L 23/56 Official Journal of the European Communities 30.1.1999 (Acts whose publication is not obligatory) COMMISSION COMMISSION DECISION of 20 January 1999 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 Hungary or Romania (notified under document number C(1999) 81) (1999/76/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 Commission Directive 98/2/EC(}), and in particular Article 14(1) thereof, Having regard to the request made by Austria, in respect of plants of Vitis L., other than fruits, originating in Hungary or Romania, Whereas, under the provisions of Directive 77/93/EEC, plants of Viris L., other than fruits, originating in third countries, may in principle not be introduced into the Community; Whereas the use of propagating material of Viris L. imported from Hungary or Romania had become an established practice before Austria’s accession to the Community; whereas this propagating material was intended to be used to produce grafted material in Austria; () OJ L 26, 31. 1. 1977, p. 20. OJ L 15, 21. 1. 1998, p. 34. Whereas, in respect of the said imports into the Community of the said plants, on the basis of information supplied by the relevant Member State, it appeared that in Hungary or Romania, plants of Vitis L. could be grown under adequate health conditions and that there were no sources for the introduction of exotic diseases affecting plants of Vitis L.; whereas therefore, by Decision 98/ 201/EC (%), Member States were authorised to provide for a derogation, for a limited period, and under specific conditions, without prejudice to Council Directive 68/ 193/EEC (¥, as last amended by the Act of Accession of Austria, Finland and Sweden, and any implementing measures made thereunder; Whereas there were no confirmed findings of diseases and pests on samples drawn from cuttings imported pursuant to Decision 98/201/EC or on visual inspections of grafted plants using such cuttings; Whereas the circumstances justifying the authorisation still obtain; Whereas the measures provided for in this Decision are in accordance with the opinion of the Standing Committee on Plant Health, () OJ L 76, 13. 3. 1998, p. 39. () OJ L 93, 17. 4. 1968, p. 15.