Euphresco is a network of organisations that fund research projects and coordinate national research in the phytosanitary area. The overall goal of Euphresco is to support coordination and collaboration in the area of phytosanitary research, and to maintain itself as a strong, long-term network of research stakeholders.

The rate of introduction and establishment of new plant pests has increased steadily over the last century as a result of expanding globalisation of trade, exacerbated by climate change. At the same time, European phytosanitary science capacity (taxonomy, classical plant pathology, etc.) has been eroding in the recent decades, because they are no longer on the forefront of science priorities. This brought the plant health area to a state of emergency, as indicated by the European and Mediterranean Plant Protection Organization's Madeira statement (2004).  

In Europe, many of the phytosanitary policies, regulations and underpinning technical recommendations are determined at regional level, while the research that supports them is mostly funded and carried out at the national level. Coordination of such national activities is then vital to reduce the impact of plant pests on the economy, the environment and the health of citizens at the level of each country but more generally at European and international level.