Following a request from the European Commission, the EFSA Plant Health Panel updated its pest categorisation of Xylella fastidiosa, previously delivered as part of the pest risk assessment published in 2015. X. fastidiosa is a Gram‐negative bacterium, responsible for various plant diseases, including Pierce's disease, phony peach disease, citrus variegated chlorosis, olive quick decline syndrome, almond leaf scorch and various other leaf scorch diseases. The pathogen is endemic in the Americas and is present in Iran. In the EU, it is reported in southern Apulia in Italy, on the island of Corsica and in the Provence‐Alpes‐Côte d'Azur region in France, as well as in the Autonomous region of Madrid, the province of Alicante and the Balearic Islands in Spain. The reported status is ‘transient, under eradication’, except for the Balearic Islands, Corsica and southern of Apulia, where the status is ‘present with a restricted distribution, under containment’. The pathogen is regulated under Council Directive 2000/29/EC and through emergency measures under http://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX:32015D0789 (as amended http://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX:32017D2352). The pest could enter the EU via host plants for planting and via infectious insect vectors. The host range includes hundreds of host species listed in the EFSA host plant database. In the EU, host plants are widely distributed and climatic conditions are favourable for its establishment. X. fastidiosa can spread by movement of host plants for planting and infectious insect vectors. X. fastidiosa is known to cause severe direct damage to major crops including almonds, citrus, grapevines, olives, stone fruits and also forest trees, landscape and ornamental trees, with high impacts. The criteria assessed by the Panel for consideration as a potential Union quarantine pest are met (the pathogen is present in the EU, but it has a restricted distribution and is under official control). X. fastidiosa is not considered as a regulated non‐quarantine pest (RNQP) as the pathogen may spread also via insect vector transmission.

Following a request from the European Commission, EFSA periodically updates the database on the host plants of Xylella spp. While previous editions of the database (2015 and 2016) dealt with the species Xylella fastidiosa only, this database version addresses the whole genus Xylella, including therefore both species X. fastidiosa and Xylella taiwanensis. The database now includes information on host plants of Xylella spp. retrieved from scientific literature up to November 2017 and from EUROPHYT notifications up to May 2018. An extensive literature search was performed to screen the scientific and technical literature published between the previous database update conducted in December 2015 and December 2017. The literature screening was supported by the DistillerSR software platform. The applied protocol for the extensive literature review and extensive information search, together with examples of data extraction, are described in detail in this report. This report also includes published information on resistance or tolerance of plant varieties to Xylella spp. The current database includes 563 plant species reported to be infected by X. fastidiosa, of which for 312 plant species the infection has been determined with at least two different detection methods. These species cover hundreds of host plant genera in 82 botanical families (61 botanical families when considering only records with at least two different detection methods). The update of this database of host plants of Xylella spp. reported world‐wide provides a key tool for risk management, risk assessment and research on this polyphagous bacterial plant pathogen.

The EFSA Panel on Plant Health (PLHP) performed a pest categorisation of Spodoptera litura (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) for the EU. S. litura is widely distributed across South and East Asia and Oceania. It is established in tropical and subtropical regions where there are no, or few, frost days each year. It can extend its range into cooler temperate regions during summer months. S. litura is highly polyphagous feeding on hosts within at least 40 botanical families, including economically important crops within Brassicaceae, Cucurbitaceae, Fabaceae, Malvaceae, Poaceae and Solanaceae. Larvae are primarily leaf feeders and can cause complete defoliation. At high population densities almost all plant parts are eaten. S. litura is a serious pest in the Asia‐Pacific region where it causes losses to many economically important cultivated field crops and crops such as eggplants, sweet peppers and tomatoes in protected cultivation. As a species that appears limited by winter temperatures, only a small area of the EU provides climatic conditions where establishment outdoors may be possible although cultivated and wild hosts are distributed across the EU. S. litura has been intercepted in the EU many times on ornamentals and leafy vegetables. Outbreaks have occurred in EU glasshouses and have been eradicated. Phytosanitary measures are available to inhibit entry. S. litura satisfies the criteria that are within the remit of EFSA to assess for it to be regarded as a potential Union quarantine pest. S. litura does not meet the criteria of occurring in the EU, and plants for planting being the principal means of spread for it to be regarded as a potential Union regulated non‐quarantine pest.

