Community plant health regime: measures against harmful organisms

PURPOSE : to amend Council Directive 2000/29/EC on protective measures against the introduction into the Community of organisms harmful to plants or plant products and against their spread within the Community. LEGISLATIVE ACT : Council Directive 2002/89/EC amending Directive 2000/29/EC on protective measures against the introduction into the Community of organisms harmful to plants or plant products and against their spread within the Community. CONTENT : the Council adopted a Directive on protective measures against the introduction into the Community of organisms harmful to plants or plant products and against their spread within the Community. This Directive introduces provisions for specification of the procedures for the clearance of imports of plants or plant products from third countries into the Community by the official phytosanitary bodies in the Member States in co-operation with the customs authorities. In the light of experience, several other provisions of Directive 2000/29/EC should be completed, clarified or amended in the light of developments, such as some of the functions of the "single authority" of each Member State for coordination and contact in the practical operations of the Community plant health regime requires specific scientific or technical knowledge. It must therefore be made possible, to delegate specific tasks to another service; the adoption of derogation decisions include some procedural conditions which are no longer necessary or justified; detailed rules concerning the Community financial contribution. This text also introduces the principle of harmonised fees to be charged for the carrying out of phytosanitary import inspections and the levels thereof. Lastly, this Directive aims to adopt measures necessary for the implementation of Directive 2000/29/EC in accordance with Council Decision 1999/468/EC laying down the procedures for the exercise of implementing powers conferred on the Commission. Member States shall adopt and publish before 1 January 2005, the provisions necessary to comply with this Directive. They shall forthwith inform the Commission thereof. They shall apply those provisions from 1 January 2005. ENTRY INTO FORCE : 30/12/2002.