13. 6. 87 Official Journal of the European Communities No L 153/41 (Acts whose publication is not obligatory) COUNCIL COUNCIL DECISION of 30 March 1987 authorizing certain Member States to waive certain provisions of Directive 77/93/EEC in respect of potatoes for human consumption originating.in Cuba (87/306/EEC) THE COUNCIL 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 intro- duction into the Member States of organisms harmful to plants or plant products ('), as last amended by Directive 87/298/EEC (3, and in particular Articles 14 (3) and 17 thereof, Having regard to the requests made by the Kingdom of Belgium, the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg and the Kingdom of the Netherlands, Having regard to the proposal from the Commission, Whereas under the provisions of Directive 77/93/EEC, potato tubers other than those officially certified as seed potatoes pursuant to other Community provisions, origi- nating in third countries not belonging to the continent - of Europe, may in principle not be introduced into the Community because of the risk of introducing exotic potato diseases unknown in the Community. Whereas, however, Article 14 (3) of the said Directive permits derogations from that rule, provided that it is established that there is no risk of spreading harmful organisms ; : Whereas the early growing of potatoes for human consumption in Cuba from seed potatoes supplied by Member States has become an established practice; whereas part of the early supply of potatoes for human () OJ No L 26, 31. 1. 1977, p. 20. () OJ No L 151, 11. 6. 1987, p. 1. consumption in the Community has been ensured by imports of such material from Cuba’; ' Whereas information supplied by the Republic of Cuba and  collected in that country has shown that there are. good reasons to believe that, in Cuba, potatoes can be grown under adequate health conditions and that, at present, there are no sources for the introduction of exotic potato diseases; whereas Cuba has moreover imple- mented .adequate health and quality standards in her potato production, and whereas, at least in respect of pota- toes derived from seed potatoes supplied by the Commu- nity, exotic potato diseases unknown in the Community are not likely to occur; ' Whereas, however, in particular, the post-harvest control system in respect of the potatoes intended for the Community should be monitored in such a way as to ensure that it takes into account the specific concern of the Community ; Whereas it can therefore be affirmed, on the basis of the information available at present, that there is no risk of harmful organisms spreading, provided that certain special technical conditions are complied with ; whereas the potatoes are introduced at a time when they cannot influence the health status of potatoes produced in the Community ; Whereas the requesting Member States should therefore be authorized to provide for waivers in respect of potatoes for human consumption originating in Cuba, under the aforementioned special technical conditions, for the forth- coming early potato season ; whereas this system will be reconsidered, depending on the results of monitoring to be carried out on the post-harvest control system ; Whereas the Standing Committee on Plant Health has not delivered an opinion within the time limit set by its chairman, ‘