G/SPS/N/EU/46  
 
21 May 2013  
(13-2610)  Page: 1/2  
Committee on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures  Original: English  
 
NOTIFICATION 
1. Notifying Member:  EUROPEAN UNION 
If applicable, name of local government involved:    
2. Agency responsible:  European Commission, Health and Consumers Directorate-
General 
3. Products covered (provide tariff item  number(s) as specified in national 
schedules deposited with the WTO;  ICS numbers should be provided in 
addition, where applicable):  Plant reproductive material 
4. Regions or countries likely to be affected , to the extent relevant or practicable: 
[X] All trading partners   
[ ] Specific regions or countries:    
5. Title of the notified document:  Draft Regulation of the European Parliament and of 
the Council on the production and making avai lable on the market of plant reproductive 
material (plant reproductive material law)  Language(s):  English  Number of pages:  
147 
http://members.wto.org/crnattachments/2013/sps/EEC/13_1933_00_e.pdf  
http://members.wto.org/crnattachments/2013/sps/EEC/13_1933_00_f.pdf  
http://members.wto.org/crnattachments/2013/sps/EEC/13_1933_00_s.pdf  
6. Description of content:  The draft proposed regulation will modernise, simplify and 
strengthen the legislation on marketing of plant reproductive material by repealing and 
replacing 12 Directives, most of which were  adopted between 1966 and 1971 and which 
have since then been frequently and substa ntially 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 to ensure their productivity, adaptability and diversity and to facilitate their trading. It also aims 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, orga nisations 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 between persons other than 
professional operators. 
7. Objective and rationale:  [ ] food safety, [ ] animal health, [X] plant protection, 
[ ] protect humans from animal/plant pest or disease, [ ] protect territory from 
other damage from pests.    G/SPS/N/EU/46 
 
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  8. Is there a relevant international st andard?  If so, identify the standard:  
[ ] Codex Alimentarius Commission (e.g.  title or seri al number of Codex 
standard or related text)   
[ ] World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) (e.g. Terrestrial or Aquatic 
Animal Health Code, chapter number)    
[ ] International Plant Protection Convention (e.g. ISPM number)    
[X] None 
Does this proposed regulation conform to the relevant international standard?   
 [ ] Yes   [ ] No 
 If no, describe, whenever possible,  how and why it deviates from the 
international standard:  This legislation essentially falls under the provisions of the 
TBT Agreement. However as it forms part of a larger 4-piece package of legislation which is being notified under the SPS Agreement, this is also being notified to the WTO 
under the SPS Agreement, for completeness' sake. 
9. Other relevant documents and language (s) in which these are available:  None   
10. Proposed date of adoption (dd/mm/yy) :  To be determined. 
Proposed date of publication (dd/mm/yy) :  To be determined. 
11. Proposed date of entry into force:  [ ] Six months from date of publication , 
and/or  (dd/mm/yy) :  On the twentieth day following that of its publication in the 
Official Journal of the European Union. It shall apply 36 months from the date of entry 
into force. 
[ ] Trade facilitating measure   
12. Final date for comments:  [ ] Sixty days  from the date of circulation of the 
notification and/or (dd/mm/yy) :  120 days 
Agency or authority designated to handle  comments:  [X] National Notification 
Authority, [X] National Enquiry Point.  Address, fax number and e-mail address 
(if available) of other body:   
European Commission 
DG Health and Consumers, Unit G6-Multilateral International Relations 
Rue Froissart 101, B-1049 Brussels Tel: +(32 2) 295 99 22 Fax: +(32 2) 299 80 90 
E-mail: sps@ec.europa.eu 
13. Texts available from:  [X] National Notifi cation Authority, [X] National Enquiry 
Point.  Address, fax number and e-mail address (if available) of other body:    
European Commission  
DG Health and Consumers, Unit G6-Multilateral International Relations 
Rue Froissart 101, B-1049 Brussels 
Tel: +(32 2) 295 99 22 Fax: +(32 2) 299 80 90 E-mail: sps@ec.europa.eu