Q&A on the new proposal for a Regulation on preventing and managing invasive alien species

Alien species are plants, animals, fungi and micro-organisms that have been transported across ecological barriers such as mountain ranges, or oceans as a result of human intervention, and have become established in an area outside their natural range.

About a quarter of these species are brought into Europe intentionally, for their beauty, usefulness or commercial value. Ornamental plants, species used as food or kept as pets are examples. But most of these species arrive by accident: about three-quarters of Europe's invasive alien species came in as contaminants of other goods, or hidden in transport vectors, or goods containers. There are currently more than 12,000 alien species in the European environment.