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  • News | 22 May 2026
Transnational Collaboration Strengthens EU Action on Invasive Alien Species: Baselines Key for Benchmarking Progress
Biodiversity Knowledge Centre

A new Joint Research Centre (JRC) science for policy report - Baseline distribution of invasive alien species added to the Union list by Comm. Impl. Reg. (EU) 2025/1422 - provides a comprehensive baseline distribution of 21 invasive alien species (IAS) that are already present in the EU.

The study, carried out with the support of the European Alien Species Information Network (EASIN), brings together data supplied by Competent Authorities in 23 EU Member States. These Authorities reviewed and supplemented the spatial information in order to produce a harmonised baseline that can be used to monitor the impact of Regulation (EU) 1143/2014 on IAS.

All species on the Union list are subject to restrictions and measures set out in the Regulation, including restrictions on keeping, importing, selling, breeding, growing and releasing into the environment.

This collaborative initiative not only aids in the implementation of the IAS Regulation but also promotes cooperation and coordination among Member States. The data and information gathered will support the adaptation of surveillance and monitoring systems, early detection notifications via NOTSYS, and forthcoming evaluations under the IAS Regulation. The EU's commitment to transnational collaboration and policy implementation exemplifies the collective action necessary to protect Europe's biodiversity.

Links to further information:

https://easin.jrc.ec.europa.eu/easin/Resource/Baseline

https://environment.ec.europa.eu/topics/nature-and-biodiversity/invasive-alien-species_en