In 2016, following the EU Regulation 1143/2014 on Invasive Alien Species (Anonymous 2014), the European Commission published a first list of 37 IAS of Union concern (Anonymous 2016). The list was first updated in 2017 and comprised 49 species (Anonymous 2017). After the second update in 2019, 66 species were listed as IAS of EU concern (Anonymous 2019). The third update in July 2022 added another 22 species to the list (Anonymous 2022). A fourth update followed in July 2025 and added 26 species (Anonymous 2025). Linked species are (potentially) relevant to Luxembourg.
Current list of IAS of Union concern
| Full scientific name | English name | Tax. Group | EU1 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Acacia mearnsii De Wild., Pl. Bequaert. | Black wattle | Plantae | 2025 |
| Acacia saligna (Labill.) H.L.Wendl. | Golden wreath wattle | Plantae | 2019 |
| Acridotheres cristatellus (Linnaeus, 1758) | Crested myna | Aves | 2025 |
| 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 (Rafinesque, 1820) | Black bullhead | Pisces | 2022 |
| Andropogon virginicus L. | Broomsedge bluestem | Plantae | 2019 |
| Arthurdendyus triangulatus (Dendy, 1894) Jones & Gerard (1999) | New Zealand flatworm | Rhabditophora | 2019 |
| Asclepias syriaca L. | Milkweed | Plantae | 2017 |
| Asterias amurensis Lutken, 1871 | Northern Pacific seastar | Asteriidae | 2025 |
| Axis axis (Erxleben, 1777) | Spotted dear | Mammalia | 2022 |
| Baccharis halimifolia L. | Eastern baccharis | Plantae | 2016 |
| Bipalium kewense Moseley, 1868 | Shovel-headed garden worm | Platyhelminthes | 2025 |
| Brachyponera chinensis (Emery, 1895) | Asian needle ant | Insecta | 2025 |
| something | Paper mulberry | Plantae | 2025 |
| Cabomba caroliniana Gray | Green cabomba | Plantae | 2016 |
| Callosciurus erythraeus Pallas, 1779 | Palla’s squirrel | Mammalia | 2016 |
| Callosciurus finlaysonii (Horsfield, 1823) | Finlayson’s squirrel | Mammalia | 2022 |
| Cardiospermum grandiflorum Sw. | Balloon vine | Plantae | 2019 |
| Celastrus orbiculatus Thunb. | Oriental bittersweet | Plantae | 2022 |
| Cervus nippon Temminck, 1838 | Sika deer | Mammalia | 2025 |
| Channa argus (Canto, 1842) | Northern snakehead | Pisces | 2022 |
| Cherax destructor Clark, 1936 | Common yabby | Crustaceae | 2025 |
| Cipangopaludina chinensis (Gray 1834) | Chinese mystery snail | Gastropoda | 2025 |
| Crassula helmsii (Kirk) Cockayne | New Zealand pigmyweed | Plantae | 2025 |
| Cortaderia jubata (Lemoine ex Carrière) Stapf | Purple pampas grass | Plantae | 2019 |
| Corvus splendens Viellot, 1817 | Indian house crow | Aves | 2016 |
| Delairea odorata Lem. | Cape ivy | Plantae | 2025 |
| 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 | 2016 |
| Faxonius immunis (Hagen, 1870) | Calico crayfish | Crustacea | 2025 |
| Faxonius rusticus (Girard, 1852) | Rusty crayfish | Crustacea | 2022 |
| Fundulus heteroclitus (Linnaeus, 1766) | Mummichog | Pisces | 2022 |
| Gambusia affinis (Baird & Girard, 1853) | Western mosquitofish | Pisces | 2022 |
| Gambusia holbrooki Girard, 1859 | Eastern mosquitofish | Pisces | 2022 |
| Gunnera tinctoria (Molina) Mirbel | Chilean rhubarb | Plantae | 2022 |
| Gymnocoronis spilanthoides (D.Don ex Hook. & Arn.) DC. | Spadeleaf plant | Plantae | 2019 |
| Hakea sericea Schrad. & J.C.Wendl. | Bushy needlewood | 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 (Wall. ex Meisn.) T.M.Schust. & Reveal | Himalayan knotweed | Plantae | 2022 |
| Lagarosiphon major (Ridley) Moss | Curly waterweed | Plantae | 2016 |
| Lampropeltis getula (Linnaeus, 1766) | Eastern kingsnake | Reptilia | 2022 |
| Lepomis gibbosus Linnaeus, 1758 | Pumpkinseed | Pisces | 2019 |
| Lespedeza cuneata (Dum.Cours.) G.Don | Chinese bushclover | Plantae | 2019 |
| Limnoperna fortunei (Dunker, 1857) | 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 | 2016 |
| Marisa cornuarietis (Linnaeus 1758) | Colombian ramshorn apple snail | Gastropoda | 2025 |
| Microstegium vimineum (Trin.) A. Camus | Japanese stiltgrass | Plantae | 2017 |
| Misgurnus anguillicaudatus (Cantor, 1842) | Pond loach | Pisces | 2025 |
| Misgurnus bipartitus (Sauvage & Dabry de Thiersant, 1874) | Loach | Pisces | 2025 |
| Morone americana (Gmelin, 1789) | White perch | Pisces | 2022 |
| Mulinia lateralis (Say, 1822) | Dwarf surf clam | Bivalvia | 2025 |
| Muntiacus reevesi Ogilby, 1839 | Muntjac deer | Mammalia | 2016 |
| Myocastor coypus Molina, 1782 | Coypu | Mammalia | 2016 |
| Myriophyllum aquaticum (Vell.) Verdc. | Parrot’s feather | Plantae | 2016 |
