2000/325/EC: Commission Decision of 11 May 2000 authorising Member States to take measures provisionally against the introduction into, and the spread within the Community of Pepino mosaic virus as regards tomato plants, intended for planting, other than seeds (notified under document number C(2000) 1312)
Date: 2000-05-11
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: fruit vegetable, parasitology, plant health control, plant health legislation, protection of plant life

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II

(Acts whose publication is not obligatory)

COMMISSION

COMMISSION DECISION

of 11 May 2000

authorising Member States to take measures provisionally against the introduction into, and the
spread within the Community of Pepino mosaic virus as regards tomato plants, intended for
planting, other than seeds

(notified under document number C(2000) 1312)

(2000/325/EC)

THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES,

the aforesaid information; however
contamination has not yet been clarified.

the source of

Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European
Community,

Having regard to Council Directive 77/93/EEC of 21 December
1976 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), as last
amended by Commission Directive 1999/53/EC (2), and in
particular Article 15(3) thereof,

Whereas:

(1) Where a Member State considers that there is a danger
of spreading a harmful organism not listed in Annex I or
Annex II to Directive 77/93/EEC and whose presence
was previously unknown in its territory, it may tempor-
arily take any additional measures necessary to protect
itself from that danger.

(2)

(3)

The United Kingdom, the Netherlands, Germany and
France informed the other Member States and the
Commission on 19 October 1999, 12 November 1999,
13 January 2000 and 17 February 2000 respectively of
recent outbreaks of Pepino mosaic virus on tomato
crops, in their respective countries and on the measures
taken to control

it with the aim of eradication.

It is known that Pepino mosaic virus was first described
in 1980;
in Peru on pepino, Solanum muricatum Ait.
there is no evidence that it has been detected outside
Peru, until it appeared in the Community pursuant to

(1) OJ L 26, 31.1.1977, p. 20.
(2) OJ L 142, 5.6.1999, p. 29.

(4)

(5)

(6)

(7)

Pepino mosaic virus is currently not listed in Annex I or
Annex II to Directive 77/93/EEC; however, a preliminary
pest risk analysis based on available scientific informa-
tion has demonstrated that Pepino mosaic virus and its
damaging effects could be of significant plant health
concern to the Community, in particular for protected
tomato production; the risk to outdoor production of
tomatoes and of other Solanaceae crops, especially pota-
toes, has not yet fully been established. The relevant
services in the Member States have been asked to
continue scientific work and to deliver an opinion on
the risk of Pepino mosaic virus to outdoor production of
tomatoes and of other Solanaceae crops.

Directive 77/93/EEC prohibits the introduction of plants
of Solanaceae, intended for planting, other than seeds and
other than those covered by Annex III, part A, points
10, 11 or 12 thereof, originating in third countries,
other than European and Mediterranean countries.

On the basis of the precautionary principle, it is there-
fore necessary provisionally to take specific measures
against the spread within the Community of Pepino
mosaic virus.

These specific measures should apply to the introduction
or the spread of Pepino mosaic virus, the production
and the movements of
intended for
planting, other
than seeds and to a more general
monitoring for the presence or continued absence of
Pepino mosaic virus in the Member States.

tomato plants,

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(8)

(9)

The results of the above measures will be continually
assessed in 2000 and 2001, in particular on the basis of
information to be provided by the Member States.
Possible subsequent measures will be considered in the
light of the results of that assessment, and the scientific
opinion delivered by the relevant services of the Member
States.

means that they are ready for sale to the final consumer not
involved in professional plant production shall, until 30 April
2001, meet at least the conditions laid down in the Annex, if
the plants are moved within the Community.

Article 4

The measures provided for in this Decision are in
accordance with the opinion of the Standing Committee
on Plant Health,

Member States shall conduct official surveys at least on prem-
ises involved in production of tomato plants and tomato fruit,
for the presence or continued absence of Pepino mosaic virus.

HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION:

Article 1

The introduction into and spread within the Community of
Pepino mosaic virus, as regards tomato plants,
intended for
planting, other than seeds, shall be banned until 30 April
2001.

Article 2

Plants of tomato, Lycopersicon lycopersicum (L.) Karsten ex Farw.,
intended for planting, other than seeds, originating in third
countries, as regards their introduction into the Community,
shall be inspected for the presence of Pepino mosaic virus,
according to the provisions laid down in Article 12(1)(a) of
Directive 77/93/EEC by the responsible official bodies referred
to in the said Directive, until 30 April 2001.

Article 3

Plants of tomato, Lycopersicon lycopersicum (L.) Karsten ex Farw.,
intended for planting, other than seeds, other than those for
which there shall be evidence by their packaging or by other

Without prejudice to the provisions of Article 15(2) of
Directive 77/93/EEC, the results of the surveys provided for in
the first paragraph shall be notified to the Commission and to
the other Member States by 31 January 2001.

Article 5

This Decision shall be reviewed by 28 February 2001 at the
latest.

Article 6

This Decision is addressed to the Member States.

Done at Brussels, 11 May 2000.

For the Commission

David BYRNE

Member of the Commission

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ANNEX

For the purpose of Article 3, the following shall be complied with:

Plants of tomato, Lycopersicon lycopersicum (L.) Karsten ex Farw., intended for planting, other than seeds, other than those
for which there shall be evidence by their packaging or by other means that they are ready for sale to the final consumer
not involved in professional plant production, may be moved from the place of production only:

— if no symptoms of Pepino mosaic virus have been found at the place of production during inspections carried out at
least once during the period the plants have been present at the place of production. In cases where Pepino mosaic
virus has been found at the place of production, after appropriate procedures have been implemented aiming at
eradicating Pepino mosaic virus, and subsequently this place of production has been found free from Pepino mosaic
virus in official

inspections including random testing, and monitoring during an appropriate period,

or

— if no Pepino mosaic virus has been found by testing of leaf samples taken from plants, produced, grown or held at the
place of production, at least once during a period of four weeks. In cases where Pepino mosaic virus has been found at
the place of production, after additional testing of each lot, and subsequently the lots have been found free from
Pepino mosaic virus in this testing.