Surveys of the Union territory outside of demarcated areas
Article 3
1. Competent authorities shall conduct risk-based annual surveys of the host plants in the areas of their territories, where the specified pest is not known to occur, for the presence of that pest. 2. The design and sampling scheme of those surveys shall allow to detect, within the Member State concerned, with a sufficient level of confidence, a low level of presence of infested plants. They shall be based on the Authority’s General guidelines for statistically sound and risk-based surveys for plant pests. 3. The surveys shall be carried out: (a) by using techniques capable of detecting infestation at crown height; (b) in open air, natural and urban areas, stops along the roads and railways, as well as in nurseries, garden centres, trading centres, hardwood sawmills, and other relevant sites, where the competent authorities may consider more likely to detect the specified pest; (c) taking into account the presence and biology of host plants, and the scientific and technical information referred to in the pest survey card. 4. The surveys shall consist of: (a) visual examination of host plants; and (b) where appropriate, collection of samples and testing of plants for planting, wood or wood packaging material. In order to complement the visual examinations of the surveys, specifically trained sniffer dogs or trapping may be used, where appropriate.