Programme title: European network for medical and veterinary entomology
Funding Source: European Food Safety Authority (EFSA)
Coordinator of the project: University of Pavia
Funding amount: 100%
Start Date: 1/7/2024
End Date: 30/6/2028
Duration: 4 years
The project with acronym «VectorNet3» is implemented with the participation of BPI as a partner and is 100% financed by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA). The primary aim of the project is to strategically coordinate and enhance the current efforts in vector surveillance and control across Europe. By integrating various EU-funded initiatives and regional training programs, the project seeks to maximize the impact and efficiency of vector-related health measures. This coordination is vital to ensure that activities are complementary and non-redundant, thereby optimizing resource utilization and achieving substantial improvements in public health outcomes related to vector-borne diseases.
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Participants:  Benaki Phytopathological Institute (Greece)
CIRAD, UMR Contrôle des Maladies (France)
Climate & Atmosphere Research Center (CARE-C) of The Cyprus Institute (Cyprus)
Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Science, Charles University (Czech Republic)
Dipartimento di Sanità Pubblica & Malattie Infettive, Università di Roma Sapienza (Italy)
Environmental Research Group Oxford, Department of Zoology, University of Oxford (UK)
Fondazione Edmund Mach - Istituto Agrario San Michele All'Adige (Italy)
Francis Schaffner Consultancy (France)
Institut for Veterinærog Husdyrvidenskab, Københavns Universitet (Denmark)
Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale dell'Abruzzo e del Molise (Italy)
National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM), (Netherlands)
University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine Cluj-Napoca (Romania)
University of Antwerp (Netherlands)
Project Manager BPI: Dr Antonios Michaelakis

Programme title: Entrusting new preparatory tasks falling within the mission of the EFSA Pesticides Peer Review and Pesticides Residues and Application Desk units - Specific Agreement No 13-2024 implementing Framework Partnership Agreement (GP/EFSA/PREV/2021/01)
Funding Source: European Food Safety Authority (EFSA)
Coordinator of the project: Benaki Phytopathological Institute
Funding amount: 90%
Start Date: 19/3/2024
End Date: 5/12/2025
Duration: 1 year & 9 months
The project is implemented with the participation of BPI as a coordinator in the Framework of GP/EFSA/PREV/2021/01 Task 3/Area 1-3-4 and financed by 90% of the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA). The project aims to provide scientific support to EFSA in the combinations of task and areas that are part of the responsibilities of the EFSA Pesticides Peer Review and Pesticides Residues and Application Desk Units and in which the BPI has been positively evaluated within the framework of the program GP/EFSA/PREV/2021/01.
Specific Agreement No 13-2024 Areas and Task: Task 3: Scientific contribution to data collections, data entries in databases and corresponding quality checks, literature review, development of IT tools supporting the risk assessment, coordination of outsourced activities, risk assessments.
Area 1: Toxicological and metabolism studies (section 5 of the data requirements for chemical active substances in Commission Regulation (EU) No 283/2013, section 7 of the data requirements for plant protection products in Commission Regulation (EU) No 284/2013) and related risk assessments.
Area 3: Chemistry, physico-chemical properties, analytical methods, fate and behavior in the environment (sections 1, 2, 4 and 7 of the data requirements for chemical active substances in Commission Regulation (EU) No 283/2013 sections 1, 2, 5 and 9 of the data requirements for plant protection products in Commission Regulation (EU) No 284/2013) and related risk assessments.
Area 4: Ecotoxicological studies (section 8 of the data requirements for chemical active substances in Commission Regulation (EU) No 283/2013, section 10 of the data requirements for plant protection products in Commission Regulation (EU) No 284/2013) and related risk assessments.
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Participants:  -
Project Manager BPI: Dr Kyriaki Machera

Programme title: Entrusting support tasks in the area of plant health risk assessment, Pest categorizations for phytophagous insects and mites of agricultural crops (GP/EFSA/PLANTS/2022/02).
Funding Source: European Food Safety Authority (EFSA)
Coordinator of the project: Benaki Phytopathological Institute
Funding amount: 90%
Start Date: 1/10/2023
End Date: 30/11/2027
Duration: 4 years & 2 months
The project is implemented by BPI and concern Lot1 in the framework of GP/EFSA/PLANTS/2022/02 and is 90% financed by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA). The project aims to assist EFSA in carrying out classification of agricultural pests (insects and mites) and risk assessments for new and emerging plant pests. Pest categorization is the first phase of the risk assessment for a plant pest and briefly describes the pest's biology, detection and identification, distribution, host range, ability to enter, establish and spread in the European Union, potential consequences and the measures available to reduce the likelihood of introduction, establishment, spread and its impacts. Categorization of pests is completed by indicating whether they meet the criteria assessed by EFSA to be considered as potential quarantine organisms for the European Commission, with identification of the main associated uncertainties.
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Participants:  -
Project Manager BPI: Dr Dimitris Papachristos

