Where a competent authority suspects, or has received evidence concerning, the presence of a Union quarantine pest, or a pest subject to measures adopted pursuant to Article 30(1), in a part of the territory of the respective Member State where that pest was previously not known to be present, or in a consignment of plants, plant products or other objects introduced into, intended to be introduced into, or moved within the Union territory, it shall immediately take any measures necessary to confirm on the basis of a diagnosis of an official laboratory as referred to in Article 37 of Regulation X1(EU) 2017/625 (‘to officially confirm’), whether that pest is present or not.

Pending the official confirmation of the presence of that pest, the Member States concerned shall, where applicable, take phytosanitary measures to eliminate the risk of spread of that pest.

The suspicion or evidence referred to in the first paragraph of this Article may be based on any information received pursuant to Articles 14 and 15, or from any other source.