7.2.2001 Official Journal of the European Communities L 36/5 II (Acts whose publication is not obligatory) COMMISSION COMMISSION DECISION of 18 January 2001 authorising Member States temporarily to provide for derogations of Council Directive 2000/29/EC in respect of potatoes, other than potatoes intended for planting, originating in Cuba (notified under document number C(2001) 121) (2001/99/EC) THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES, tions under special technical conditions in respect of potatoes for human consumption originating in the Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European province of Pinar del Rio in Cuba, in the 1987 to 1996 Community, seasons, and by Decisions 97/186/EC (°), 1999/ 222[EC (%) and 2000/246/EC (!) in respect of potatoes, other than potatoes intended for planting originating in the province of Pinar del Rio in Cuba in the 1997 to 2000 seasons. Having regard to the Council Directive 2000/29/EC of 8 May 2000 on protective measures against the introduction into the Community of organisms harmful to plants or plant products and against their spread within the Community ('), and in particular Article 15(1) thereof, (4 There have never been confirmed findings of harmful organisms on samples drawn from imports pursuant to the said Decisions. Having regard to the request made by the Netherlands, Whereas: (1) Under the provisions of Directive 2000/29/EC, potato tubers other than those officially certified as seed pota- (5)  Information supplied by Cuba and collected in the toes pursuant to other Community provisions, origin- country during a mission carried out in July 1999 by the ating in Cuba may in principle not be introduced into Food and Veterinary Office, has shown that the pota- the Community because of the risk of introducing exotic toes, other than potatoes intended for planting, in the potato harmful organisms which would present a plant provinces of Ciego de Avila, La Habana and Matanzas health risk to the Community. can also be grown under adequate health conditions. (2)  The early growing in Cuba of potatoes, other than pota- toes intended for planting, from seed potatoes supplied by Member States has become an established practice. (6)  In the light of this information, there appears to be no Part of the early supply of potatoes in the Community risk of spreading harmful organisms affecting potatoes, has been ensured by imports of such material from other than those intended for planting, imported from Cuba. the provinces of Ciego de Avila, La Habana, Matanzas or Pinar del Rio, provided that certain special technical (3) By Decisions 87/306/EEC (3, 88/223[EEC (), 89/ conditions are satisfied. 152/EEC (4), 91/593/EEC (%), 93/36/EEC (%), 95/96/EC () and 96/157/EC (%), the Commission authorised deroga- () O] L 169, 10.7.2000, p. 1. (7  The measures provided for in this Decision are in (3 O] L 153, 13.6.1987, p. 41. accordance with the opinion of the Standing Committee () O] L 100, 19.4.1988, p. 44. on Plant Health, () O] L 59, 2.3.1989, p. 29. () O] L 316, 16.11.1991, p. 47. () O] L 16, 25.1.1993, p. 40. ) O] L 77, 19.3.1997, p. 32. () O] L 75, 44.1995, p. 22. (% OJ L 82, 26.3.1999, p. 47. (% O] L 36, 14.2.1996, p. 38. (") O] L 77, 28.3.2000, p. 20.