THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION,
Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union,
Having regard to Council Directive 2000/29/EC of 8 May 2000 on protective measures against the introduction into the Community of organisms harmful to plants or plant products and against their spread within the Community(1), and in particular Article 16(3) thereof,
Whereas:
(1) Ralstonia solanacearum (Smith) Yabuuchi et al. (also known as Pseudomonas solanacearum (Smith) Smith) is an organism harmful to tubers of Solanum tuberosum L. and as such is subject to measures provided for by Directive 2000/29/EC and Council Directive 98/57/EC of 20 July 1998 on the control of Ralstonia solanacearum (Smith) Yabuuchi et al(2).
(2) Following interceptions in the Union of Ralstonia solanacearum (Smith) Yabuuchi et al. on tubers of Solanum tuberosum L. originating in Egypt, the Commission adopted Decision 2004/4/EC of 22 December 2003 authorising Member States temporarily to take emergency measures against the dissemination of Pseudomonas solanacearum (Smith) Smith as regards Egypt(3). That Decision prohibited the entry into the Union of tubers of Solanum tuberosum L. originating in Egypt unless certain requirements were complied with.
(3) During the last years further interceptions of Ralstonia solanacearum (Smith) Yabuuchi et al. have occurred on tubers of Solanum tuberosum L. originating in Egypt. Therefore, emergency measures against the dissemination of the harmful organism concerned should continue to be in place with regard to the entry into the Union of tubers of Solanum tuberosum L. originating in Egypt.
(4) However, those emergency measures should be adapted to respond to a situation which has improved as a result of actions taken by Egypt, in particular a new control regime for the production and export of tubers of Solanum tuberosum L. to the Union presented by Egypt. In addition, during the 2010/2011 import season no interception of Ralstonia solanacearum (Smith) Yabuuchi et al. has been recorded in the Union.
(5) Therefore, the entry into the Union of tubers of Solanum tuberosum L. originating in Egypt should be permitted if they have been grown in certain areas established by Egypt in accordance with the relevant international standards. The Commission should convey the list of those areas, submitted by Egypt, to the Member States to allow them to carry out import controls and to enable traceability of consignments. Provision should be made for updating that list in the case of an interception of Ralstonia solanacearum (Smith) Yabuuchi et al. In addition, the Union control requirements for the import of tubers of Solanum tuberosum L. originating in Egypt should be limited to an intensive inspection regime at the arrival of those tubers in the Union.
(6) Member States should provide the Commission and the other Member States after every import season with detailed information on the imports made in order that the application of this Decision to be assessed.
(7) In the interest of clarity and rationality, Decision 2004/4/EC should therefore be repealed and replaced by this Decision.
(8) It is necessary to provide for the possibility to review this Decision.
(9) The measures provided for in this Decision are in accordance with the opinion of the Standing Committee on Plant Health,
HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION: