The risk of introduction of T. absoluta into German tomato cultivation sites is estimated as high because large quantities of tomatoes are imported from the infested countries Spain and the Netherlands. Furthermore, numerous leaf-miner moths have already been found in Dutch tomato production sites under glass in close vicinity to tomato production sites at the Lower Rhine in Germany. Extensive damage caused by yield loss or additional costs for plant protection for the tomato cultivation as well as for the production of bedding and balcony plants of Petunia must be expected in Germany. Due to the broad presence of host plants, the spread in the open field during the summer months is possible, whereby overwintering is limited to the glasshouse because of climatic conditions. T. absoluta meets the basic characteristics for a quarantine pest. Tuta absoluta has already been found in Germany and other EU Member States and is partly already wide spread (Italy, Spain, Cyprus). Furthermore, there are effective pathways that can hardly be influenced. On EU level, it was clarified that phytosanitary regulations are no longer meaningful. Hence § 4a of the Plant Inspection Order is no longer applicable i.e. there is no longer the obligation for notification, control or clearance