COMMISSION DECISION of 24 November 1998 setting out the arrangements for Community comparative tests of seed potatoes under Article 14 of Council Directive 66/403/EEC (notified under document number C(1998) 3633) (98/696/EC)
THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES,
Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community,
Having regard to Council Directive 66/403/EEC on the marketing of seed potatoes (1), as last amended by Commission Decision 98/111/EC (2), and in particular Article 14(4) thereof,
Whereas Article 14(4) of Directive 66/403/EEC provides for the carrying out of Community comparative tests of seed potatoes;
Whereas it is necessary for all Member States to participate in the Community comparative tests, in so far as seed potatoes are usually reproduced or marketed in their territories, in order to ensure that proper conclusions may be drawn therefrom;
Whereas the Commission is responsible for making the necessary arrangements for the Community comparative tests;
Whereas the arrangements for the tests should also cover, inter alia, certain harmful organisms which come within the scope of Directive 66/403/EEC, as well as Council Directive 77/93/EEC of 21 December 1976, on protective measures against the introduction into Member States of organisms harmful to plants or plant products (3), as last amended by Commission Directive 98/2/EC (4), Council Directive 93/85/EEC on the control of potato ring rot (5), as well as Council Directive 98/57/EC on the control of Ralstonia Solanacearum (Smith) Yabuuchi et al. (6);
Whereas the measures provided for in this Decision are in accordance with the opinion of the Standing Committee on Seeds and Propagating Material for Agriculture, Horticulture and Forestry,
HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION:
Article 1
1. Community comparative tests shall be carried out during 1999 on seed potatoes harvested in 1998.
2. All Member States shall participate in the Community comparative tests.
Article 2
1. The general arrangements for the carrying out of the Community comparative tests are set out in the Annex hereto.
2. Further detailed arrangements for the carrying out of the Community comparative tests shall be submitted to the Standing Committee on Seeds and Propagating Material for Agriculture, Horticulture and Forestry.
Article 3
This Decision is addressed to the Member States.
Done at Brussels, 24 November 1998.