In accordance with Regulation (EU) 2016/2031, Member States may, on application, temporarily authorise the introduction into, the movement within, and the holding and multiplication in their territory of Union quarantine pests or pests subject to the measures adopted pursuant to Article 30(1) of that Regulation for official testing, scientific or educational purposes, trials, varietal selections, or breeding. Moreover, Member States may, on application, authorise temporarily the introduction into, and the movement within, their territory of plants, plant products and other objects used for official testing, scientific or educational purposes, trials, varietal selection or breeding.

It is necessary to supplement Regulation (EU) 2016/2031 by adopting rules on the exchange of information between Member States and the Commission concerning the introduction into, and movement within, the Union territory of the pests, plants, plant products and other objects concerned, on the procedures and conditions for granting the respective authorisations, as well as on the requirements for the monitoring of compliance and the actions to be taken in the event of non-compliance.

In order to ensure that the phytosanitary risk linked to the specified activities is eliminated or reduced to an acceptable level, the authorisation of the introduction into, and the movement within, the Union of any specified material should be subject to certain conditions ensuring the submission of a complete and appropriate application, the examination of the nature and objectives of the specified activities, the confirmation that the specified activities are performed in quarantine stations or confinement facilities and the destruction and safe removal of contaminated material.

In order to ensure monitoring and traceability of the specified material concerned, and to immediately address any associated phytosanitary risk, it is appropriate that, following the granting of that authorisation, the competent authority of the Member State in which the approved specified activity is to be carried out should issue a letter of authority, which should always accompany the specified material concerned.

Since it has proven to be implemented in an effective and consistent manner, the format of the letter of authority should be similar to the format set out in Annex II to Commission Directive 2008/61/EC.

A single letter of authority should be used for the multiple introductions into, and movements within the Union of specified material subject to the specified activities, and in accordance with special conditions, so as to ensure a proportionate and effective framework for such introductions and movements.

Official testing is carried out more frequently than the other specified activities. It would therefore be more efficient to allow a more flexible framework for official testing than for the other specified activities.

Rules should be established concerning the actions to be taken by the competent authorities, in the cases of non-compliance with the provisions of this Regulation, to ensure corrective actions as soon as possible. Those actions should include obligations for the person responsible for the specified activities.

For purposes of legal certainty and clarity, Directive 2008/61/EC should be repealed.

This Regulation should apply without prejudice to any rules adopted pursuant to Article 48 of the Regulation (EU) 2017/625 of the European Parliament and of the Council (Official Controls Regulation) with regard to goods exempted from official controls at border control posts.

In order to allow for the smooth termination of the activities authorised, it is appropriate to extend the validity of the approvals of those activities for a specified period of time.

For reasons of legal certainty, this Regulation should apply from the same date as Regulation (EU) 2016/2031,