The Official Controls (Plant Health and Genetically Modified Organisms) (Wales) Regulations 2020

Official surveys and testing E+W

18.—(1) The Welsh Ministers must ensure that systematic official surveys for Potato ring rot are carried out in Wales on tubers of Solanum tuberosum L. and, where appropriate, on plants of Solanum tuberosum L.F1 ....

[F2 (1A) In the case of tubers of Solanum tuberosum L., those surveys must include official testing of samples of seed and other potatoes in accordance with EPPO PM 7/59.

(1B) In the case of plants of Solanum tuberosum L., those surveys must be carried out according to appropriate methods and include appropriate official testing of samples.

(1C) The collection of samples for the purposes of sub-paragraphs (1A) and (1B) must be based on sound scientific and statistical principles and the biology of Potato ring rot and take into account relevant potato production systems.]

(2) Where the presence of Potato ring rot in susceptible material is suspected, the Welsh Ministers must ensure that—

(a) official testing is carried out using the method set out in [F3 EPPO PM 7/59] to confirm whether or not it is present,

(b) the following are retained and appropriately conserved pending completion of the official testing—

(i) all tubers sampled, and wherever possible, all plants sampled;

(ii) any remaining extract and additional preparation material for the screening tests;

(iii) all relevant documentation, and

(c) pending the confirmation of its presence or the refutation of its suspected presence, where suspect diagnostic visual symptoms of Potato ring rot have been seen or symptoms of Potato ring rot have been identified by a positive immunofluorescence test or other appropriate positive test—

(i) the movement of all lots or consignments from which the samples have been taken, other than those which are under official control, is prohibited, except where it has been established that there is no identifiable risk of Potato ring rot spreading,

(ii) steps are taken to trace the origin of the suspected occurrence, and

(iii) additional appropriate precautionary measures based on the level of estimated risk are taken to prevent any spread of the plant pest.

(3) A notice may contain measures for the purposes of sub-paragraph (2)(c)(i) to (iii).

Textual Amendments

F1 Words in Sch. 2 para. 18(1) omitted (31.12.2020) by virtue of The Plant Health (Amendment etc.) (Wales) (EU Exit) Regulations 2020 (S.I. 2020/1628), regs. 1(2)(b), 18(3)(a)

F2 Sch. 2 para. 18(1A)-(1C) inserted (31.12.2020) by The Plant Health (Amendment etc.) (Wales) (EU Exit) Regulations 2020 (S.I. 2020/1628), regs. 1(2)(b), 18(3)(b)

F3 Words in Sch. 2 para. 18(2)(a) substituted (31.12.2020) by The Plant Health (Amendment etc.) (Wales) (EU Exit) Regulations 2020 (S.I. 2020/1628), regs. 1(2)(b), 18(3)(c)

Commencement Information

I1 Sch. 2 para. 18 in force at 27.3.2020, see reg. 1