This  document  presents  the  opinion  of  the  Panel  on  Plant  Health  on  the full  pest  risk  assessment  conducted  by  France  on  Xanthomonas axonopodis  pv.  citri  with  French  Guiana,  Guadeloupe and Martinique, considered as endangered area.

X.  axonopodis  pv. citri,  recently  renamed as Xanthomonas citri subsp.  citri  (XCC)  causes  the  Asiatic citrus canker, a plant disease that affects Citrus spp., Poncirus spp. and other members of the family Rutaceae. XCC causes necrosis of the parenchyma that leads to necrotic lesions and cankers on leaves, twigs, branches and fruit of susceptible plants. Under severe infection, the  disease  causes  defoliation,  unsightly  blemishes  on  fruit,  premature  fruit  drop  and  general  tree  decline.  The  disease  leads  to  extensive  economic  losses  in  commercial  citrus-producing  areas  where  it  occurs.  The  Asiatic  citrus canker  is  known  to  be  present  in  citrus-producing  areas  worldwide.  It  has  been  reported  from  Asia,  South  America  (Argentina,  Paraguay, Uruguay,  Bolivia  and  Brazil),  Oceania  and  the  USA  (State  of  Florida).  The  pathogen  is  not  known  to  occur  in  French Guiana,  Guadeloupe  and Martinique.  It  is  not  present  in  Europe,  either.

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In agreement with the document, the Panel concludes that XCC is appropriate for evaluation of pest risk management options and can be considered as a harmful organism for the endangered

area of French Guiana, Guadeloupe and Martinique. The Panel notices that XCC is already inthe list of harmful organisms in Directive 2000/29/EC, as “Xanthomonas campestris (all strains pathogenic to citrus)”.