THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION,
Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union,
Having regard to Council Directive 2000/29/EC of 8 May 2000 on protective measures against the introduction into the Community of organisms harmful to plants or plant products and against their spread within the Community, and in particular Article 15(1) thereof,
Whereas:
(1)
Commission Implementing Decision 2011/778/EU provides for a derogation for the importation of seed potatoes originating in certain provinces of Canada into Greece, Spain, Italy, Cyprus, Malta and Portugal subject to certain conditions.
(2)
The derogation granted by Implementing Decision 2011/778/EU was limited in time. Portugal has asked for an extension of that derogation. The situation justifying that derogation remains unchanged and the derogation should therefore continue to apply. It is reasonably expected that imported potatoes will continue to comply with Union legislation. Furthermore, appropriate mechanisms are established in this Decision to ensure the monitoring of the conditions of application of the derogations. Therefore it is appropriate to extend the authorisations for derogations granted in this Decision for a longer period than the ones granted by previous Decisions and namely until 31 March 2024.
(3)
Implementing Decision 2011/778/EU should therefore be amended accordingly.
(4)
The measures provided for in this Decision are in accordance with the opinion of the Standing Committee on Plant Health,
HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION: