Commission Directive 2003/116/EC of 4 December 2003 amending Annexes II, III, IV and V to Council Directive 2000/29/EC as regards the harmful organism Erwinia amylovora (Burr.) Winsl. et al.

Commission Directive 2003/116/EC
of 4 December 2003
amending Annexes II, III, IV and V to Council Directive 2000/29/EC as regards the harmful organism Erwinia amylovora (Burr.) Winsl. et al.
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 and against their spread within the Community(1), as last amended by Council Directive 2003/47/EC(2), and in particular points (c) and (d) of the second paragraph of Article 14 thereof,
After consulting the Member States concerned,
Whereas:
(1) The provisions against Erwinia amylovora (Burr.) Winsl. et al. should cover the whole range of host plants capable of spreading this harmful organism. Some known host plants for Erwinia amylovora (Burr.) Winsl. et al. are not covered by the current provisions. This list should therefore be extended to cover the whole range of host plants for Erwinia amylovora (Burr.) Winsl. et al.
(2) The provisions on "buffer zones" should be improved to reduce the risk of short distance spreading of Erwinia amylovora (Burr.) Winsl. et al. To that end the "buffer zones" should be clearly delimited and a strict control regime should be applied which includes the removal of plants showing symptoms of Erwinia amylovora (Burr.) Winsl. et al.
(3) Before plants from an area where Erwinia amylovora (Burr.) Winsl. et al. is known to occur may be introduced or moved into the relevant "protected zones", the fields of production of those plants and a zone surrounding those fields, should be found to be totally free from Erwinia amylovora (Burr.) Winsl. et al. during the last complete cycle of vegetation preceding the introduction or movement. This should be confirmed by visual inspections carried out at appropriate times and laboratory tests for the possible detection of latent infections.
(4) The movement of beehives to and within protected zones should be regulated, because it may be an important factor of spreading Erwinia amylovora (Burr.) Winsl. et al.
(5) Specific arrangements should be made for plants which are produced and maintained on fields located in officially designated "buffer zones" in accordance with the provisions of Directive 2000/29/EC, and which meet the relevant requirements as regards fields and "buffer zones" thereof, before 1 April 2004.
(6) Directive 2000/29/EC should therefore be amended accordingly.
(7) The measures provided for in this Directive are in accordance with the opinion of the Standing Committee on Plant Health,