The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), the European Commission (EC), and their partners across Europe have launched the third year of the #PlantHealth4Life campaign, a cross-border initiative to protect plant health and raise public awareness of its importance to our environment, economy, and daily lives. 

Kicking off in May 2025, the campaign brings fresh energy and a new focus, building on the momentum of the previous two years to drive deeper engagement both within and beyond the European Union. 

“When citizens understand the vital role of plant health in their lives — from the food on their tables to the air they breathe — they become powerful agents of change,” explains Sylvain Giraud, Head of Plant Health Unit in the Directorate General for Health and Food Safety (DG SANTE). “#PlantHealth4Life is a reminder that each of us can make a meaningful difference by staying informed and making thoughtful choices that help protect what sustains us all.” 

“A plant isn’t just a plant — it can carry other living organisms too,” said Giuseppe Stancanelli, Team Leader for Plant Health Risk Assessment at EFSA. “In our interconnected world, plants move more than ever. That’s why the EU relies on science-based risk assessment to understand and manage potential threats to plant health— helping to protect our environment, agriculture, and biodiversity. Through the #PlantHealth4Life campaign, we’re raising awareness across Europe.” 

With a stronger focus on participation, collaboration, and citizen empowerment, this year’s #PlantHealth4Life campaign brings together partners from 26 EU Member States, 5 EU pre-accession countries, and Switzerland to raise awareness and inspire critical thinking about the vital links between healthy plants, the environment, and our everyday lives. Emphasising practical action and community involvement, the campaign encourages informed citizens not only to reflect, but also to share their knowledge and inspire others to join in the collective effort to safeguard our ecosystems and economies. 

How does plant health affect our lives? 

Plants make up 80% of the food we eat, feed the animals we raise for food, and clean the air we breathe. But that’s not all: healthy plants mean good agricultural yield, which impacts food availability and food prices for consumers. Climate change and human activities, such as trade and travel put plants under heavy pressure. The spread of plant pests and diseases can have devastating economic and environmental consequences. For example, outbreaks of the bacterial pathogen Xylella fastidiosa, have devastated olive groves in southern Italy for over a decade, leading to the loss of millions of trees and threatening biodiversity and local economies. 

However, many citizens remain unaware of why plant health matters. #PlantHealth4Life aims to raise collective awareness about risks to plant health and about the role each of us can play to protect plants. 

Andrzej Chodkowski, Chief Inspector of Plant Health in Poland, encourages ‘everyone to cooperate and take care of the plants in your immediate surroundings so that we can enjoy their rich greenery and together bring to life the idea: ‘Protecting Plants, Protecting Life!’ PEASE Plant Health 4 Life campaign