The EFSA Panel on Plant Health performed a pest categorisation of the citrus fruit midge, Resseliella citrifrugis Jiang (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae), for the territory of the EU. This species is not included in EU Commission Implementing Regulation 2019/2072. This oligophagous species, which feeds on Citrus spp. fruits, is known to occur in China (provinces of Fujian, Gansu, Guangdong, Guangxi, Guizhou, Hubei, Hunan, Jiangxi and Sichuan). First‐generation adults emerge in April and oviposit on the peduncle and calyx of citrus fruits. Larvae feed on the albedo (the white layer between skin and pulp) of the fruit, which they tunnel. Infested fruit most often drop prematurely. Larvae pupate either within the fallen fruit or in the soil. This species has three main peaks of activity (May, June–July, August–September) and four generations per year in its native range. Mature larvae from the last generation are the overwintering stage. Potential entry pathways for R. citrifrugis , such as Citrus spp. plants for planting with foliage and soil/growing media, and soil/growing media can be considered as closed. The citrus fruit pathway remains open from countries where R. citrifrugis is known to occur. Indeed, this species was intercepted in fresh pomelos 11 times from December 2020 to January 2021 in the EU. Should R. citrifrugis enter the EU, the ample availability of hosts ( Citrus spp.) and the climatic conditions in citrus‐growing areas of southern EU Member States would most probably allow this species to successfully establish and spread. Economic impact in citrus production is anticipated if establishment occurs. R. citrifrugis satisfies the criteria that are within the remit of EFSA to assess for this species to be regarded as a potential Union quarantine pest. There is uncertainty about the nomenclature of R. citrifrugis and its exact host range. However, because the name Resseliella citrifrugis is used in multiple sources reporting it as a pest of citrus in China, where symptoms, biology and impact are described, these uncertainties do not affect the conclusions of this categorisation.

The EFSA Panel on Plant Health performed a pest categorisation of the eggplant fruit and shoot borer, Leucinodes orbonalis Guen ee, (Lepidoptera: Crambidae), for the territory of the EU. L. orbonalis is a tropical and sub-tropical species native to Asia and Australia with India considered its centre of origin. Following taxonomic revision, literature reporting L. orbonalis from sub-Saharan Africa should be regarded as referring to members of a complex of other species of Leucinodes native to Africa and not as referring to L. orbonalis. L. orbonalis is not present in the EU and is not a regulated EU pest. L. orbonalis is a major pest of Solanum melongena (eggplant) in Asia where larvae feed within leaves, stems, shoots and fruits. Larvae can also feed on a range of other plants, mostly within Solanaceae although L. orbonalis is generally not reported as a pest of crops other than S. melongena. However, in recent years L. orbonalis has emerged as a pest of Solanum tuberosum in south-west India. In tropical areas there can be 10 generations per year if conditions are suitable. L. orbonalis has been intercepted 350 times in the EU from a range of Asian countries on a range of produce, mostly larvae in fruits of S. melongena. Biotic factors (host availability) and abiotic factors (climate suitability) suggest that some small areas of the EU could be suitable for establishment. Adult L. orbonalis can fly and the species could spread within the EU. The introduction of L. orbonalis into the EU would have an economic impact, most likely on S. melongena production, the magnitude of which is uncertain. Measures are available to prevent the entry of L. orbonalis into the EU. L. orbonalis satisfies the criteria that are within the remit of EFSA to assess for this species to be regarded as a potential Union quarantine pest.