WORLD TRADE G/SPS/N/NLD/22
2February 1998
ORGANIZATION
(98-0360)
Committee onSanitary andPhytosanitary Measures
NOTIFICATION
1. Member toAgreement notifying: THE NETHERLANDS
Ifapplicable, name oflocal government involved:
2. Agency responsible: National Enquiry Point
3. Products covered (tariff item number(s) asspecified innational schedules deposited with
theWTO. ICSnumbers may beprovided inaddition, where applicable): Propagating
material offlorist andtree-nursery crops, including perennial plants, insofar asnotEU-
harmonized
4. Title andnumber ofpages ofthenotified document: General Netherlands Inspection
Service forFlorist andTree-Nursery Crops (NAKB) Inspection Rules
5. Description ofcontent:
TheNAKB inspection rules contain specifications which govern thequality, health,
trueness-to-type andvarietal purity ofpropagating material. These specifications have
beensetoutingreater detail intheappendices totheNAKB inspection rules. These
rules havebeendrafted inaccordance withtheprovisions ofDirectives 91/652/EEC
and92/34/EEC (66/404/EEC forforestry crops).
Consequently, thenon-EU standardized product which iscurrently being submitted for
notification issubject tothesame basic requirements aslaiddown intheabove-
mentioned Directives. Wewould specifically refertoArticles 2,3,5,6,8and9in
which theimplementation ofthesaidDirective islaiddown andwhich apply tothe
products notified. Asforimport, there isanotification duty, which doesnotconstitute
abarrier totrade because (a)everyone isentitled toimport materials and(b)theNAKB
doesnotgetinvolved withimported materials untilsuchtimeastheimporting company
hasdecided tosubject thematerials totheNAKB inspection system. Only thendothe
product requirements inquestion apply.
Finally, wewould refertotheECCommission 'sexemption decision regarding thecrop
Vitis L.dated 18April 1975 (OJEC No.L122).
6. Objective andrationale: Toensure thatreliable propagating material offlorist andtree
nursery crops areproduced, marketed andretailed bytheindustry, topromote theuse
ofreliable propagating material offlorist andtreenursery crops, aswellasthe
improvement thereof andalsotoensure thattheSchemes under orpursuant totheSeed
andPlanting Material Actarecarried out.
7. Aninternational standard, guideline orrecommendation does notexist [X].
Ifaninternational standard, guideline orrecommendation exists, whenever possible,
identify deviations:
./.G/SPS/N/NLD/22
Page2
8. Relevant documents andlanguage(s) inwhich these areavailable:
(a) ECCouncil Directive 66/404/EEC of14June1966 onthemarketing offorest
reproductive material (OJEC 1996, No.125)andECCouncil
Directive 71/161/EEC onexternal quality standards forforest reproductive
material marketed within theCommunity (OJEC 1971, L87).
(b) ECCouncil Directive 91/682/EEC of19December 1991 onthemarketing of
ornamental plant propagating material andornamental plants (OJEC 1991,
L376).
(c) ECCouncil Directive 92/34/EEC of28April 1992 onthemarketing offruit
plant propagating material andfruitplants intended forfruitproduction (OJEC
1992, L157).
(d) NAKB Follow-up Decree (Bulletin ofActsandDecrees 1994, 598).
(e) SeedandPlanting Material Act(Actof6October 1966, Bulletin ofActsand
Decrees 455,regulating theplant breeders 'rights andthemovement of
propagating material ofagricultural andhorticultural crops).
9. Proposed date ofadoption
10. Proposed date ofentry intoforce:
11. Final date forcomments: 28February 1998
Agency orauthority designated tohandle comments: National Enquiry Point
12. Texts available from: National enquiry point [X]oraddress, telefax number andE-mail
address (ifavailable) ofother body: