A protocol for analysing the costs and benefits of phytosanitary measures

This paper describes a protocol developed within the PRATIQUE project for applying cost/benefit analysis to select appropriate phytosanitary measures for use against quarantine pests. The protocol consists of nine steps, each underpinned by clear guidelines for collating and structuring the relevant data, to assist risk managers with the challenging task of assessing the benefits and costs of phytosanitary measures in a consistent, transparent and reproducible manner. Together with the decision-support scheme that generates contingency plants and prioritizes action during pest outbreaks, it provides a framework for decision making on phytosanitary measures and helps to provide economic justification for selecting appropriate measures. The practical application of the protocol is demonstrated using two examples: cost/benefit analysis of eradication measures against Anoplophora glabripennis in Northern Italy; and eradication and containment measures against Diabrotica virgifera virgifera in Germany.