(1)

Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2018/2019 (2) established, on the basis of a preliminary risk assessment, a list of high risk plants, plant products and other objects.

(2)

In accordance with Regulation (EU) 2016/2031, if it is concluded, on the basis of a risk assessment, that a plant, plant product or other object originating in a third country, group of third countries or a specific area of the third country concerned poses an unacceptable pest risk, but that that risk can be reduced to an acceptable level by applying certain measures, the Commission is to remove that plant, plant product or other object from the list established by Implementing Regulation (EU) 2018/2019 and add it to the list referred to in Article 41(2) of Regulation (EU) 2016/2031.

(3)

In addition, Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2020/1213 (3) sets out the phytosanitary measures for the introduction into the Union of certain plants, plant products and other objects, which have been removed from the Annex to Implementing Regulation (EU) 2018/2019.

(4)

The Annex to Implementing Regulation (EU) 2018/2019 includes plants of the genus Acer L. as high risk plants.

(5)

On 29 August 2019, New Zealand submitted to the Commission a request for export to the Union of one- to three- year-old bare rooted, dormant, free of leaves grafted or budded plants for planting belonging to the species Acer japonicum Thunberg, Acer palmatum Thunberg and Acer shirasawanum Koidzumi (‘the specified plants’). That request was supported by the respective technical dossier.

(6)

On 20 May 2020, the European Food Safety Authority (‘the Authority’) published a scientific opinion regarding the commodity risk assessment of Acer spp. plants from New Zealand (4). The Authority identified Eotetranychus sexmaculatus, Meloidogyne fallax, Oemona hirta and Platypus apicalis (‘the specified pests’) as pests relevant for the specified plants, evaluated the risk mitigation measures described in the dossier for those pests and estimated the likelihood of pest freedom for each pest related to that commodity.

(7)

Following that opinion, Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2020/1361 (5) removed the specified plants from the list of high risk plants established by Implementing Regulation (EU) 2018/2019.

(8)

Moreover, and on the basis of that opinion, the necessary measures to address the risk of the specified pests can be adopted as phytosanitary import requirements, to ensure the phytosanitary protection of the Union territory from introduction of the specified plants into the Union.

(9)

Concerning Oemona hirta and Platypus apicalis, the measures described by New Zealand in the dossier are considered sufficient to reduce the risk from introduction into the Union of the specified plants to an acceptable level. Therefore, the measures for those two pests should be based on those described by New Zealand in the dossier.

(10)

Concerning Meloidogyne fallax, the measures described by New Zealand in the dossier are in line with the existing requirements laid down in point 10 of Annex VII to Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/2072 (6) for nematodes, regarding trees and shrubs, intented for planting.

(11)

With regard to Eotetranychus sexmaculatus, it is considered that the sole application of the measures proposed by New Zealand in the dossier cannot reduce the risk from introduction into the Union of the specified plants to an acceptable level, as according to the opinion of the Authority, some uncertainties remain. Addressing the identified uncertainties, by applying additional measures as regards official statements and phytosanitary certificates for those plants, can reduce the risk from introduction into the Union of the specified plants to an acceptable level. Therefore, the measures applied by New Zealand in the dossier for Eotetranychus sexmaculatus should be complemented with those measures, which address the uncertainties.

(12)

Oemona hirta and Meloidogyne fallax are listed as Union quarantine pests in Annex II to Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/2072. Eotetranychus sexmaculatus and Platypus apicalis are not yet included in the list of Union quarantine pests of Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/2072 but they may fulfil the conditions to be included following a further complete risk assessment. If it is established that those pests fulfil those conditions, they will be included in the list of Annex II to Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/2072, and the relevant plants will be listed in Annex VII to that Regulation, together with the respective measures, based on a complete risk assessment on those pests. Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/2072 should be then reviewed accordingly.

(13)

The Annex to Implementing Regulation (EU) 2020/1213 should therefore be amended accordingly.

(14)

In order to comply with the Union obligations deriving from the World Trade Organization agreement on the application of sanitary and phytosanitary measures (7), the import of the specified plants should resume within the shortest possible delay. Therefore, this Regulation should enter into force on the third day following that of its publication.

(15)

The measures provided for in this Regulation are in accordance with the opinion of the Standing Committee for Plants, Animals, Food and Feed,