EURL Missions

The functions and duties of the EURL for Plant Parasitic Nematodes are laid out in article 94
of the REGULATION (EU) 2017/625 OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL of 15 March 2017 as follows:
 

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To ensure availability and use of high-quality methods and to ensure high-quality performance by NRLs

Sub-activity 1.1 Providing NRLs with details and guidance on the methods, including reference methods

Sub-activity 1.2 Providing reference materials to national reference laboratories

Sub-activity 1.3 Coordinating the application by the national reference laboratories and, if necessary, by other official laboratories of the methods referred to in point (a), in particular, by organizing regular inter-laboratory comparative testing or proficiency tests and by ensuring appropriate follow-up of such comparative testing or proficiency tests in accordance, where available, with internationally accepted protocols, and informing the Commission and the Member States of the results and follow-up to the inter-laboratory comparative testing or proficiency tests.

Sub-activity 1.4 Where relevant for their area of competence, cooperate among themselves and with the Commission, as appropriate, to develop methods of analysis, testing or diagnosis of high standards.

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To provide scientific and technical assistance to NRLs

Sub-activity 2.1 Coordinating practical arrangements necessary to apply new methods of laboratory analysis, testing or diagnosis, and informing national reference laboratories of advances in this field.

Sub-activity 2.2 Conducting training courses for staff from national reference laboratories and, if needed, from other official laboratories, as well as of experts from third countries.

Sub-activity 2.3 Providing information on relevant national, Union and international research activities to national reference laboratories.

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To provide scientific and technical assistance to the european commission and other organisations.

Sub-activity 3.1 Providing scientific and technical assistance to the Commission within the scope of their mission

Sub-activity 3.2 Collaborating within the scope of their mission with laboratories in third countries and with the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), the European Medicines Agency (EMA) and the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC).

Sub-activity 3.3 Assisting actively in the diagnosis of outbreaks in the Member States of foodborne, zoonotic or animal diseases, or of pests of plants, by carrying out confirmatory diagnosis, characterisation and taxonomic or epizootic studies on pathogen isolates or pest specimens.

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Reagents and reference collections

Sub-activity 4.1 Coordinating or performing tests for the verification of the quality of reagents and lots of reagents used   for the diagnosis of foodborne, zoonotic or animal diseases and pests of plants.

Sub-activity 4.2 Where relevant for their area of competence, establishing and maintaining:

reference collections of pests of plants and/or reference strains of pathogenic agents;

reference collections of materials intended to come into contact with food used to calibrate analytical equipment and provide samples thereof to national reference laboratories;

up-to-date lists of available reference substances and reagents and of manufacturers and suppliers of such substances and reagents.

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