Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2022/1630 of 21 September 2022 establishing measures for the containment of Grapevine flavescence dorée phytoplasma within certain demarcated areas

This Regulation establishes measures for the containment of Grapevine flavescence dorée phytoplasma 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 Grapevine flavescence dorée phytoplasma; (2) ‘the specified plants’ means plants of Vitis L., other than fruits and seeds; (3) ‘the specified vector’ means Scaphoideus titanus Ball; (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 flavescence dorée phytoplasma and its vector Scaphoideus titanus’ 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 2,5 km, surrounding the infected zone.

1 In the infected zones, the competent authorities shall ensure that the following measures are taken: (a) removal and destruction the specified plants found infected with the specified pest as soon as possible and at the latest before the beginning of the next growing season; (b) application of appropriate treatments to control the specified vector.

2 In the buffer zones, the competent authorities shall ensure the application of appropriate treatments to control the specified vector, in the case of presence of the specified vector. Where the presence of the specified pest has been officially confirmed in the specified plants in the buffer zone, Articles 17 and 18 of Regulation (EU) 2016/2031 shall apply.

3 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 and the specified vector 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 and its specified vector. Those surveys shall include: (a) visual examinations of the specified plants to detect the specified pest; (b) sampling and testing in case of suspicion of the presence of the specified pest; and (c) appropriate trapping for the detection of the specified vector. 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.