Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2022/1629 of 21 September 2022 establishing measures for the containment of Ceratocystis platani (J.M. Walter) Engelbr.&T.C. Harr. within certain demarcated areas

This Regulation establishes measures for the containment of Ceratocystis platani (J.M. Walter) Engelbr. & T.C. Harr. within the demarcated areas where its eradication is not possible.

For the purposes of this Regulation, the following definitions apply: (1) ‘the specified pest’ means Ceratocystis platani (J.M. Walter) Engelbr. & T.C. Harr.; (2) ‘the specified plants’ means plants of the genus Platanus L. other than seeds; (3) ‘the specified wood’ means wood of the genus Platanus L.; (4) ‘the demarcated area for containment’ means an area listed in Annex I, where the specified pest cannot be eradicated; (5) ‘the pest survey card’ means the publication ‘Pest survey card on Ceratocysis platani’ of the European Food Safety Authority.

The competent authorities shall establish the demarcated areas for containment of the specified pest consisting of an infected zone and a buffer zone of a width of at least 1 km, surrounding the infected zone.

1 In the infected zones, the competent authorities shall ensure: (a) removal of specified plants and specified wood infected with the specified pest before the next growing season, applying appropriate measures to prevent the spread of the specified pest by the stump, sawdust, wood parts and soil debris at the felling site and ensure their destruction at appropriate treatment facilities; (b) prohibition on the movement of specified wood resulting from the removal of specified plants infected with the specified pest out of the infected zone, except in cases where: (i) there is no appropriate treatment facility available within the infected zone; (ii) the treatment is carried out in the closest treatment facility outside the infected zone, which is capable of doing such a treatment; and (iii) the transport takes place under official supervision of the competent authorities and within enclosed vehicles, which ensure that spillage of the specified wood is prevented and that the specified pest cannot spread; (c) prohibition on planting specified plants in the respective infected zones, other than those known to be resistant to the specified pest; (d) prohibition on the removal and transport of soil from an infected zone to other zones, unless previous appropriate treatment to ensure freedom from the specified pest has been applied; (e) cleaning and disinfection of pruning tools and machinery before and after being in contact with the specified plants or its soil; and (f) treatment, in case of pruning of specified plants, of pruning wounds with appropriate preventive treatments.

2 In the buffer zones, the competent authorities shall ensure: (a) Prohibition on planting specified plants in the buffer zone, other than those known to be resistant to the specified pest; (b) cleaning and disinfection of pruning tools and machinery, before and after being in contact with the specified plants or its soil, or with specified wood; and (c) treatment, in case of pruning of specified plants, of pruning wounds with appropriate preventive treatments.

3 Where the presence of the specified pest has been officially confirmed in the buffer zone, Articles 17 and 18 of Regulation (EU) 2016/2031 shall apply.

4 Within the demarcated areas for containment, the competent authorities shall raise public awareness concerning the threat of the specified pest and the measures adopted to prevent its further spread outside of those areas. The competent authorities shall inform the general public and the professional operators concerned of the delimitation of the demarcated area for containment.

1 The competent authorities shall carry out the surveys as provided for in paragraphs 2 and 3, taking into account the information referred to in the pest survey card.

2 They shall carry out annual risk based surveys for the presence of the specified pest in the areas of the Union territory where the specified pest is not known to be present but could become established.

3 In the buffer zones of the demarcated areas for containment, they shall carry out annual surveys, as referred to in Article 19(1) of Regulation (EU) 2016/2031, to detect the presence of the specified pest. Those surveys shall include: (a) visual examinations of the specified plants to detect the specified pest; and (b) sampling and testing, in the case of suspicion of the presence of the specified pest. Those surveys shall be more intensive than the surveys referred to in paragraph 2, with a higher number of visual examinations and, where appropriate, sampling and testing.

By 30 April of each year, Member States shall submit to the Commission and to the other Member States the results of the surveys carried out, in the preceding calendar year, pursuant to: (a) Article 5(2) of this Regulation, using one of the templates set out in Annex I to Implementing Regulation (EU) 2020/1231; (b) Article 5(3) of this Regulation, using one of the templates set out in Annex II to this Regulation.

This Regulation shall enter into force on the twentieth day following that of its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union.