With a view to protecting plants, plant products and other objects, in light of increased international trade and following pest risk assessments performed and recently published by the European and Mediterranean Plant Protection Organisation, it is technically justified and consistent with the pest risks involved to add the harmful organisms Aromia bungii (Faldermann), Neoleucinodes elegantalis (Guenée) and Oemona hirta (Fabricius) to Section I of Part A of Annex I to Directive 2000/29/EC.

Following the pest risk categorisation performed and recently published by the European Food Safety Authority (‘the Authority’), the hosts and pathways of entry in the Union of the harmful organism Enarmonia packardi (Zeller) are wider than the ones currently regulated in Section I of Part A of Annex II to Directive 2000/29/EC. Following a revision of the respective scientific denomination, the harmful organism has been renamed to Grapholita packardi (Zeller). Therefore, it is scientifically justified and consistent with the pest risk involved to delete the entry on Enarmonia packardi (Zeller) from Section I of Part A of Annex II to Directive 2000/29/EC and to include it in Section I of Part A of Annex I to that Directive under the denomination Grapholita packardi (Zeller).

In the pest risk categorisation performed and recently published by the Authority, the species of Elsinoe spp. Bitanc. and Jenk. Mendes, currently included in Section I of Part A of Annex II to Directive 2000/29/EC, causal agents of disease to Citrus L. Fortunella Swingle, Poncirus Raf., and their hybrids, have been further defined. Additionally, based on the pest risk categorisation and the recent interceptions on fruits, it is evident that the list of currently regulated commodities does not mitigate all risks related to these harmful organisms. Therefore, it is scientifically and technically justified and consistent with the pest risk involved to delete the entry on Elsinoe spp. Bitanc. and Jenk. Mendes from Section I of Part A of Annex II to Directive 2000/29/EC and to include in Section I of Part A of Annex I to that Directive the species Elsinoë australis Bitanc. & Jenk., Elsinoë citricola X.L. Fan, R.W. Barreto & Crous and Elsinoë fawcettii Bitanc. & Jenk. causal agents of disease to Citrus L. Fortunella Swingle, Poncirus Raf., and their hybrids.

With a view to protecting plants, plant products and other objects, in light of increased international trade and following pest risk assessments performed and recently published by the Authority and the European and Mediterranean Plant Protection Organisation, it is technically justified and consistent with the pest risks involved to add the harmful organisms Fusarium circinatum Nirenberg & O'Donnell and Geosmithia morbida Kolarík, Freeland, Utley & Tisserat and its vector Pityophthorus juglandis Blackman to Section II of Part A of Annex I to the Directive 2000/29/EC. These harmful organisms are currently present in the European Union and have a restricted distribution.

Following the pest risk assessments performed and recently published by the Authority, it is scientifically and technically justified and consistent with the pest risk involved to delete Ceratocystis platani (J. M. Walter) Engelbr. & T. C. Harr from Section II of Part A of Annex II to Directive 2000/29/EC and to include it in Section II of Part A of Annex I to that Directive.

With a view to protecting plants, plant products and other objects, in light of increased international trade and following the pest risk assessment performed and published by the Authority on soil and growing media and the relevant International Standards, it is scientifically justified and consistent with the pest risks involved to strengthen the requirements for soil and growing media through revising the relevant requirements in Annex III, in Section I of Part A of Annex IV and in Annex V to Directive 2000/29/EC.

In order to protect the production and trade of plants, plant products and other objects, it is technically justified and consistent with the pest risk involved to add the harmful organisms Liriomyza huidobrensis (Blanchard) and Liriomyza trifolii (Burgess) to Part B of Annex I to that Directive.

From information provided by Ireland and the United Kingdom it appears that the territories of Ireland and Northern Ireland, respectively, are free from Liriomyza huidobrensis (Blanchard) and Liriomyza trifolii (Burgess) and that Ireland and Northern Ireland fulfil the conditions set out in point (h) of Article 2(1) of Directive 2000/29/EC for the establishment of a protected zone with respect to those harmful organisms. Therefore, Part B of Annex I to Directive 2000/29/EC should be amended accordingly.

It is technically acceptable, on the basis of scientific and technical knowledge, to include special requirements for the introduction and movement, where applicable, of certain plants, plant products and other objects into and within the Union due to their likelihood of hosting Aromia bungii (Faldermann), Neoleucinodes elegantalis (Guenée) referred to in recital 1, Grapholita packardi (Zeller), referred to in recital 2 and Geosmithia morbida Kolarík, Freeland, Utley & Tisserat and its vector Pityophthorus juglandis Blackman referred to in recital 4. Therefore, the relevant plants, plant products and other objects should be listed in Section I of Part A of Annex IV to Directive 2000/29/EC. For Geosmithia morbida Kolarík, Freeland, Utley & Tisserat and its vector Pityophthorus juglandis Blackman additional special requirements should be included for internal movement in Section II of Part A of Annex IV to Directive 2000/29/EC.

In respect to Ceratocystis platani (J. M. Walter) Engelbr. & T. C. Harr referred to in recital 5, it is necessary to amend the special requirements set out in Sections I and II of Part A of Annex IV to Directive 2000/29/EC due to developments in scientific and technical knowledge and the recently published pest risk assessment carried out by the Authority.

Based on pest risk assessment of a number of Tephritidae species of the European and Mediterranean Plant Protection Organisation, relevant international standards, technical information and the number of interceptions of Tephritidae species (non-European) on imported commodities, the special requirements set out in Section I of Part A of Annex IV to Directive 2000/29/EC should be amended.

