EU warning: Italy fails to fight the dangerous fire ant!

EU warning: Italy fails to fight the dangerous fire ant!

The red fire ant (Solenopsis Invicta) focuses on a conflict between the European Commission and Italy. According to a report by the Krone Italy is accused of taking inadequate measures to combat this invasive way. The Commission criticizes that the country has failed to prevent the introduction and spread of the ant and report in good time. The red fire ants is considered one of the five main causes for the loss of biological diversity, both in Europe and worldwide.

Last year dozens of nests of the Red Fire Came were discovered on Sicily. The presence of this kind raises serious concerns because it is feared that it could spread quickly in other European countries by climate change, especially in cities in the Mediterranean and large ports such as Amsterdam and London. The EU regulation aims to minimize the negative effects of invasive species on biodiversity, ecosystems, human health and economic stability.

failure of Italy

Italy was held accountable by the EU Commission in November 2024. The country did not pass on the early detection of the red fire ant and failed to take control measures within three months of reporting. In particular, no effective monitoring system for invasive species was implemented. Since Italy has not responded to several points in the letter of request, the EU Commission plans to send a statement with reasons. Italy now has two months to react, otherwise the case could be referred to the Court of Justice of the European Union.

The red fire ant originally comes from South America and was introduced in the United States from the 1930s. There, it contributed greatly to reducing domestic ants and caused considerable harvest damage. Due to global trade and tourism, species also spread to other continents such as Japan, China, Australia and New Zealand, which reinforces the problem of biological invasions.

effects invasive species

A total of over 10,000 non -regional species are known in Europe, of which at least 15 % are considered to be invasive. This leads to significant negative effects on the environment and the economy. According to a report by eea , biological invasions are one of the most important causes of the loss of biodiversity, together with loss of habitat and climate change. For example, 110 of the 395 species classified in Europe as "endangered" are endangered by non -regional species.

Invasive species not only bring competition for resources, but also cause health risks through the transmission of pathogens. The native cancer type was significantly decimated by the cancer plague, which is transmitted by American crayfish. The Asian Tigermoskito, which transmits diseases such as yellow fever, has already gained a foothold in southern Europe and could spread through climate change into northern regions.

The economic damage caused by invasive species, according to estimates, amounts to at least 12 billion euros annually. The urgent need for coordinated fighting these species is becoming increasingly clear in order to maintain the biological diversity and ecosystems.