Rating of the likelihood of pest freedom	Very frequently pest free (based on the Median).
Percentile of the distribution	5%	25%	Median	75%	95%
Proportion of pest‐free plants	9,638 out of 10,000 plants	9,807 out of 10,000 plants	9,893 out of 10,000 plants	9,949 out of 10,000 plants	9,983 out of 10,000 plants
Percentile of the distribution	5%	25%	Median	75%	95%
Proportion of infested plants	17 out of 10,000 plants	51 out of 10,000 plants	107 out of 10,000 plants	193 out of 10,000 plants	362 out of 10,000 plants
Summary of the information used for the evaluation	Possibility that the pest could become associated with the commodity Fiorinia japonica is an invasive species with high reproductive potential. Although not known to be present in the area, it can be introduced. Pinus parviflora bonsais are potentially good hosts. Lepidosaphes pineti is a native species known being aggressive to pines potentially including P. parviflora. For both species, at low density the inspection may not be successful because scales are hidden between the needles and difficult to see. Measures taken against the pest and their efficacy Measures taken against the pest are good but not enough to warrant the pest‐free status for the commodity. First, the net does not have a mesh that stops the first instars to go through. Second, the insecticide applications do not completely reach the scales as they are protected by the wax shell. Third, the inspections are not successful when the insect density is very low. Interception records In the EUROPHYT/TRACES‐NT database, there are no records of notification of Pinus parviflora and P. thunbergii plants neither from China nor from other countries due to the presence of Fiorinia japonica and Lepidosaphes pineti between the years 1995 and May 2021 (EUROPHYT/TRACES‐NT, online). However, Fiorinia japonica was intercepted on dwarf pine from Japan in USA (USDA, 1939). Shortcomings of current measures/procedures Net protection is not fully effective, because crawlers can go through. Pesticide treatments are not targeted to the most sensitive stage (crawlers), so that the efficacy is limited as the other stages are protected by thick wax layer. The inspections may not be successful when the insect density is very low. Main uncertainties – The pest pressure around the nursery is not known. – There are pine trees within a distance of 1.5 km, although there are no data about the presence of the scale. – For Fiorinia japonica there could be suitable alternative hosts to pines closer to the nursery.