Based on the interceptions data on imported commodities, additional special requirements for Bactericera cockerelli (Sulc.) and Thaumatotibia leucotreta (Meyrick) should be included in Section I of Part A of Annex IV to Directive 2000/29/EC.

Based on the pest risk categorisations recently performed by the Authority, relevant international standards and technical information and in view of increased international trade, special requirements provided for in Section I of Part A of Annex IV to Directive 2000/29/EC should be laid down for fruits of Malus Mill. in connection to the harmful organisms Enarmonia prunivora Walsh, Grapholita inopinata Heinrich and Rhagoletis pomonella (Walsh) and for fruits of Malus Mill. and Pyrus L. in connection to the harmful organisms Guignardia piricola (Nosa) Yamamoto and Tachypterellus quadrigibbus Say.

The aim of the amended requirements set out in recitals 9 to 13 is to reduce to an acceptable level the phytosanitary risk caused by the introduction and where relevant the movement into the Union of those plants, plant products and other objects.

In accordance with Commission Regulation (EC) No 690/20082 certain zones have been recognised as protected zones in respect of various harmful organisms. That Regulation has recently been amended to take into account the latest developments with regard to the protected zones within the Union and among others, to the following harmful organisms: Bemisia tabaci Genn. (European populations), Candidatus Phytoplasma ulmi, Ceratocystis platani (J.M.Walter) Engelbr. & T.C.Harr., Citrus tristeza virus (European strains), Erwinia amylovora (Burr.) Winsl. et al., Globodera pallida (Stone) Behrens, Globodera rostochiensis (Wollenweber) Behrens, Gremmeniella abietina (Lag.) Morelet, Liriomyza huidobrensis (Blanchard), Liriomyza trifolii (Burgess), Paysandisia archon (Burmeister), Rhynchophorus ferrugineus (Olivier), Thaumetopoea pityocampa Denis & Schiffermüller, Thaumetopoea processionea L., Tomato spotted wilt virus and Xanthomonas arboricola pv. pruni (Smith) Vauterin et al. In order to ensure that the requirements concerning protected zones with regard to the respective harmful organisms are consistent, the relevant requirements in Annexes I to V to Directive 2000/29/EC should be updated.

Moreover, several areas within the Union that have been recognised as protected zones with regard to certain harmful organisms no longer fulfil the requirements because those harmful organisms have become established there or the Member States concerned requested that the status as a protected zone be revoked. Those areas are the following: the territory of Finland with regard to Bemisia tabaci Genn. (European populations); the Regional Units of Arta and Lakonia in Greece with regard to Citrus tristeza virus (European strains); the entire territory of Emilia-Romagna, the communes of Scarnafigi and Villafalletto in the province of Cuneo in Piedmont and the municipalities of Cesarò (Messina Province), Maniace, Bronte, Adrano (Catania Province) and Centuripe, Regalbuto and Troina (Enna Province) in Sicily in Italy and the entire territory of Northern Ireland in the United Kingdom and the entire territory of the county of Dunajská Streda in Slovakia with regard to Erwinia amylovora (Burr.) Winsl. et al.; the territory of Northern Ireland in the United Kingdom with regard to Gremmeniella abietina (Lag.) Morelet, local authority areas of Barking and Dagenham; Basildon; Basingstoke and Deane; Bexley; Bracknell Forest; Brentwood; Broxbourne; Castle Point; Chelmsford; Chiltem; Crawley; Dacorum; Dartford; East Hertfordshire; Enfield; Epping Forest; Gravesham; Greenwich; Harlow; Hart; Havering; Hertsmere; Horsham; Littlesford; Medway; Mid Sussex; Mole Valley; Newham; North Hertfordshire; Redbridge; Reigate and Banstead; Rushmoor; Sevenoaks; South Bedfordshire; South Bucks; St Albans; Surrey Heath; Tandridge; Three Rivers; Thurrock; Tonbridge and Malling; Waltham Forest; Watford; Waverley; Welwyn Hatfield; Windsor and Maidenhead, Wokingham and Wycombe in the United Kingdom with regard to Thaumetopoea processionea L. and the territory of Sweden with regard to Tomato spotted wilt virus. This information should be reflected in Part B respectively of Annexes I to IV to Directive 2000/29/EC.

Continued findings of Bemisia tabaci Genn. (European populations) on certain plants and plant products moved within the Union into certain protected zones show that the current requirements for the movement within the Union into certain protected zones of plants, plant products and other objects with regard to Bemisia tabaci Genn. (European populations) are inadequate to reduce the phytosanitary risk in question to acceptable levels. Those requirements should be reformulated in Part B of Annex IV to Directive 2000/29/EC.

The plants, plant products or other objects referred to in recitals 6 to 17 should be subject to plant health inspections before being introduced into or moved within the Union. Therefore, those plants, plant products and other objects should be listed in Parts A or B of Annex V to Directive 2000/29/EC. Additionally, in view of having an increased phytosanitary protection, fruits of Actinidia Lindl., Carica papaya L., Fragaria L., Persea americana Mill., Rubus L. and Vitis L. are listed in Part B of Annex V to Directive 2000/29/EC, and for fruits of Annona L., Cydonia Mill., Diospyros L., Malus L., Mangifera L., Passiflora L., Prunus L., Psidium L., Pyrus L., Ribes L., Syzygium Gaertn. and Vaccinium L., already listed in Part B of Annex V to Directive 2000/29/EC, the geographical scope has been broadened.

Annexes I to V to Directive 2000/29/EC should therefore be amended accordingly.

The measures provided for in this Directive are in accordance with the opinion of the Standing Committee on Plants, Animals, Food and Feed,