COMMISSION IMPLEMENTING DECISION
of 2 July 2014
setting out measures in respect of certain citrus fruits originating in South Africa to prevent the introduction into and the spread within the Union of Phyllosticta citricarpa (McAlpine) Van der Aa
(notified under document C(2014) 4191)
(2014/422/EU)
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 the third sentence of Article 16(3) thereof,
Whereas:
(1)
Guignardia citricarpa Kiely (all strains pathogenic to Citrus) is listed in point (c) 11 of Section I of Part A of Annex II to Directive 2000/29/EC as a harmful organism not known to occur in the Union. Since 2011, following the approval of a new code for fungal nomenclature by the International Botanical Congress, that organism has been referred to as Phyllosticta citricarpa (McAlpine) Van der Aa, hereinafter ‘the specified organism’.
(2)
The European Food Safety Authority (hereinafter ‘the Authority’) published a pest risk assessment on the specified organism on 21 February 2014 (2). In light of that pest risk assessment it is concluded that the requirements regarding the specified organism set out in Directive 2000/29/EC for the introduction into the Union of citrus fruits originating in fields outside an area recognised as being free from the specified organism are not sufficient to protect the Union against the introduction of that organism. Given the recurring high number of interceptions in the previous years of citrus fruits originating in South Africa infested with the specified organism, it is necessary to take stricter measures without delay in order to improve protection of the Union against the introduction of that organism. Given that many of those interceptions have been on fruits of Citrus sinensis (L.) Osbeck ‘Valencia’, those fruits should be subject to testing for latent infection in addition to the measures applying to all citrus fruits.
(3)
However, the introduction into the Union of the specified organism through the import of fruits of Citrus latifolia Tanaka is rated by the Authority as very unlikely. It is therefore appropriate to exclude Citrus latifolia Tanaka from the measures provided for in this Decision.
(4)
In case of interceptions of citrus fruits originating in South Africa which are infected with the specified organism, the Commission will assess whether the arrival of infected fruits is the result of failures in the procedures for official monitoring and certification in South Africa. In case of recurring interceptions due to failing monitoring and certification procedures within the same year, the Commission will review this Decision before the sixth interception has been notified.
(5)
For reasons of clarity, Commission Implementing Decision 2013/754/EU (3) should be repealed.
(6)
The measures set out in this Decision should apply from 24 July 2014 in order to allow operators sufficient time to adapt to the new requirements.
(7)
The measures provided for in this Decision are in accordance with the opinion of the Standing Committee on Plant Health,
HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION:
Article 1
Introduction into the Union of citrus fruits
Without prejudice to points 16.1, 16.2, 16.3 and 16.5, and by way of derogation from point 16.4(c) and (d) of Section I of Part A of Annex IV to Directive 2000/29/EC, fruits of Citrus L., Fortunella Swingle, Poncirus Raf., and their hybrids, other than fruits of Citrus aurantium L. and Citrus latifolia Tanaka, originating in South Africa (hereinafter ‘the specified fruits’), shall only be introduced into the Union if they comply with the requirements laid down in the Annex to this Decision.
Article 2
Reporting obligations
The importing Member States shall submit to the Commission and the other Member States, each year before 31 December, a report with information on the amounts of the specified fruits introduced into the Union under this Decision during the previous import season. That report shall also include the results of the inspections referred to in point 2 of the Annex.
Article 3
Notifications
Member States shall immediately notify the Commission, the other Member States and South Africa of a confirmed finding of the specified organism.
Article 4
Repeal
Implementing Decision 2013/754/EU is repealed.
Article 5
Date of application
This Decision shall apply from 24 July 2014.
Article 6
Addressees
This Decision is addressed to the Member States.
Done at Brussels, 2 July 2014.