Italy has informed the Commission that a new aggressive strain of Pseudomonas syringae pv. actinidiae Takikawa, Serizawa, Ichikawa, Tsuyumu & Goto, hereinafter ‘the specified organism’, the causal agent of kiwi canker, is present in its territory and that it has adopted official measures to prevent the further introduction and spread within its territory of the specified organism. The available information also shows that the new aggressive strain of the specified organism is present in a third country that exports the propagating material of kiwi plants, including pollen, to the Union.

The specified organism is neither listed in Annex I nor in Annex II to Directive 2000/29/EC. It appears from a preliminary pest risk analysis carried out by the Commission on the basis of an assessment prepared by the European and Mediterranean Plant Protection Organization (EPPO) that the specified organism causes harmful effects to plants of Actinidia Lindl.

Due to the complexity of the taxonomic identification of the new aggressive strain of the specified organism, it is appropriate to provide for measures applying to the specified organism as such, without restricting measures to the strain concerned.

Measures should be provided for concerning the introduction into the Union of plants for planting of Actinidia Lindl. from third countries. Measures should also be provided for concerning the movement within the Union of these plants originating in the Union.

Surveys for the presence of the specified organism should be carried out in all Member States and the results notified.

Member States should, if necessary, adapt their legislation in order to comply with this Decision.

This Decision should apply until 31 March 2016 to allow time to monitor the evaluation of the situation.

The measures provided for in this Decision are in accordance with the opinion of the Standing Committee on Plant Health,