No L 209/32 Official Journal of the European Communities 20. 8. 93 \ . (Acts whose publication is not obligatory) COMMISSION COMMISSION DECISION of 9 July 1993 authorizing the Member States to provide for derogations from certain provisions of Council Directive 77/93/EEC, in respect of growing medium originating in third countries (93/447/BEC) THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES, Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Economic Community, Having regard to Council Directive 77/93/EEC of 21 December 1976 on protective measures against the introduction into the Community of organisms harmful to plants or plant products and against their spread within the Community ('), as last amended by Council Directive 93/19/EEC (3, and in particular Article 14 (3) thereof, Having regard to the requests made by the Member States, Whereas, under the provisions of Directive 77/93/EEC, growing medium as such, as defined in Annex III, Part A, item 14 thereof, may not in principle be introduced into the’ Community, because of the risk of introducing harmful soil-borne organisms, if it originates in Turkey, Belarus, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Moldavia, Russia, Ukraine or third countries outside the European conti- nent other than Cyprus, Egypt, Israel, Libya, Malta, Morocco and Tunisia ; N Whereas by Decision 88/429/EEC(°) the Commission authorized the Member States to provide for derogations in respect of the introduction of growing medium, for the purpose of scientific work and under specified condi- () OJ No L 26, 31. 1. 1977, p. 20. () OJ No L 96, 22. 4. 1993, p. 33. () OJ No L 208, 2. 8. 1988, p. 34. tions ; whereas that Decision stipulated that the aﬁthoriza- tion should expire on 31 December 1992 ; Whereas the circumstances justifying the authorization still obtain ; Whereas the measures provided for in this Decision are in accordance with the opinion of the Standing Phytosani- tary Committee, HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION : Article 1 1. Member States are hereby authorized to provide, under the conditions laid down in paragraphs 2 and 3, for derogations for the purpose of scientific work, from Article 4 (1) of Directive 77/93/EEC with regard to the prohibition on the introduction of growing medium referred to in item 14 of Part A to Annex III thereof. 2.  Without prejudice to other provisions of Directive 77/93/EEC, the responsible official bodies of the Member State concerned shall ensure, in the case of each deroga- tion granted, that the following conditions are satisfied : (a) the nature and objectives of the scientific work for which the growing medium is to be imported shall have been examined and approved ; (b) the quantity of growing medium shall be limited to an amount which is adequate for the approved scientific work ;