Code of conduct on horticulture and invasive alien plants

Many of the plants used in agriculture, horticulture and forestry in Europe are not native to the continent. A small percentage of these plants, introduced on purpose, escape the framework of cultivation, become naturalised and invade natural, semi-natural or artificial ecosystems. Others are introduced accidentally and may also end up in nature. These invasive alien plants may have significant ecological and economic consequences or become harmful to human health. This code of conduct, a result of the collaboration between the Council of Europe and the European and Mediterranean Plant Protection Organization, is aimed at increasing co-operation among all the actors involved in horticulture, in both the public and private sectors, for the prevention of new invasions of alien plants in Europe.