Annual surveys
Article 3
1. The competent authorities shall carry out annual surveys for the presence of the specified pest on the specified plants in their territory in accordance with the following requirements: (a) as regards tubers other than those for planting, the surveys shall comprise: (i) sampling from tuber lots in store or from the growing crop, as late as possible between desiccation of haulms and harvest; (ii) visual inspection of the growing crop, where it is possible to visually identify symptoms of the specified pest, and visual inspection of cut tubers in the cases where that inspection is suitable to detect symptoms of the specified pest; (b) as regards tubers for planting, other than those intended to be planted in their place of production, surveys shall systematically comprise visual inspection of the growing crops and of lots in store, sampling in store or sampling from the growing crops as late as possible between desiccation of haulms and harvest; (c) as regards tubers intended to be planted in their place of production, the surveys shall be performed on the basis of the identified risk concerning the presence of the specified pest and shall comprise: (i) sampling from tuber lots in store or from the growing crop, as late as possible between desiccation of haulms and harvest; (ii) visual inspection of the growing crop, where it is possible to visually identify symptoms of the specified pest, and visual inspection of cut tubers in the cases where that inspection is suitable to detect symptoms of the specified pest; (d) as regards specified plants other than tubers, the surveys and plant sampling shall be carried out in accordance with appropriate methods to identify the specified pest on those plants. 2. The number, origin and timing of the collection of samples shall be based on sound scientific and statistical principles and the biology of the specified pest, taking into account the particular potato production systems of the Member States concerned. 3. Member States shall report to the Commission and the other Member States, by 30 April of each year, the results of the annual surveys carried out during the preceding calendar year. They shall report the results of those surveys in accordance with the template set out in Annex II.