31.12. 91 Official Journal of the European Communities No L 376/29 COUNCIL DIRECTIVE "of 19 December 1991 amending Directive 77/93/EEC on protective measures against the introduction into the Member States of organisms harmful to plants or plant products (91/683/EEC) THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES, Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Economic Community, and in particular Article 43 thereof, Having regard to the proposal from the Commission (1), Having regard to the opinion of the European Parliament (2), Having regard to the opinion of the Economic and Social Committee (3), Whereas by Directive 77/93/EEC (#), as last amended by Directive 91/27/EEC (3), the Council laid down protective measures against the introduction into the Member States of organisms harmful to plants or plant products; whereas the protection of plants against such organisms is absolutely necessary to increase agricultural productivity, which is one of the objectives of the common agricultural policy; Whereas the completion of the internal market at the end of 1992 will entail the application of the Community plant health regime established by Directive 77/93/EEC, with effect from that time, to the Community as an area without internal frontiers; whereas it is furthermore considered that areas which are not affected by particular harmful organisms need protection wherever they are located in the Community; whereas, accordingly, the scope of the regime should no longer be restricted to trade between Member States and third countries, but should also be extended to marketing within single Member States; Whereas, in principle, all parts of the Community should benefit from the same degree of protection against harmful organisms; whereas, however, differences in ecological conditions and in the distribution of certain harmful orgariisms must be taken into account; whereas, in consequence, ‘protected zones’ exposed to particular plant health risks should be defined and should be accorded special protection under conditions compatible with the internal market; Whereas to ensure more effective application of the Community plant-health regime in the internal market, it 1 (1) OJ No C 29, 8. 2. 1990, p. 10. (z) O No C 106, 22. 4. 1991, p. 32. (3) OJ No C 182, 23. 7. 1990, p. 16. (*) O] No L 26, 31. 1. 1977, p. 20. (5) O No L 16, 22. 1. 1991, p. 29. must be possible to use, for the purpose of plant-health checks, available official manpower other than that of Member States’ official plant-protection organizations, whose training shall be coordinated and supported financially by the Cornmunity; Whereas the application of the Community plant health regime to the Community as an area without internal frontiers, and the introduction of protected zones will necessitate a restructuring, based in particular on a more realistic assessment of plant health risks arising from Community products, of the requirements laid down in the Annexes to Directive 77/93/EEC, so as to classify them as applicable to Community products on the one hand and to imports from third countries on the other, and to identify harmful organisms relevant for protected zones; whereas this restructuring should lead to a simplification of the Annexes, in particular by the removal of a number of harmful organisms established in certain parts of the Community and the related requirements; Whereas some of this restructuring should be entrusted to the Commission assisted by the Standing Committee on Plant Health established by Decision 76/894/EEC (¢); Whereas in the context of the internal market it must be possible to rely on plant health checks carried out in consignor Member States; whereas it is accordingly necessary to establish more detailed and more uniform rules for these checks; Whereas the most appropriate place for carrying out plant-health checks is the place of production; whereas, in respect of Community products, these checks must therefore be made mandatory at the place of production and should extend to all relevant plants and plant products grown, produced, used or otherwise present there, and to the growing medium used there; whereas, for the efficient operation of such a system of checks, all producers should be officially registered; Whereas, if the results of the checks are satisfactory, instead of the phytosanitary certificate used in international trade, an agreed mark (‘plant passport’), adapted to the type of product, should be attached to the product, in order to ensure its free movement throughout the Community or those parts thereof for which it is valid; (5) OJ No L 340, 9. 12. 1976, p. 25.