The EFSA Panel on Plant Health conducted a risk assessment of Didymella ligulicola (current name Stagonosporopsis  chrysanthemi) for the European Union territory,  identified  risk  management  options and evaluated their effectiveness in reducing the risk to plant health posed by the organism. The Panel also evaluated the  effectiveness  of  the  present  EU  requirements (Council  Directive  2000/29/EC)  against  this  organism. S. chrysanthemi causes ray blight of Chrysanthemum × morifolium and is present in the EU. The Panel conducted the  risk  assessment  considering  the  current  EU  plant  health  legislation  in  place  and  reached  the  following conclusions. The probability of entry of S. chrysanthemi into the EU on the Chrysanthemum × morifolium plants for  planting  pathway  and  the  cut  flowers  pathway  is  unlikely  with a  medium  uncertainty.  The  probabilities  of establishment  and  spread  of S.  chrysanthemi in  the  EU  are  very  likely  with  low  uncertainties,  as  the  host  is extensively  grown  in  the  EU  and  the climatic  conditions  are  suitable  for  infection,  sporulation,  spread  and survival  of  the  pathogen.  The  damage  caused  by  the  pathogen  in  the EU  is currently  minor  because  of  the existing agricultural practices applied to chrysanthemum crops. No negative environmental impacts are foreseen. 

The effectiveness of the current EU requirement of visual inspection of host plant material in reducing the risk of introduction into, and spread within, the EU of the pathogen is low with a high uncertainty, as it is not possible to distinguish the effect of the legislation from that of the voluntary certification schemes currently used for the production of chrysanthemum plant propagation material. If the current EU egulations regarding the pest were to be removed and the  voluntary certification schemes remained in place, here would be no great effect on the risk of introduction, spread and impact of S. chrysanthemi in the EU territory.