| Myriophyllum heterophyllum Michaux | Broadleaf watermilfoil | Plantae | 2017 |
| Nanozostera japonica (Ascherson & Graebner) Tomlinson & Posluszny, 2001 | Japanese eelgrass | Plantae | 2025 |
| Nasua nasua Linnaeus, 1766 | South American coati | Mammalia | 2016 |
| Nyctereutes procyonoides Gray, 1834 | Racoon dog | Mammalia | 2017 |
| Obama nungara Carbayo, Álvarez-Presas, Jones & Riutort, 2016 | Platyhelminthes | 2025 | |
| 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 L. | Water cabbage | Plantae | 2022 |
| Platydemus manokwari de Beauchamp, 1963 | New Guinea flatworm | Platyhelminthes | 2025 |
| Plotosus lineatus (Thunberg, 1787) | Striped eel catfish | Pisces | 2019 |
| Procambarus clarkii Girard, 1852 | Red swamp crayfish | Crustacea | 2016 |
| Procambarus fallax (Hagen, 1870) f. virginalis | Marbled crayfish | Crustacea | 2016 |
| Procyon lotor Linnaeus, 1758 | Racoon | Mammalia | 2016 |
| Prosopis juliflora (Sw.) DC. | Mesquite | Plantae | 2019 |
| Pseudorasbora parva Temminck & Schlegel, 1846 | Topmouth gudgeon | Pisces | 2016 |
| Pueraria montana (Lour.) Merr. var. lobata (Willd.) | Kudzu vine | Plantae | 2016 |
| Pycnonotus cafer (Linnaeus, 1766) | Red-vented bulbul | Aves | 2022 |
| Pycnonotus jocosus (Linnaeus, 1758) | Red-whiskered bulbul | Aves | 2025 |
| Reynoutria japonica Houtt. | Japanese knotweed | Plantae | 2025 |
| Reynoutria sachalinensis (F. Schmidt) Nakai | Sakhalin knotweed | Plantae | 2025 |
| Reynoutria x bohemica Chrtek & Chrtková | Bohemnian knotweed | Plantae | 2025 |
| Rugulopteryx okamurae (E.Y.Dawson) I.K.Hwang, W.J.Lee & H.S.Kim, 2009 | Algae | 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 (Fabricius, 1804) | Red imported fire ant | Insecta | 2022 |
| Solenopsis invicta Buren, 1972 | Tropical fire ant | Insecta | 2022 |
| Solenopsis richteri Forel, 1909 | Black imported fire ant | Insecta | 2022 |
| Tamias sibiricus Laxmann, 1769 | Siberian chipmunk | Mammalia | 2016 |
| Threskiornis aethiopicus Latham, 1790 | Sacred Ibis | Aves | 2016 |
| Trachemys scripta Schoepff, 1792 | Pond slider | Reptilia | 2016 |
| Triadica sebifera (L.) Small | Chinese tallowtree | Plantae | 2019 |
| Vespa velutina nigrithorax du Buysson, 1905 | Yellow-legged Asian hornet | Insecta | 2016 |
| Vespa mandarinia Smith, 1852 | Asian giant hornet | Insecta | 2025 |
| Wasmannia auropunctata (Roger, 1863) | Electric ant | Insecta | 2022 |
| Xenopus laevis (Daudin, 1802) | African clawed frog | Amphibia | 2022 |
Ressources
- EU brochure on the 2017 list update with 49 species (pdf format)
- JRC report on the baseline distribution of the 37 species on the first list
Bibliography
- Anonymous, 2014. Regulation (EU) No 1143/2014 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 22 October 2014 on the prevention and management of the introduction and spread of invasive alien species. Official Journal of the European Union L 317: 35-55 (4.11.2014).
- Anonymous, 2016. Commission implementing regulation (EU) 2016/1141 of 13 July 2016 adopting a list of invasive alien species of Union concern pursuant to Regulation (EU) No 1143/2014 of the European Parliament and of the Council. Official Journal of the European Union L 189: 4-5.
- Anonymous, 2017. Commission implementing regulation (EU) 2017/1263 of 12 July 2017 updating the list of invasive alien species of Union concern established by Implementing Regulation (EU) 2016/1141 pursuant to Regulation (EU) No 1143/2014 of the European Parliament and of the Council. Official Journal of the European Union L 182: 37-39 (13.7.2017).
- Anonymous, 2019. Commission implementing regulation (EU) 2019/1262 of 25 July 2019 amending Implementing Regulation (EU) 2016/1141 to update the list of invasive alien species of Union concern. Official Journal of the European Union L 199: 1-4 (26.7.2019).
- Anonymous, 2022. Commission implementing regulation (EU) 2022/11203 of 12 July 2022 amending Implementing Regulation (EU) 2016/1141 to update the list of invasive alien species of Union concern. Official Journal of the European Union L 186: 10-13 (13.7.2022).
- Anonymous, 2025. Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2025/1422 of 17 July 2025 amending Implementing Regulation (EU) 2016/1141 to update the list of invasive alien species of Union concern. Official Journal of the European Union L series: 1- 4 (18.7.2025).
Page content last updated on 2025-07-27. Last proofread by Caroline Grounds on 2019-11-12.
- Year in which the species was published in the list of EU concern.[↩]