L 59/32 Official Journal of the European Communities 6.3.1999 COMMISSION DECISION of 24 February 1999 authorising Member States to provide for derogations from certain provisions of Council Directive 77/93/EEC in respect of plants of strawberry (Fragaria L.), intended for planting, other than seeds, originating in Argentina (notified under document number C(1999) 406) (1999/181/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 requests made by France and Italy, Whereas, under the provisions of Directive 77/93/EEC, plants of strawberry (Fragaria L.), intended for planting, other than seeds, originating in non-European countries, other than Mediterranean countries, Australia, New Zealand, Canada and the continental States of the United States of America, may in principle not be introduced into the Community; Whereas, the multiplication in Argentina of plants of Fragaria L., intended for planting, other than seeds, from plants supplied by some Member States, in order to prolongate the producing season, has become an estab- lished practice; whereas the plants produced are after- wards exported to the Community in order to have them planted for the production of fruits; Whereas, by Decision 93/411/EEC (%), as last amended by Decision 96/403/EC (*), Member States were authorised to provide, under certain conditions, for derogations from certain general rules of Directive 77/93/EEC for plants of strawberry (Fragaria L., intended for planting, other than seeds, originating in Argentina in the 1993-1996 seasons; Whereas in the 1993 and 1994 import seasons there had been no confirmed findings of harmful organisms during import inspections on the plants imported pursuant to Decision 93/411/EEC; whereas however, in relation to the 26, 31. 1. 1977, p. 20. 15, 21. 1. 1998, p. 34. 182, 24. 7. 1993, p. 63. 165, 4. 7. 1996, p. 37. 0000 S | ol ol ol o 1995 and 1996 import seasons, the Netherlands reported to the Commission four findings, one in the 1995 season and three in the 1996 season, of the harmful organism Xanthomonas fragariae Kennedy & King, detected during the stipulated growing season inspections on the imported Argentinean strawberry plants; whereas it was not possible to confirm the source of the outbreaks; whereas it was considered that the circumstances justi- fying the previous authorisations still obtained and by Decision 97/353/EC (°) a further authorisation with strin- gent requirements for the import of Argentinean straw- berry plants was granted for a limited period until 31.12.1998; whereas there have been no confirmed find- ings of harmful organisms during import inspections on the plants imported pursuant to Decision 97/353/EC; whereas it is considered that the circumstances justifying the previous authorisations still obtain; whereas it is appropriate to grant a further authorisation with similar stringent requirements for the import of Argentinean strawberry plants for a limited period until 31.12.2000; 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.  Member States are hereby authorised to provide, under the conditions laid down in paragraph 2, for a derogation from Article 4(1) of Directive 77/93/EEC, with regard to the requirements referred to in Annex ITI(A)(18) for plants of strawberry (Fragaria L., intended for planting, other than seeds, originating in Argentina. 2. In addition to the requirements laid down in part A of the Annexes I, II and IV to Directive 77/93/EEC, in relation to plants of strawberry, the following specific conditions shall be satisfied: () OJ L 151, 10. 6. 1997, p. 40.