Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2020/1213
of 21 August 2020
concerning the phytosanitary measures for the introduction into the Union of certain plants, plant products and other objects which have been removed from the Annex to Implementing Regulation (EU) 2018/2019
THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION,
Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union,
Whereas:
According to Regulation (EU) 2016/2031, if it is concluded, on the basis of a risk assessment, that a plant, plant product or other object originating in a third country, group of third countries or specific area of the third country concerned poses an unacceptable risk, but that that risk can be reduced to an acceptable level by applying certain measures, the Commission is to remove that plant, plant product or other object from the list of Regulation (EU) 2018/2019 and add it to the list referred to in Article 41(2) of Regulation (EU) 2016/2031.
The Annex to Implementing Regulation (EU) 2018/2019 includes the genera Albizia Durazz. and Robinia L. as high risk plants.
On 24 January 2019, Israel submitted to the Commission a request for export to the Union of bare rooted, dormant grafted plants for planting, with a maximum diameter of 2,5 cm belonging to the species Albizia julibrissin Durazzini and of bare rooted, dormant grafted plants for planting, with a maximum diameter of 2,5 cm belonging to the species Robinia pseudoacacia L. (the ‘specified plants’). That request was supported by the respective technical dossiers.
Moreover, and on the basis of those opinions, the phytosanitary risk from introduction into the Union of the specified plants is considered to be reduced to an acceptable level by applying measures to address the risk of the specified pests. Such measures should therefore be adopted to ensure the phytosanitary protection of the Union territory from the introduction of the specified plants into the Union.
Aonidiella orientalis and Fusarium euwallaceae are not yet included in the list of Union quarantine pests of Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/2072, but they may fulfil the conditions to be included following a further complete risk assessment. Therefore, the measures for those two pests are based on those described by Israel in the dossier. Where it is established that those pests fulfil those conditions, they will be included in the list of Annex II to Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/2072, and the relevant plants will be listed in Annex VII to that Regulation, together with the respective measures, when a complete risk assessment on those pests becomes available and justifies those inclusions. This Regulation should be then reviewed accordingly.
In order to comply with the Union obligations deriving from the World Trade Organization agreement on the application of sanitary and phytosanitary measures, the import of those commodities should resume within the shortest possible delay. Therefore, this Regulation should enter into force the third day following that of its publication.
The measures provided for in this Regulation are in accordance with the opinion of the Standing Committee for Plants, Animals, Food and Feed,
HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION: