2001/536/EC: Commission Decision of 6 July 2001 on provisional measures to prevent the introduction into and the spread within the Community of Pepino mosaic virus as regards tomato plants, intended for planting (notified under document number C(2001) 1768)
Date: 2001-07-06
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: fruit vegetable, parasitology, plant disease, plant health control, protection of plant life, seedling

L 193/26

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

17.7.2001

COMMISSION DECISION

of 6 July 2001

on provisional measures to prevent the introduction into and the spread within the Community of
Pepino mosaic virus as regards tomato plants, intended for planting

(notified under document number C(2001) 1768)

(2001/536/EC)

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
the introduction into the
on protective measures against
Community of organisms harmful to plants or plant products
and against their spread within the Community (1), as amended
by Commission Directive 2001/33/EC (2), and in particular
Article 16(3), third sentence thereof,

Whereas:

(1)

(2)

(3)

(4)

In late 1999 and early 2000, the United Kingdom, the
Netherlands, Germany and France informed the other
Member States and the Commission of outbreaks of
Pepino mosaic virus on tomato crops in their respective
countries and of the measures taken to control

it.

The Commission, by Decision 2000/325/EC (3) author-
ised Member States provisionally to take measures
against the introduction into and the spread within the
Community of Pepino mosaic virus as regards tomato
intended for planting, other than seeds.
plants,

surveys carried out by Member States
In official
pursuant to Decision 2000/325/EC, new outbreaks have
been detected. Moreover
that
Pepino mosaic virus is present in several non-member
countries.

it becomes apparent

Pepino mosaic virus is currently not listed in Annex I or
Annex II to Directive 2000/29/EC. However, a prelimi-
nary pest risk analysis carried out by several Member
States based on available scientific information 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 produc-
tion. The risk to outdoor production of tomatoes and of
other Solanaceae crops, especially potatoes, has not yet
fully been established. The relevant services in the
Member States have been asked by the Commission 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. At this stage, the
scientific work performed on the Pepino mosaic virus

(1) OJ L 169, 10.7.2000, p. 1.
(2) OJ L 127, 9.5.2001, p. 42.
(3) OJ L 113, 12.5.2000, p. 52.

(5)

(6)

(7)

(8)

(9)

has not provided sufficient clarification to revise that
preliminary pest risk analysis.

Since Decision 2000/325/EC has expired, it is necessary
to provide for provisional measures against Pepino
mosaic virus.

The source of contamination on premises involved in
tomato fruit production has not been identified so far.
The relevant services in Member States are therefore
asked by the Commission in order to back the sources
of contamination as well as the pathway of introduction.

Although the role of tomato seed as source of infection
is not yet fully clarified, it is likely that seed plays an
important role; consequently the measures should also
apply to these tomato seeds.

Those measures should apply to the introduction on the
spread of Pepino mosaic virus, the inspection of tomato
plants intended for planting originating in non-member
countries and the movement of tomato plants intended
for planting. They should also include more general
monitoring for the presence of Pepino mosaic virus in
the Member States.

The results of the above measures will be continually
assessed, 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, of information to be provided and of
the scientific opinion delivered by the relevant services
of the Member States.

(10)

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

The introduction into and movement within the Community of
plants of tomato, Lycopersicon lycopersicum (L.) Karsten ex Farw.,
intended for planting, shall be banned when they are contami-
nated by Pepino mosaic virus.

17.7.2001

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

L 193/27

Article 2

Plants of tomato,
intended for planting, originating in non-
member countrties, shall meet the conditions laid down in
points 1 or 2 of the Annex to this Decision, and shall be
inspected on entry into the Community for the presence of
Pepino mosaic virus,
in accordance with Article 13(1)(a) of
Directive 2000/29/EC, mutatis mutandis.

Article 3

tomato,

Plants of

1.
intended for planting, may not be
moved from their place of production unless they meet the
conditions laid down in points 3 or 4 of the Annex to this
Decision.

2.
Paragraph 1 shall not apply to movement of plants
intended for sale to final consumers not involved in profes-
sional plant production, provided that the packaging of the
plants or other indications clearly show that they are intended
for such consumer sale.

Article 4

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

Without prejudice to Article 16(2) of Directive 2000/29/EC the
results of the surveys provided for in the first paragraph shall
be notified to the Commission and to the other Member States
by 30 September 2002.

Article 5

The Commission shall review the operation of this Decision by
31 October 2002 at the latest.

Article 6

This Decision shall cease to apply on 31 December 2002.

Article 7

This Decision is addressed to the Member States.

Done at Brussels, 6 July 2001.

For the Commission

David BYRNE

Member of the Commission

L 193/28

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

17.7.2001

ANNEX

1. Without prejudice to the provisions of Annex III, point 13 of Directive 2000/29/EC, plants of tomato, intended for
planting, other than seeds, originating in non-member countries shall be accompanied by a certificate referred to in
Article 7 or 8 of Directive 2000/29/EC, stating that:

(a) they originate in areas in which Pepino mosaic virus is known not to occur, or

(b) if grown on premises involved in both production of tomato plants and production of tomato fruit, production
and packing of fruit are clearly separated from production and packing of plants to avoid contamination and

(ba) 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, or, where Pepino
mosaic virus had been found at the place of production, appropriate procedures have been implemented
aiming at eradicating Pepino mosaic virus, and subsequently the place of production has been found free from
Pepino mosaic virus in official inspections including random testing and monitoring during an appropriate
period, or

(bb) 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, or, where Pepino mosaic virus had
been found at the place of production, additional testing on each lot has been carried out and has found the
lots free from Pepino mosaic virus.

2. Seeds of tomato, originating in non-member countries shall be accompanied by a certificate referred to in Article 7 or
8 of Directive 2000/29/EC, stating that they have been obtained by means of an appropriate acid extraction method,
and

(a) either they originate in areas in which Pepino mosaic virus is known not to occur, or

(b) no symptoms of Pepino mosaic virus have been observed on the plants at the place of production during their

complete cycle of vegetation, or

(c) they have been subjected to official testing for Pepino mosaic virus, on a representative sample and using

appropriate methods, and have been found,

in these tests, free from Pepino mosaic virus.

3. Plants of tomato, intended for planting, other than seeds, originating in the Community may be moved from the place

of production only:

(a) if they originate in areas in which Pepino mosaic virus is known not to occur, or

(b) if grown on premises involved in both production of tomato plants and production of tomato fruit, production
and packing of fruit are clearly separated from production and packing of plants to avoid contamination and

(ba) 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, or, where Pepino
mosaic virus had been found at the place of production, after appropriate procedures have been implemented
aiming at eradicating Pepino mosaic virus, and subsequently the place of production has been found free from
Pepino mosaic virus in official inspections including random testing, and monitoring during an appropriate
period or

(bb) 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, or, where Pepino mosaic virus
had been found at the place of production, after additional testing on each lot has been carried out and has
found the lots free from Pepino mosaic virus.

4. Seeds of tomato, originating in the Community, may be moved from the place of production only if they have been

obtained by means of an appropriate acid extraction method and

(a) either they originate in areas in which Pepino mosaic virus is known not to occur, or

(b) no symptoms of Pepino mosaic virus have been observed on the plants at the place of production during their

complete cycle of vegetation; or

(c) they have been subjected to official testing for Pepino mosaic virus, on a representative sample and using

appropriate methods, and have been found,

in these tests, free from Pepino mosaic virus.