The introduction of Invasive Alien Species (IAS), whether by accident or deliberately, can have negative consequences when they manage to establish viable populations in new environments. Because IAS can be disruptive and hard to eradicate, measures to prevent initial introduction and spread are the most cost-effective management approach. This requires an early detection and accurate identification of intercepted specimens of potential IAS. Because morphology-based species identifications are not always possible (e.g. cryptic species, trace material, early life-stages), the Barcoding Facility for Organisms and Tissues of Policy Concern (BopCo; https://bopco.myspecies.info/) investigated and evaluated the usefulness of DNA sequences to identify each of the 24 aquatic species currently listed on the European Regulation regarding IAS (2016/1141 and later additions). The reliability of DNA-based species identifications, however, depends on the completeness and correctness of the available sequence data, as well as on the evolutionary rate of the selected DNA marker, which determines its ability to distinguish taxa at the species level. BopCo produced concise factsheets for each of the 24 species containing information on species taxonomy and current distribution in Europe, as well as a discussion on the usefulness of publicly available DNA sequence data to identify samples to the taxonomic level applied in the EU list (https:// bopco.myspecies.info/content/invasive-alien-species-ias-factsheets). Recommendations are made on which DNA marker(s) to use when identifying a potential IAS sample. An overview will be presented of how well the data cover the identification needs, highlighting the encountered issues (e.g. lack of sequence data, erroneous taxonomic assignments), their frequency of occurrence and the implications for assuring reliable identifications of invasive alien species.