22.1.98 Official Journal of the European Communities L 17/25 (Acts whose publication is not obligatory) COMMISSION COMMISSION DECISION of 9 January 1998 authorising the Member States exceptionally to provide for derogations from certain provisions of Council Directive 77/93/EEC in respect of plants of Vitis L., other than fruits, originating in Croatia (98/86/EC) THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES, Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community, Having regard to Council Directive 77/93/EEC of 21 December 1976 on protective measures against the intro- duction into the Community of organisms harmful to plants or plant products and against their spread within the Community ('), as last amended by Directive 97/14/ EC (3, and in particular Article 14(1) thereof, Having regard to the request made by Italy, in respect of plants of Vitis L., other than fruits, originating in Croatia, Whereas, pursuant to the provisions of Directive 77/ 93/EEC, plants of Vitis L., other than fruits originating in third countries, may in principle not be introduced into the Community; Whereas by Decision 97/78/EC(}) the Commission authorised Member States to provide for derogations in respect of plants of Vitis L., other than fruits, originating in Croatia or Slovenia under specified conditions in the 1997 season; Whereas there have been no confirmed findings of harmful organisms during the inspections on the plants introduced pursuant to Decision 97/78/EC; Whereas the circumstances justifying the authorisation for Croatia still obtain; () OJ L 26, 31. 1. 1977, p. 20. () OJ L 87, 2. 4. 1997, p. 17. ¢) OJ L 22, 24. 1. 1997, p. 35. Whereas therefore a derogation should be authorised for a limited period, provided that it includes specific condi- tions and without prejudice to Council Directive 68/ 193/EEC (), as last amended by the Act of Accession of Austria, Finland and Sweden; Whereas the measures provided for in this Decision are in accordance with the opinion of the Standing Committee on Plant Health, HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION: Article 1 1. The Member States are hereby authorised to provide, under the conditions laid down in paragraph 2, for exceptions from Article 4(1) of Directive 77/93/EEC, with regard to the prohibitions referred to in Part A, point 15 of Annex III thereto for plants of Vitis L., other than fruits, originating in Croatia. 2. The following specific conditions shall be satisfied: (a) the plants shall be propagating material in the form of dormant bud material of the following varieties: — Babic, — Plavac Mali, () OJ L 93, 17. 4. 1968, p. 15.