2005/850/EC: Commission Decision of  25 November 2005  amending Decision 2003/61/EC authorising certain Member States to provide for temporary derogations from certain provisions of Council Directive 2000/29/EC in respect of seed potatoes originating in certain provinces of Canada  (notified under document number C(2005) 4526)

1.12.2005 EN Official Journal of the European Union L 315/18
COMMISSION DECISION
of 25 November 2005
amending Decision 2003/61/EC authorising certain Member States to provide for temporary derogations from certain provisions of Council Directive 2000/29/EC in respect of seed potatoes originating in certain provinces of Canada
(notified under document number C(2005) 4526)
(Only the Spanish, Greek, Italian, Maltese and Portuguese texts are authentic)
(2005/850/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 and against their spread within the Community (1), and in particular Article 15(1) thereof,
Whereas:
(1) Pursuant to Directive 2000/29/EC, seeds potatoes originating in Canada may not be introduced into the Community. However, that Directive permits derogations from that rule, provided there is no risk of spreading harmful organisms.
(2) Commission Decision 2003/61/EC (2), provides for a derogation for the importation of seed potatoes originating in certain provinces of Canada into Greece, Italy, Portugal and Spain subject to specific conditions.
(3) Portugal has asked for an extension of that derogation.
(4) The situation justifying that derogation remains unchanged and the derogations should therefore continue to apply.
(5) The derogation in Decision 2003/61/EC should be extended to new Member States with similar climatic conditions to those mentioned in the decision.
(6) Decision 2003/61/EC should therefore be amended accordingly.
(7) The measures provided for in this Decision are in accordance with the opinion of the Standing Committee on Plant Health,