No L 26/20 Official Journal of the European Communities 31.1.77 . ] . COUNCIL DIRECTIVE of 21 December 1976 on protective measures against the introduction into the Member States of harmful organisms of plants or plant products : (77/93/EEC) - THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES, Whereas  this  International  Plant  Protection Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Economic Community, and in particular Articles 43 and 100 thereof, Having regard to the proposal from the Commission, . Having -regard to the opinion of the European Parliament (1), ‘ Having regard to the opinion-of -the Economic and Social Committee (2), Whereas plant production ‘is very important to the Community; Whereas plant “production yields are - consistently reduced through the effects of harmful organisms; Whereas the protection of plants  against such organisms is absolutely necessary not only to avoid reduced yields but also to increase agricultural productivity; Whereas action taken by Member States and aimed at the systematic eradication of harmful organisms within Member States would have only a limited effect if protective measures against their introduction were not applied at the same time; Whereas the need for such measures has long been recognized; whereas they have formed the subject of many national regulations and international conventions, including the International Plant Protection Convention of 6 December 1951 concluded at the United Nations. Food and Agricultural Organization, which is of world-wide interest; 1) 0] No 187, 9. 11. 1965, p. 2900/65. (*) Opinion delivered 13 October 1965 (not published in the Official Journal). Convention and the close cooperation of States in the European and Mediterranean Plant Protection Organization have, to. a certain extent, already resulted in the harmonization of plant-health laws; Whercas, independently of this international cooperation, closer -harmonization "of the provisions against the introduction-of harmful organisms -into the Member States of the Community is required: Whereas it is necessary to make common protection arrangements against the- introduction of - harmful organisms from non-member countries and also to re-organize  plant-health inspection in conjunction - with the gradual removal of obstacles to and checks on intra-Community trade; Whereas, in :this respect, one of the most-important measures consists in listing the particularly dangerous harmful organisms whose introduction into the Member States must be totally prohibited .and also the harmful organisms whose introduction into the Member- States when carried by certain plants or plant products must also be prohibited; - Whereas the presence of some of these harmful organisms, when plants or plant products are introduced from countries in which these organisms occur, cannot be effectively checked; whereas it is therefore necessary to make minimum provision for bans on the introduction of certain plants and plant products, or to provide for special checks to be made in the producer countries; Whereas, due to special circumstances, certain other harmful organisms are significant in certain Member States only; whereas it is sufficient to allow these States the option to subject these harmful organisms to the Community rules on plant health; Whereas in intra-Community trade, a plant health control currently operates for all plants, plant products and other objects not only in the consignor country but also in the country of destination; whereas it is desirable to abolish the latter controls gradually and, to that end, to render those of the