Antti Tooming, the Ministry of Climate's permanent undersecretary for biodiversity and environmental protection, said: "The EU regularly updates the list of invasive non-native species, while the Ministry of Climate collects input from various stakeholders for this very purpose."

"The first list took effect in 2016 and has been updated in 2017, 2019, and 2022," Tooming went on.

Tooming said that the ongoing list updates are thanks to to the severe threat invasive species pose to nature and even to the EU's economy.

"The global movement of goods and people, which has picked up again post-Covid, also permits the spread of new, invasive species, as these get introduced to new locations both intentionally – for instance with new garden plants – and unintentionally, ranging from pests and weeds carried along with goods, all the way to seeds caught in a hiker's boot treads," Tooming went on.

On invasive species, Tooming noted that there are an estimated one million raccoons in Germany along.

"Although many people find raccoons to be cute creatures, they have a negative impact on native species," Tooming said.

Raccoons (Procyon lotor) are of course native to North America. While this species has not been identified in the wild in Estonia yet, the wholly unrelated Raccoon dog (Nyctereutes procyonoides) has been.

"Raccoons have already been spotted in Lithuania, and their population is growing there, so it may only be a matter of time before they reach us too."

"Unlike raccoon dogs, raccoons can climb trees and raid bird nests," Tooming went on.

"Not all non-native species become invasive, however," he noted.

"Some can't survive the cold winters, which curbs their threat, but as climate change warms up our winters, the survival of these species is getting increasingly likely," the official continued.

In adding species to the list, the EU can ensure better protection for its ecosystems, for instance as it halts the intentional trade in such species which attract interest but which are potentially invasive.

On species not yet present in Estonia or its natural environment, addition to the list enhances the likelihood that they will either not reach Estonia at all, or at least will serve to delay that arrival.

The relevant explanatory memorandum from the Ministry of Climate states: "Adding a species to the list generally eliminates the possibility of using live specimens of that species."

The cultivation of listed species, be it for hobby or commercial purposes, is generally barred, while their propagation in nature must be restricted.

Maintaining a list of species for scientific, health, or conservation purposes is permissible only in justified cases and with a permit from the member state.

As a transitional measure, pet stores for instance are permitted to sell off their existing stocks of live animal species within a year of addition to the list, and pet owners may retain their animals for the remainder of their – ie. the animals' – natural lives.

In special cases of overriding public interest, for instance due to social and economic reasons, the propagation of named species may also be allowed again, subject to European Commission approval.

Most species potentially subject to a ban are not currently found in Estonia, while their appearance in the local ecosystem is considered unlikely, the ministry says.

However, some species already found in Estonia are also listed.

Mink drive away native species

One of the most well-known of these Europe-wide is the American Mink (Neogale vison), often farmed for its fur but prone to escaping and establishing itself in the wild. There, it can prove a threat to various native species, including its European counterpart (Mustela lutreola).

According to the ministry's explanatory memorandum, the species is both widespread and numerous on the Estonian mainland, but rare or wholly absent on Hiiumaa and Saaremaa.

In the past, mink had been kept in captivity at three fur farms in Estonia, but the memorandum that, since the Covid pandemic, no animals are still in captivity.

In any case fur farming in Estonia is to be banned, effective January 1, 2026.

Fur farming in Estonia is also banned from January 1, 2026.

Mink are reportedly the most damaging, non-native species in Estonia and across Europe, with a scientifically proven impact on nearly 60 native species and anticipated effects on many more.

American Mink also spread Aleutian disease, an infectious disease affecting other small predators, which reduces fertility in those populations and which is ultimately fatal (the species was also found to be a vector for SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19).

As for plants, the list under consideration includes another fairly famous species: the Japanese Giant Hogweed, already present in Estonia's natural habitats.

This large, robust plant negatively impacts on native plant colonies, reducing the numbers of both plant species and of associated invertebrates.

This species primarily affects grassland areas. but also contributes to erosion along riverbanks, streams, and lakes.

It has negatively impacted on the Natura 2000 EU network of nature protection zones, and so banning the species in Estonia could positively impact on landowners, gardeners, and botanical gardens.

Similar damage can also be caused by the Sakhalin knotweed, which is also to be found here.

Invasive species cause significant economic damage

In addition to the aforementioned, the EU is considering adding the following species to the same list: Water lettuce (Pistia), Japanese eelgrass, Acacia mearnsii, common paper mulberry, pampas grass and others, including the Canadian beaver, and the Sika deer (the latter two both forbidden to bring into Estonia since 2004).

The impact of invasive species tends to snowball over time, while the addition of new invasive species often exacerbates these already existing negative trends.

According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), invasive species have responsible either fully or in part for around 60 percent of species extinctions, with the rate rising to 90 percent in the case of extinctions on islands.

It has also been estimated that the direct economic damage caused by invasive species has quadrupled every decade since 1970.

According to IUCN projections, by 2029, the estimated cost will exceed US$1.7 trillion.

The Ministry of Climate has called for all stakeholders and experts, including the Estonian botanical gardens and the country's higher education institutions, to submit their reasoned opinions on adding the species to the EU list by December 2 of this year.

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