorici)

Regional workshops give an excellent opportunity to discuss international plant health issues and meet colleagues from other countries in a bit less formal environment than at global level in Rome in April next year. Draft International standards for phytosanitary measures (ISPMs) are in commenting system in two rounds for several months to allow national and regional discussion before adoption. At regional level the standards are discussed in two of five FAO languages, in English and in Russian. For professional capacity building it is important that the expertise from countries is faced with the IPPC Standard Committee and Implementation and Capacity Development Committee members, who are involved in delivering the contents and representing region at global level. The IPPC Secretariat though cooperates with FAO Regional office, which provided financial support for the attendance of over 10 countries; EPPO Secretariat who translated the drafts ISPM and the specification for guides to Russian. Participants expressed a lot of gratitude to the host country, Montenegro, for excellent organization.

The PHWB expert team found synergies with the IPPC Secretariat in capacity evaluation and preparedness for outbreak management, including simulation exercises for emerging pests. The next regional workshop in Armenia might include a separated event with simulation exercise.