The list of invasive alien species of Union concern is a regulatory list of invasive animals and plants whose introduction and spread within the European Union are strictly prohibited due to their significant negative impact on the natural environment, economy, or human health. First published in 2016, it has been updated multiple times and it currently consists of 114 species, of which 65 are animals and 49 are plants.
History In 2016, following the EU Regulation 1143/2014 on Invasive Alien Species (IAS), the European Commission published a first list of 37 IAS of Union concern. The list was first updated in 2017 and comprised 49 species. Since the second update in 2019, 66 species are listed as IAS of EU concern. Since the third update in 2022, 88 species are listed as IAS of EU concern, although the final inclusion of three of these species has been deferred to 2024, and one to 2027. Finally, in 2025 further 26 species were added, so the list now contains 114 species.
Regulations The species on the list are subject to restrictions on keeping, importing, selling, breeding and growing. Member States of the European Union must take measures to stop their spread, implement monitoring and preferably eradicate these species. Even countries in which they are already widespread are expected to manage the species to avoid further spread.
Full list PictureScientific nameEnglish nameTaxonomic groupEntry into force Year of regulation adoption in brackets if different from entry into force.Acacia mearnsii De Wild., Pl. Bequaert.Black wattlePlantae2025 Acacia saligna (Labill.) H.L.Wendl. Golden wreath wattle Plantae 2019Acridotheres cristatellus (Linnaeus, 1758)Crested mynaAves2025 Acridotheres tristis Linnaeus, 1766 Common or Indian myna Aves 2019 Ailanthus altissima (Mill.) Swingle Tree of heaven Plantae 2019 Alopochen aegyptiaca Linnaeus, 1766 Egyptian goose Aves 2017 Alternanthera philoxeroides (Mart.) Griseb. Alligator weed Plantae 2017 Ameiurus melas Black bullhead Pisces 2022 Andropogon virginicus L. Broomsedge bluestem Plantae 2019 Arthurdendyus triangulatus (Dendy, 1894) Jones & Gerard (1999) New Zealand flatworm Platyhelminthes 2019 Asclepias syriaca L. Milkweed Plantae 2017Asterias amurensis Lutken, 1871Northern Pacific seastarEchinodermata2025 Axis axis Chital Mammalia 2022 Baccharis halimifolia L. Eastern baccharis Plantae 2016Bipalium kewense Moseley, 1868Shovel-headed garden wormPlatyhelminthes2025Brachyponera chinensis (Emery, 1895)Asian needle antInsecta2025Broussonetia papyrifera (L.) L'Hér ex Vent.Paper mulberryPlantae2025 Cabomba caroliniana Gray Green cabomba Plantae 2016 Callosciurus erythraeus Pallas, 1779 Pallas's squirrel Mammalia 2016 Callosciurus finlaysonii Finlayson's squirrel Mammalia 2022 Cardiospermum grandiflorum Sw. Balloon vine Plantae 2019Castor canadensis Kuhl, 1820North American beaverMammalia2027 (2025) Celastrus orbiculatus Oriental bittersweet Plantae 2027 (2022)Cervus nippon Temminck, 1838Sika deerMammalia2025 Channa argus Northern snakehead Pisces 2022Cherax destructor Clark, 1936Common yabbyCrustacea2025Cipangopaludina chinensis (Gray 1834)Chinese mystery snailMollusca2025 Cortaderia jubata (Lemoine ex Carrière) Stapf Purple pampas grass Plantae 2019 Corvus splendens Vieillot, 1817 Indian house crow Aves 2016Crassula helmsii (Kirk) CockayneSwamp stonecropPlantae2025Delairea odorata Lem.Plantae2025 Ehrharta calycina Sm. Perennial veldtgrass Plantae 2019 Eichhornia crassipes (Martius) Solms Water hyacinth Plantae 2016 Elodea nuttallii (Planch.) St. John Nuttall's waterweed Plantae 2017 Eriocheir sinensis H. Milne Edwards, 1854 Chinese mitten crab Crustacea 2016Faxonius immunis (Hagen, 1870)Calico crayfishCrustacea2025 Faxonius rusticus Rusty crayfish Crustacea 2022 Fundulus heteroclitus Mummichog Pisces 2024 (2022) Gambusia affinis Western mosquitofish Pisces 2022 Gambusia holbrooki Eastern mosquitofish Pisces 2022 Gunnera tinctoria (Molina) Mirbel Chilean rhubarb Plantae 2017 Gymnocoronis spilanthoides (D.Don ex Hook. & Arn.) DC. Spadeleaf plant Plantae 2019 Hakea sericea Needlebush Plantae 2022 Heracleum mantegazzianum Sommier & Levier Giant hogweed Plantae 2017 Heracleum persicum Fischer Persian hogweed Plantae 2016 Heracleum sosnowskyi Mandenova Sosnowski's hogweed Plantae 2016 Herpestes javanicus É. Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire, 1818 Small Asian mongoose Mammalia 2016 Humulus scandens (Lour.) Merr. Japanese hop Plantae 2019 Hydrocotyle ranunculoides L. f. Floating pennywort Plantae 2016 Impatiens glandulifera Royle Himalayan balsam Plantae 2017 Koenigia polystachya Himalayan knotweed Plantae 2022 Lagarosiphon major (Ridley) Moss Curly waterweed Plantae 2016 Lampropeltis getula Common kingsnake Reptilia 2022 Lepomis gibbosus Linnaeus, 1758 Pumpkinseed Pisces 2019 Lespedeza cuneata (Dum.Cours.) G.Don Chinese bushclover, sericea Plantae 2019 Limnoperna fortunei Golden mussel Mollusca 2022 Lithobates catesbeianus Shaw, 1802 American bullfrog Amphibia 2016 Ludwigia grandiflora (Michx.) Greuter & Burdet Water primrose Plantae 2016 Ludwigia peploides (Kunth) P.H. Raven Floating primrose Plantae 2016 Lygodium japonicum (Thunb.) Sw. Vine-like fern Plantae 2019 Lysichiton americanus Hultén & H. St. John American skunk cabbage Plantae 2016Marisa cornuarietis (Linnaeus 1758)Colombian ramshorn apple snailMollusca2025 Microstegium vimineum (Trin.) A. Camus Japanese stiltgrass Plantae 2017Misgurnus anguillicaudatus (Cantor, 1842)Pond loachPisces2025Misgurnus bipartitus (Sauvage & Dabry de Thiersant, 1874)Pisces2025 Morone americana White perch Pisces 2022Mulinia lateralis (Say, 1822)Dwarf surf clamMollusca2025 Muntiacus reevesi Ogilby, 1839 Muntjac deer Mammalia 2016 Myocastor coypus Molina, 1782 Coypu, Nutria Mammalia 2016 Myriophyllum aquaticum (Vell.) Verdc. Parrot's feather Plantae 2016 Myriophyllum heterophyllum Michaux Broadleaf watermilfoil Plantae 2017Nanozostera japonica (Ascherson & Graebner) Tomlinson & Posluszny, 2001Dwarf eelgrassPlantae2025 Nasua nasua Linnaeus, 1766 South American coati Mammalia 2016Neogale vison (Schreber, 1777)American minkMammalia2027 (2025) Nyctereutes procyonoides Gray, 1834 Raccoon dog Mammalia 2019 (2017)Obama nungara Carbayo, Álvarez-Presas, Jones & Riutort, 2016Platyhelminthes2025 Ondatra zibethicus Linnaeus, 1766 Muskrat Mammalia 2017 Orconectes limosus Rafinesque, 1817 Spiny-cheek crayfish Crustacea 2016 Orconectes virilis Hagen, 1870 Virile (northern) crayfish Crustacea 2016 Oxyura jamaicensis Gmelin, 1789 Ruddy duck Aves 2016 Pacifastacus leniusculus Dana, 1852 Signal crayfish Crustacea 2016 Parthenium hysterophorus L. Whitetop weed Plantae 2016 Pennisetum setaceum (Forssk.) Chiov. Crimson fountaingrass Plantae 2017 Perccottus glenii Dybowski, 1877 Amur sleeper Pisces 2016 Persicaria perfoliata (L.) H. Gross Asiatic tearthumb Plantae 2016 Pistia stratiotes Water lettuce Plantae 2024 (2022)Platydemus manokwari de Beauchamp, 1963New Guinea flatwormPlatyhelminthes2025 Plotosus lineatus (Thunberg, 1787) Striped eel catfish Pisces 2019 Procambarus clarkii Girard, 1852 Red swamp crayfish Crustacea 2016 Procambarus virginalis (Lyko, 2017) Marbled crayfish Crustacea 2016 Procyon lotor Linnaeus, 1758 Raccoon Mammalia 2016 Prosopis juliflora (Sw.) DC. Mesquite Plantae 2019 Pseudorasbora parva Temminck & Schlegel, 1846 Topmouth gudgeon Pisces 2016 Pueraria montana var. lobata (Willd.) Kudzu vine Plantae 2016 Pycnonotus cafer Red-vented bulbul Aves 2022Pycnonotus jocosus (Linnaeus, 1758)Red-whiskered bulbulAves2025Reynoutria japonica Houtt.Japanese knotweedPlantae2025Reynoutria sachalinensis (F. Schmidt) NakaiGiant knotweedPlantae2025Reynoutria × bohemica Chrtek & ChrtkováBohemian knotweedPlantae2025 Rugulopteryx okamurae Plantae 2022 Salvinia molesta D.S. Mitch. Giant salvinia, kariba weed Plantae 2019 Sciurus carolinensis Gmelin, 1788 Grey squirrel Mammalia 2016 Sciurus niger Linnaeus, 1758 Bryant's fox squirrel Mammalia 2016 Solenopsis geminata Tropical fire ant Insecta 2022 Solenopsis invicta Red imported fire ant Insecta 2022 Solenopsis richteri Black imported fire ant Insecta 2022 Tamias sibiricus Laxmann, 1769 Siberian chipmunk Mammalia 2016 Threskiornis aethiopicus Latham, 1790 Sacred Ibis Aves 2016 Trachemys scripta elegans Schoepff, 1792 Red eared slider Reptilia 2016 Triadica sebifera (L.) Small Chinese tallowtree Plantae 2019Vespa mandarinia Smith, 1852Asian giant hornetInsecta2025 Vespa velutina nigrithorax du Buysson, 1905 Yellow-legged Asian hornet Insecta 2016 Wasmannia auropunctata Electric ant Insecta 2022 Xenopus laevis African clawed frog Amphibia 2024 (2022)
Resources Official IAS webpage An Introduction to the EU Regulation on Invasive Alien Species (Version 2022) (PDF). Overview of the project. An introduction to the invasive alien species of Union concern (Version 2022) (PDF). This brochure presents the currently listed invasive alien species of Union concern, offering brief, non-technical and informal summaries of each of the 88 species. Baseline Distribution of Invasive Alien Species of Union Concern
See also List of invasive species in Europe (extensive list of alien species occurring in Europe)
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