EPPO Global Database

EPPO Reporting Service no. 09 - 2025 Num. article: 2025/226

Update of the list of invasive alien species of Union concern (European Union)


The Regulation (EU) 1143/2014 on Invasive Alien Species entered into force on the 1st of January 2015. At the core of the Regulation is a list of invasive alien species of Union concern. Following the third update of the list in 2022, 40 invasive alien plant species were listed as species of Union concern. In July 2025, the European Commission published an update to the list and an additional six species and one hybrid are included (Table 1). For each species on the list, EU Member States will need to implement the following measures: (1) prevention, (2) early detection and rapid eradication of new invasions, (3) management of populations that are already widely spread.


Table 1. Invasive alien plants included in the List of Union (EU) concern

Species

Form

Year of addition

EPPO List

Acacia mearnsii (Fabaceae)

Tree

2025

*

Acacia saligna (Fabaceae)

Tree

2019

Invasive Alien Plants

Ailanthus altissima (Simaroubaceae) 

Tree

2019

Invasive Alien Plants

Alternanthera philoxeroides (Amaranthaceae)

Aquatic perennial herb

2017

A2

Andropogon virginicus (Poaceae) 

Perennial grass

2019

A2 

Asclepias syriaca (Apocynaceae)

Perennial herb

2017

Invasive Alien Plants

Baccharis halimifolia (Asteraceae)

Deciduous shrub

2016

A2 

Broussonetia papyrifera (Moraceae)

Tree

2025

*

Cabomba caroliniana (Cabombaceae)

Aquatic perennial herb

2016

Invasive Alien Plants

Cardiospermum grandiflorum (Sapindaceae) 

Annual/perennial climber

2019

A2 

Cenchrus setaceus (Poaceae)

Perennial grass

2017

Invasive Alien Plants

Cortaderia jubata (Poaceae)

Perennial grass

2019

A1 

Crassula helmsii (Crassulaceae)

Aquatic herb

2025

A2

Delairea odorata (Asteraceae)

Vine

2025

Invasive Alien Plants, *

Ehrharta calycina (Poaceae)

Perennial grass

2019

A2 

Elodea nuttallii (Hydrocharitaceae)

Aquatic perennial herb

2017

Invasive Alien Plants

Gunnera tinctoria (Gunneraceae)

Perennial herb

2017

Invasive Alien Plants

Gymnocoronis spilanthoides (Asteraceae)

Aquatic perennial herb

2019

A2 

Hakea sericea (Proteaceae)

Evergreen shrub or small tree

2022

A2 

Heracleum mantegazzianum (Apiaceae)

Monocarpic perennial

2017

Invasive Alien Plants

Heracleum persicum (Apiaceae)

Perennial herb 

2016

A2 

Heracleum sosnowskyi (Apiaceae)

Biennial/perennial herb

2016

A2 

Humulus scandens (Cannabaceae)

Annual vine

2019

A2 

Hydrocotyle ranunculoides (Apiaceae)

Perennial aquatic herb

2016

A2 

Impatiens glandulifera (Balsaminaceae)

Annual herb

2017

Invasive Alien Plants

Koenigia polystachya (Polygonaceae)

Perennial herb 

2022

Invasive Alien Plants

Lagarosiphon major (Hydrocharitaceae)

Submerged aquatic

2016

Invasive Alien Plants

Lespedeza cuneata (Fabaceae)

Perennial herbaceous legume

2019

A1 

Ludwigia grandiflora (Onagraceae)

Emergent perennial aquatic

2016

A2 

Ludwigia peploides (Onagraceae)

Emergent perennial aquatic

2016

A2 

Lygodium japonicum (Lygodiaceae)

Perennial climbing fern

2019

A1 

Lysichiton americanus (Araceae)

Perennial herb 

2016

Invasive Alien Plants

Microstegium vimineum (Poaceae)

Annual grass

2017

A2

Myriophyllum aquaticum (Haloragaceae)

Aquatic herb

2016

Invasive Alien Plants

Myriophyllum heterophyllum (Haloragaceae)

Aquatic herb

2017

A2

Neltuma juliflora (Fabaceae)

Perennial woody shrub/tree

2019

A2 

Parthenium hysterophorus (Asteraceae)

Annual herb

2016

A2 

Pistia stratiotes (Araceae)

Perennial aquatic macrophyte

2022

A2

Polygonum perfoliatum (Polygonaceae)

Annual herbaceous vine

2016

A2 

Pontederia crassipes (Pontederiaceae)

Aquatic floating perennial herb

2016

A2 

Pueraria montana var. lobata (Fabaceae)

Deciduous vine

2016

A2 

Reynoutria japonica (Polygonaceae)

Perennial 

2025

Invasive Alien Plants

Reynoutria sachalinensis (Polygonaceae)

Perennial 

2025

Invasive Alien Plants

Reynoutria x bohemica (Polygonaceae)

Perennial 

2025

Invasive Alien Plants

Salvinia molesta (Salviniaceae)

Perennial floating aquatic 

2019

A2

Triadica sebifera (Euphorbiaceae)

Deciduous tree

2019

A1 


Note: Celastrus orbiculatus was included in Regulation 1143/204 in 2022 and will be added to the list after a transition period of five years. 


* - the EPPO Panel on Invasive Alien Plants agreed that in 2025/26 the EPPO prioritization process for invasive alien plants (PM 5/6), section B (Prioritization process scheme for the identification of invasive alien plants for which a PRA is needed) will be carried out on these species to evaluate if a PRA Report should be produced for the whole of the EPPO region or if they should be included on the EPPO List of Invasive Alien Plants. 


Sources

Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2025/1422 of 17 July 2025 amending Implementing Regulation (EU) 2016/1141 to update the list of invasive alien species of Union concern. OJ L 2025/1422.  http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg_impl/2025/1422/oj