No L 80/52 Official Journal of the European Communities 25. 3. 88 . COMMISSION DECISION ' of 11 February 1988 -approving derogations provided for by Italy from certain provisions of Council Directive 77/93/EEC in respect of seed potatoes originating in Poland (Only the Italian text is authentic) (88/177/EEC) THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES, Having regard to the Treaty establishing the Européan Economic .Community, Having regard to Council Directive 77/93/EEC of 21 December 1976 on protective measures against the introduction into the Member States of organisms harmful to plants or plant products ('), as last amended by Directive 87/298/EEC (9, and in particular Article 14 (2) and Annex IV, part A (24) thereof, Whereas, pursuant to Directive 77/93/EEC, potato tubers originating in third countries where potato spindle tuber ~ viroid has occurred may not, in principle, be brought into the Community unless their faculty of germination has been suppressed, in view of the risk of the introduction of potato spindle tuber viroid, and unless — if they originate in a country where Corynebacterium sepedonicum  is known to occur — provisions recognized as equivalent to the Community provisions on combating this harmful organism have been complied with in the country of origin ; Whereas, nevertheless, Article 14 (1) (¢ (iii) of the abovementioned Directive permits Member States to provide for derogations with regard to the rule relating to the suppression of the faculty of germination, provided ‘that there is no risk of harmful organisms spreading; whereas these derogations are subject to approval, under certain conditions, in accordance with Article 14 (2) and must also comply with the conditions laid down in Annex IV, part A (24); ' Whereas in Italy the growing of potatoes of the Sieglinde variety has been an established practice ; whereas part of the supply of seed potatoes of this variety has been ensured by imports from Poland; ‘Whereas Italy has stated that it intends to provide for derogations for the current seed-potato marketing seasons ; Whereas it is known that Poland is still not free from potato spindle tuber viroid or from Corynebacterium sepedonicum ; Whereas Poland has developed a programme to eradicate these harmful organisms on a regional basis; whereas () OJ No L 26, 31. 1. 1977, p. 20. () O No L 151, 11. 6. 1987, p. 1. there are good reasons to believe that the programme to eradicate these harmful organisms has become fully effective, at least in certain ‘closed zones (strefy zamkniete) of the voievodship of Lomza; Whereas it can therefore be established that there is no risk of the harmful organisms in question spreading, provided that the seed potatoes originate in such zones and that certain special technical conditions are complied with ; ‘ Whereas, therefore, the derogations provided for by Italy should be approved for the current seed-potato marketing season, provided that they include the aforementioned conditions and without prejudice to Council Directive 66/403/EEC (), as last amended by Directive 87/374/EEC (), and to Council Directive 70/457/EEC (), as last amended by Directive 86/155/EEC(9); 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. Approval is hereby given, under the conditions laid down in paragraph 2, and without prejudice to Directives 66/403/EEC and 70/457/EEC, to Italy to provide, in accordance with Article 14 (1) (¢) (il) of Directive 77/93/EEC, and in connection with the third indent of part A (24) of Annex IV thereto, for derogations from Article 5 (1) and the third indent of Article 12 (1) (a) of that Directive as regards the requirements referred to in part A (25) of Annex IV, in respect of seed potatoes of the Sieglinde variety originating in Poland. 2. For the purposes of paragraph 1, the following conditions shall apply ¢ (a) the seed potatoes shall have been produced in fields located in the ‘closed zone’ (strefa zamknieta) of Wierzbowo in the voievodship of Lomza; ¢) OJ No 125, 11. 7. 1966, p. 2320/66. (9 OJ No L 197, 18. 7. 1987, p. 36. () OJ No L 225, 12. 10. 1970, p. 1. (9 OJ No L 118, 7. 5. 1986, p. 23.