2014/679/EU: Commission Implementing Decision of 25 September 2014 amending Implementing Decision 2012/270/EU as regards its period of application and as regards the movement to packing facilities of potato tubers originating in areas demarcated in order to prevent the spread within the Union of Epitrix cucumeris (Harris), Epitrix similaris (Gentner), Epitrix subcrinita (Lec.) and Epitrix tuberis (Gentner) (notified under document C(2014) 6731)

1 Potato tubers originating in demarcated areas within the Union established in accordance with Article 5, packed within those areas or at the facilities referred to in Article 3b may be moved within the Union only if they meet the conditions, as set out in point (1) of Section 2 of Annex I. Potato tubers originating in a demarcated area, may be moved from that demarcated area to a packing facility fulfilling the requirements of Article 3b which is in the vicinity of that demarcated area provided that the conditions set out in point (2) of Section 2 of Annex I are fulfilled. Potato tubers may be stored at that facility. In the case of the second subparagraph, the responsible official body shall carry out the following actions: (a) intensive monitoring for the presence of the specified organisms through appropriate inspections on potato plants and, where appropriate, other host plants, including fields where those plants are growing, within at least a radius of 100 m of the packing facility; (b) activities to raise public awareness concerning the threat of the specified organisms and the measures adopted to prevent its introduction into and spread within the Union in the vicinity of the packing facility.

2 Potato tubers introduced into the Union in accordance with Article 2 from third countries where one or more of the specified organisms are known to be present, may be moved within the Union only if they meet the conditions, as set out in point (3)of Section 2 of Annex I.

1 Member States shall ensure that any vehicle and packaging having been used to transport the potato tubers originating in a demarcated area prior to fulfilment of point 1(b) of Section 2 of Annex I is decontaminated and cleaned in an appropriate manner in the following cases: (a) before they are moved outside the demarcated area; and (b) before they leave a packing facility, as referred to in the second subparagraph of Article 3(1).

2 Member States shall ensure that machinery used to handle the potato tubers referred to in paragraph 1 in a packing facility referred to in the second subparagraph of Article 3(1) is decontaminated and cleaned in an appropriate manner after each use.

3 Member States shall ensure that the waste soil, or other waste material, resulting from the fulfilment of the requirements of Article 3(1) and paragraphs 1 and 2 of this Article is disposed of in such a manner to ensure that the specified organisms cannot establish or spread outside a demarcated area.

Packing facilities located outside the demarcated areas concerned and handling potato tubers originating in such areas, as referred to in the second subparagraph of Article 3(1), shall fulfil the following requirements: (a) they are authorised by the responsible official body to pack potato tubers originating in a demarcated area; and (b) they keep, for one year from the time of arrival of the potato tubers at that facility, records of the potato tubers handled which originate in demarcated areas.’

This Decision is addressed to the Member States.