THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES,
Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community,
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 13a(4)(a) thereof,
Whereas:
(1) Under Directive 2000/29/EC, plants, plant products or other objects listed in that Directive, coming from third countries, are in principle to be accompanied by the original of the required official ‘phytosanitary certificate’ or ‘phytosanitary certificate for re-export’ (certificates).
(2) The International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC) of 6 December 1951 concluded at the United Nations Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO) specifies in its Annex models of certificates providing a standard wording and format that should be followed for the preparation and issue of certificates.
(3) The IPPC was significantly amended in 1979 and 1997. As a consequence of those amendments different models of the certificates were approved to accompany plants, plant products and other objects when moving in international traffic.
(4) Although the amendments of the IPPC in 1997 have not yet entered into force, Resolution 12/97 of the 29th session of the Conference of the FAO allowed the use of the amended certificates as an alternative and on voluntary basis among Contracting Parties to the IPPC that accept them. It appeared that many Contracting Parties to the IPPC already use the certificates based on the models specified in the Annex to the IPPC, as amended in 1997.
(5) The models of certificates to accompany plants, plant products or other objects for entry into the Community should be determined.
(6) National plant protection organisations usually stock up certificates in large quantities. It is appropriate to lay down rules for the use of certificates based on the models specified in the Annex to IPPC, as amended in 1979, during a transitional period.
(7) The measures provided for in this Directive are in accordance with the opinion of the Standing Committee on Plant Health,
HAS ADOPTED THIS DIRECTIVE:
OJ L 169, 10.7.2000, p. 1. Directive as last amended by Commission Directive 2004/70/EC (OJ L 127, 29.4.2004, p. 97).