Programme title: Evaluation of new evidence on Non-Dietary Exposure to Plant Protection Products (GP/EFSA/PREV/2022/02)
Funding Source: European Food Safety Authority (EFSA)
Coordinator of the project: Benaki Phytopathological Institute
Funding amount: 100%
Start Date: 28/8/2023
End Date: 13/10/2025
Duration: 2 years & 5,5 months
The project is implemented with the participation of BPI as partner and is 100% financed by European Food Safety Authority (EFSA). The project aims to evaluate new data concerning the assessment of non-dietary exposure to plant protection products in order to use them for the revision of the relevant EFSA Guidance Document. In particular, EFSA has recently completed the update of the guidance document regarding the assessment of non-dietary exposure to plant protection products (Charistou A, Coja T, Graig P, Hamey P, Martin S, Sanvido O, Chiusolo A, Colas M and Istace F, 2022, Guidance on the assessment of exposure of operators, workers, residents and bystanders in risk assessment of plant protection products, EFSA Journal 2022;20(1):7032, 134 pp.). Due to the availability of new data, EFSA directly has addressed the project partners in order to undertake the evaluation of the new data. Final reports of the program will be taken into account for the next revision of the relevant EFSA Guidance.
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Participants:  Benaki Phytopathological Institute
Bundesinstitut für Risikobewertung
Università degli Studi di Milano
Università di Torino
Project Manager BPI: Mrs. Agathi Charistou

Programme title: Entrusting support tasks in the area of Plant health - Commodity risk assessment for High Risk Plants (GP/EFSA/ALPHA/2020/01 - Lot 2)
Funding Source: European Food Safety Authority (EFSA)
Coordinator of the project: Benaki Phytopathological Institute
Funding amount: 90%
Start Date: 1/4/2023
End Date: 31/3/2025
Duration: 2 years
The project is implemented by BPI and is 90% financed by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA). It is continuous by the Specific Agreement No 1 of the Framework GP/EFSA/ALPHA/2020/01 - Lot 2 and concerns the provision of assistance to EFSA on phytosanitary risk assessment for ornamental plants for planting imported into the European Union from third countries. Following the standards developed by EFSA, the evaluation of the data of third country dossiers submitted to the European Union for the purpose of exporting to the EU specific species of ornamental plants for planting will be carried out. In particular, all potential enemies related to the specific plant material will be identified and their distribution will be investigated in order to establish whether they are related to the country of export and the possible phytosanitary measures to be taken and the possible phytosanitary risk will be evaluated. Based on the project, lists of pests and diseases affecting the ornamentals in question and evidence of their presence in the exporting countries and in the EU will be delivered, as well as technical texts summarizing the key features for the pests and diseases that are of phytosanitary interest.
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Participants:  -
Project Manager BPI: Dr Dimitris Papachristos

Programme title: Partnership with EFSA on the retrospective Cumulative Risk Assessment of dietary exposure to pesticide residue (GP/EFSA/PREV/2023/03)
Funding Source: European Food Safety Authority (EFSA)
Coordinator of the project: National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM)
Funding amount: 90%
Start Date: 2023
End Date: 2027
Duration: 4 years
The project is implemented with the participation of BPI as a partner and financed by 90% of the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA). The aim of the project is to establish framework partnership agreements between EFSA and entities for conducting cumulative risk assessments in line with the action plan defined by the European Commission. The objective of the project is to carry out cumulative dietary exposure assessments to pesticide residues for the European consumer. The dietary risk assessment will be conducted using probabilistic models, for approximately 30 populations, utilizing monitoring data on residues from official control programs
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Participants:  Benaki Phytopathological Institute
French Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Health & Safety (ANSES)
Project Manager BPI: Dr Christos Anagnostopoulos

Programme title: Support to urgent authorizations on Plant Health and Pesticides (GP/EFSA/PLANTS/2023/02)
Funding Source: European Food Safety Authority (EFSA)
Coordinator of the project: Benaki Phytopathological Institute
Funding amount: 90%
Start Date: 2023
End Date: 2027
Duration: 3 years & 7 months
The project is being executed with the involvement of BPI in the capacity of coordinator and is 90% financed by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA). The primary objective of the project is to develop protocols for the evaluation of emergency authorisations of pesticides granted under Article 53 of Regulation (EU) 1107/2009. Emergency authorization pertains to the placing on the market of plant protection products for limited and controlled use, where such a measure appears necessary because of a danger which cannot be controlled by any other reasonable means. The protocols that will be developed concern various functions of active substances (insecticides/acaricides, fungicides/bactericides and remaining functions of active substances e.g. soil fumigants, herbicides and nematicides). The project encompasses the development of at least three case studies for each of the protocols with the purpose of illustrating how the protocols should be applied in practice. Furthermore, it includes preparatory work related to i. The analysis of all emergency authorisations issued in EU Member states over the past two decades, ii. The compilation of a comprehensive inventory of alternatives available to control arthropods, nematodes, fungi, plant pathogenic bacteria, viruses and weeds and iii. The establishment of criteria for evaluating the effectiveness and feasibility of each measure proposed
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Participants:  Aarhus University
Agencia Estatal Consejo Superior De Investigaciones Cientificas
Project Manager BPI: Dr Evangelos Karanasios

Programme title: Entrusting new preparatory tasks falling within the mission of the EFSA Pesticides Peer Review and Pesticides Residues and Application Desk units - Specific Agreement No 11-2023 implementing Framework Partnership Agreement (GP/EFSA/PREV/2021/01)
Funding Source: European Food Safety Authority (EFSA)
Coordinator of the project: -
Funding amount: 90%
Start Date: 26/4/2023
End Date: 25/10/2025
Duration: 2 years & 6 months
The project is implemented with the participation of BPI as partner in scientific field Task 3/Area 1, in the frame of “Entrusting new preparatory tasks falling within the mission of the EFSA Pesticides Peer Review and Pesticides Residues and Application Desk units” and 90% financed by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA). The purpose of the project is to provide scientific support to EFSA in the scientific fields and activities that are part of the responsibilities of the EFSA Pesticides Peer Review and Pesticides Residues and Application Desk Units and in which the BPI has been positively evaluated within the framework of the program.
Specific Agreement No 11-2023 Area and Task:
Task 3: Scientific contribution to data collections, data entries in databases and corresponding quality checks, literature review, development of IT tools supporting the risk assessment, coordination of outsourced activities, risk assessment.
Area 1: Toxicological and metabolism studies (section 5 of the data requirements for chemical active substances in Commission Regulation (EU) No 283/2013, section 7 of the data requirements for plant protection products in Commission Regulation (EU) No 284/2013) and related risk assessments.
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Participants:  Benaki Phytopathological Institute
Project Manager BPI: Dr Kyriaki Machera

Programme title: Entrusting new preparatory tasks falling within the mission of the EFSA Pesticides Peer Review and Pesticides Residues and Application Desk units (GR/EFSA/PREV/2021/01)
Funding Source: European Food Safety Authority (EFSA)
Coordinator of the project: -
Funding amount: 90%
Start Date: 5/8/2022
End Date: 5/2/2026
Duration: 3 years & 6 months
The project is implemented with the participation of BPI as partner and 90% financed by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA). The purpose of the project is to provide scientific support to EFSA in the scientific fields and activities that are part of the responsibilities of the EFSA Pesticides Peer Review and Pesticides Residues and Application Desk Units and in which BPI has been positively evaluated within the framework of GR/EFSA/PREV/2021/01. Based on this program, scientific support to EFSA is provided by BPI in the following combinations of Areas and Tasks: Task 1/Area 3, Task 3/Area 1-3-4 & Task 7/Area 2-3.
The relevant Areas and Tasks correspond to the following:
Task 1: Scientific contribution to the evaluation of active substances, and to the drafting of the respective part of the ESFA conclusions.
Task 3: Scientific contribution to data collections, data entries in databases and corresponding quality checks, literature review, development of IT tools supporting the risk assessment, coordination of outsourced activities, risk assessment.
Task 7: Scientific contribution to assessments of negligible exposure and Art 4.7. Assessments of emergency authorisations under Art 53.
Area 1: Toxicological and metabolism studies (section 5 of the data requirements for chemical active substances in Commission Regulation (EU) No 283/2013, section 7 of the data requirements for plant protection products in Commission Regulation (EU) No 284/2013) and related risk assessments.
Area 2: residues (section 6 of the data for chemical active substances in Commission Regulation (EU) No 283/2013, section 8 of the data requirements for plant protection products in Commission Regulation (EU) No 284/2013) and related risk assessments.
Area 3: Chemistry, physico-chemical properties, analytical methods, fate and behavior in the environment (sections 1, 2, 4 and 7 of the data requirements for chemical active substances in Commission Regulation (EU) No 283/2013, sections 1 ,2 , 5 and 9 of the data requirements for plant protection products in Commission Regulation (EU) No 284/2013) and related risk assessments.
Area 4: Ecotoxicological studies (section 8 of the data of the data requirements for chemical active substances in Commission Regulation (EU) No 283/2013, section 10 of the data requirements for plant protection products in Commission Regulation (EU) No 284/2013) and related risk assessments.
Website: -

Participants:  Benaki Phytopathological Institute
Project Manager BPI: Dr Kyriaki Machera