Press Release: Environment: Pooling information to combat the threat of alien species in Europe

How many plants can be found in the Alps that are not native to that region? Which animals were deliberately or accidently introduced to the Danube? How big a threat will they become to local wildlife? The European Alien Species Information Network (EASIN), launched on 14 September 2012 by the European Commission's in-house science service, the Joint Research Centre (JRC), takes a first step towards answering these and other questions related to 16,000 alien species currently reported all over Europe.

This information network – the first of its kind in Europe – is an important step to deal with the threat of alien species that become invasive. Invasive species present a serious threat to biodiversity and natural resources, with an economic impact estimated at around €12 billion per year.