The bacterium Xanthomonas albilineans is endemic to the tropics and subtropics. It causes leaf scald to sugarcane and so far, it is not present in Germany and the EU. So far, the bacterium is not listed, neither in the Annexes of Regulation (EU) 2019/2072 nor by EPPO.

Xanthomonas albilineans infects plants of the grass family and is a significant pest on sugarcane. Under certain conditions, relevant damage occurred sporadically on maize, too. 

Due to inappropriate climatic conditions, it is assumed that X. albilineans cannot establish in the open field in Germany. The establishment in southern European EU Member States is not expected. However, there is a lack of sufficient data to completely rule out the possibility of the establishment of the bacterium. 

Due to its presumably low damage potential to maize, X. albilineans poses a low phytosanitary risk for Germany and other EU-Member States. 

Thus, Xanthomonas albilineans is not classified as a quarantine pest and Article 29 of Regulation (EU) 2016/2031 does not apply. Nevertheless, it is a generally harmful pest and there are uncertainties in respect to its damage potential in Europe. Thus, measures for the prevention of the release should be recommended, including the application of Good Laboratory Practice like the inactivation of the pathogen after conclusion of the trials.