98/114/EC: Commission Decision of 28 January 1998 setting out the arrangements for Community comparative tests of seed potatoes under Article 14 of Council Directive 66/403/EEC

COMMISSION DECISION of 28 January 1998 setting out the arrangements for Community comparative tests of seed potatoes under Article 14 of Council Directive 66/403/EEC (98/114/EC)
THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES
,
Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community,
Having regard to Council Directive 66/403/EEC on the marketing of seed potatoes (1), as last amended by Commission Decision 97/90/EC (2), and in particular Article 14(4) thereof,
Whereas Article 14(4) of Directive 66/403/EEC provides for the carrying out of Community comparative tests of seed potatoes;
Whereas it is necessary for all Member States to participate in the Community comparative tests, in so as far seed potatoes are usually reproduced or marketed in their territories, in order to ensure that proper conclusions may be drawn therefrom;
Whereas the Commission is responsible for making the necessary arrangements for the Community comparative tests;
Whereas the arrangements for the tests should also cover, inter alia, certain harmful organisms which come within the scope of Directive 66/403/EEC as well as Council Directive 77/93/EEC of 21 December 1976, on protective measures against the introduction into Member States of organisms harmful to plants or plant products (3), as last amended by Commission Directive 97/14/EC (4), Council Directive 93/85/EEC of 4 October 1993 on the control of potato ring rot (5), as well as Commission Decisions 95/506/EC of 24 November 1995 (6), as last amended by Commission Decision 97/649/EC of 26 September 1997 (7), and 96/301/EC of 3 May 1996 (8) against the dissemination of potato brown rot;
Whereas the measures provided for in this Decision are in accordance with the opinion of the Standing Committee on Seeds and Propagating Material for Agriculture, Horticulture and Forestry,