2002/360/EC: Commission Decision of 13 May 2002 establishing the amendments to be made to the measures taken by Austria to protect itself against the introduction of Anoplophora glabripennis (Motschulsky) (notified under document number C(2002) 1821)
Date: 2002-05-13
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: Austria, disease vector, fight against insects, import, plant disease, plant health control, wood product

14.5.2002

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

L 127/19

COMMISSION DECISION

of 13 May 2002

establishing the amendments to be made to the measures taken by Austria to protect itself against
the introduction of Anoplophora glabripennis (Motschulsky)

(notified under document number C(2002) 1821)

(Only the German text is authentic)

(2002/360/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
on protective measures against
the introduction into the
Community of organisms harmful to plants or plant products
their spread within the Community (1), as last
and against
amended by Commission Directive 2002/28/EC (2), and in
particular Article 16(3) thereof,

Having regard to the communication made by Austria on 2
August 2001,

Whereas:

(1)

(2)

(3)

Following the detection of the harmful organism Anoplo-
phora glabripennis (Motschulsky) for the first time in the
European Union in 1999, Commission Decision 1999/
355/EC (3) as amended by Decision 1999/516/EC (4)
established emergency measures against the dissemina-
tion of Anoplophora glabripennis (Motschulsky) as regards
China (except Hong Kong).

Following detection of this harmful organism for the
first time in the European Union on trees of Acer plata-
noides in Braunau in the Bundesland Oberösterreich,
Austria implemented a programme of action in accord-
ance with Article 16(2) of Directive 2000/29/EC to
control
its introduction into and the spread within
Austria and the territory of the Community.

The measures adopted by Austria were more stringent
than those provided for in Decision 1999/355/EC in
that they applied to imports of susceptible hardwood
originating in Korea, Taiwan and the United States of
America, as well as to wood from China. Further, they
provided that the wood to be imported must be both
stripped of its bark and free of insect bore holes greater
than 3 mm across and kiln dried to below 20 % mois-
ture content. By contrast Decision 1999/355/EC requires
either that the wood be stripped of bark and free of

(1) OJ L 169, 10.7.2000, p. 1.
(2) OJ L 77, 20.3.2002, p. 23.
(3) OJ L 137, 1.6.1999, p. 45.
(4) OJ L 197, 29.7.1999, p. 44.

insect bore holes, or that it be kiln dried to below 20 %
moisture content.

The Austrian measures did not however apply to wood
of Fagus silvatica and Quercus L.

itself and the territory of

Austria has justified these measures by the need to
protect
the Community
because Austria ‘… thinks that a strengthening of the
current Community measures carried out according to
Decisions 1999/355/EC and 1999/516/EC on emer-
gency measures against the dissemination of Anoplophora
glabripennis (Motschulsky) as regards China (except Hong
Kong) would be reasonable …’.

It has not yet been possible to identify the source of
indicate that
contamination, although elements
the
import of packaging material
infected by Anoplophora
glabripennis (Motschulsky)
is the most likely pathway,
nor is there in this case sufficient evidence yet to suggest
that the said Community measures are insufficient.

Austria should therefore adjust the measures which it
has adopted with a view to protecting itself and the
territory of the Community against the introduction of
the said harmful organism.

The measures provided for in Decision 1999/355/EC
and in Directive 2000/29/EC will be reviewed in the
light of the FAO International Standard on ‘Guidelines
for regulating wood packaging material in international
trade’.

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

(4)

(5)

(6)

(7)

(8)

(9)

HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION:

Article 1

Austria shall adjust the measures which it has adopted with a
view to protecting itself and the territory of the Community
against the introduction and spread of Anoplophora glabripennis
(Motschulsky) in such a manner that the measures comply with
Decision 1999/355/EC.

L 127/20

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

14.5.2002

This Decision is addressed to the Republic of Austria.

Article 2

Done at Brussels, 13 May 2002.

For the Commission

David BYRNE

Member of the Commission