G/TBT/N/EU/117  
 
13 June 2013  
(13-3085)  Page: 1/2  
Committee on Technical Barriers to Trade  Original: English  
 
NOTIFICATION 
The following notification is being circulated in accordance with Article 10.6 
 
1. Notifying Member:  EUROPEAN UNION  
If applicable, name of local government involved (Article 3.2 and 7.2):     
2. Agency responsible:  European Commission 
Name and address (including telephon e and fax numbers, email and website 
addresses, if available) of agency or authority designated to handle comments 
regarding the notification shall be indicated if different from above :   
European Commission 
EU-TBT Enquiry Point 
Fax:  +(32) 2 299 80 43 E-mail:  mailto:eu-tbt@ec.europa.eu  
Website:  http://ec.europa.eu/enterprise/tbt/   
3. Notified under Article 2.9.2 [X], 2.10.1 [   ], 5.6.2 [   ], 5.7.1 [   ], other:   
4. Products covered (HS or CCCN where applicable, otherwise national tariff 
heading. ICS numbers may be provided in addition, where applicable):  
Plant reproductive material. 
5. Title, number of pages and language(s) of the notified document:  Proposal for a 
Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council on the production and making 
available on the market of plant reproductive material (plant reproductive material law) 
(COM (2013) 262 final) (147 pages, in English).     
6. Description of content:  The proposed regulation will modernise, simplify and 
strengthen the legislation on marketing of pl ant reproductive material by repealing and 
replacing 12 Directives, most of which were  adopted between 1966 and 1971, and since 
then frequently and substantially amended.  While ensuring the health, identity and 
quality of plant reproductive material, it will provide simpler and more flexible rules for 
the marketing of seeds and other plant reproductive material with the aim of ensuring their productivity, adaptability and diversity. It also aims to facilitate trade in seeds and 
plant reproductive material and to enhance biodiversity.  
Plant reproductive material may be imported from third countries only if it fulfils 
requirements equivalent to those applicable in the European Union. This draft regulation 
shall not apply to plant reproductive material intended solely for testing or scientific 
purposes or for breeding. It shall not apply to plant reproductive material intended for and to be maintained by gene banks, organisations and networks of conservation of genetic resources, or persons belonging to those organisations or networks. It shall also 
not apply to plant reproductive material exchanged in kind or between persons other 
than professional operators. 
7. Objective and rationale, including the nature of urgent problems where 
applicable:  Food security.  
8. Relevant documents:   -   G/TBT/N/EU/117 
 
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  9. Proposed date of adoption:   
Proposed date of entry into force:    To be determined To be determined 
10. Final date for comments:  120 days from date of notification  
11. Text available from:  National enquiry point [ X], or address, telephone and fax 
numbers, e-mail and web-site addresse s, if available of the other body:    
European Commission 
EU-TBT Enquiry Point 
Fax:  + (32) 2 299 80 43 
E-mail:  mailto:eu-tbt@e c.europa.eu  
The text is available on the EU-TBT Website:  http://ec.europa.eu/enterprise/tbt/     
and at 
http://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriServ.do?uri=COM:2013:0262:FIN:ES:PDF  
http://members.wto.org/crnattach ments/2013/tbt/EEC/13_2240_00_e.pdf