Oak processionary moth measures due to be strengthened further

In February 2022 Defra will adjust existing requirements for host trees of the Oak Processionary Moth (OPM), Thaumetopoea processionea.  

Thaumetopoea processionea is currently regulated as a ‘Pest Free Area (PFA) quarantine pest’, meaning the majority of Great Britain outside of Southeast England is designated as a PFA.  Measures associated with this designation restrict imports and movements of oak trees into the PFA, whilst imports are allowed into the areas not under PFA designation. 

In July 2019 the UK Government introduced strengthened measures on the importation of most species of oak into England to protect native trees from the threat of OPM. The bolstered measures only permit imports of certain oak trees if they come from OPM-free countries, from designated OPM-free areas, including the Pest Free Area, or have been grown under complete physical protection for their lifetime.

The strengthened measures apply to all oak trees over 1.2m since this size of tree represent the greatest risk of introducing OPM into the UK Pest Free Area.  The restrictions cover not only imports into Great Britain from overseas, but also inland movements of trees from areas of England where OPM is already present, such as London and surrounding counties (i.e., areas outside the UK Pest Free Area).

Under measures due to be introduced later in February 2022, Thaumetopoea processionea will be listed as a quarantine pest present in GB, enabling import restrictions for high-risk oak trees to be extended to the whole of GB to further strengthen protections against Thaumetopoea processionea. 

These measures are due to be introduced to GB only and not the UK, since under the terms of the Northern Ireland Protocol, Northern Ireland continues to apply Sanitary and Phytosanitary-related EU regulations. However, Great Britain and Northern Ireland administrations continue to work closely together on plant health issues and Northern Ireland continues to play a full and comprehensive role in technical and policy decisions that affect the UK as a whole. 

Further reading:

Legislation for spring 2022 - update