1968R0234 — EN — 01.01.1993 — 005.001 — 1
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►B REGULATION(EEC)No234/68OFTHECOUNCIL
of27February1968
ontheestablishmentofacommonorganisationofthemarketinlivetreesandotherplants,bulbs,
rootsandthelike,cutflowersandornamentalfoliage
(OJ L 55, 2.3.1968, p. 1)
Amended by:
Official Journal
No page date
►M1Council Regulation (EEC) No 3768/85 of 20 December 1985 L 362 8 31.12.1985
►M2CommissionRegulation(EEC) No 3991/87 of 23 December 1987 L 377 19 31.12.1987
►M3Council Regulation (EEC) No 3336/92 of 16 November 1992 L 336 1 20.11.1992
Amended by:
►A1Act of Accession of Denmark, Ireland and the United Kingdom of Great
Britain and Northern IrelandL 73 14 27.3.1972
(adapted by Council Decision of 1 January 1973) L 2 1 1.1.1973
►A2Act of Accessionof Greece L 291 17 19.11.1979
Corrected by:
►C1Consolidated text of corrigenda to instruments published in Special
Editions 1952-72, p. 24 (234/68)
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REGULATION(EEC)No234/68OFTHECOUNCIL
of27February1968
on the establishment of a common organisation of the market in
live trees and other plants, bulbs, roots and the like, cut flowers
andornamentalfoliage
THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES,
Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Economic
Community, and in particular Articles 42 and 43 thereof;
Having regard to the proposal from the Commission;Having regard to the Opinion of the European Parliament(
1);
Whereas the operation and development of the common market in agri-
cultural products must be accompanied by the establishment of acommonagricultural policy to in clude inparticular a commonorgan i-sation of agricultural markets which may take various forms dependingonthe product;
Whereas the production of live trees and other plants, bulbs, roots and
the like, cut flowers and ornamental foliage (hereinafter where appro-
priate called ‘live plants’) is of particular importance to theagricultural economy of certain regions of the Community; whereasfor growers in these regions the proceeds of such production representa major part of their income; whereas therefore efforts should be made,
through appropriate measures, to promote the rational marketing of
such production and to ensure stable market conditions;
Whereas one of the measures to be taken with a view to the establish-
ment of the common organisation of the market is the application ofcommon quality standards to the products in question; whereas theapplication of these standards should have the effect of eliminating
from the market products of unsatisfactory quality and of promoting
commercial relations on the basis of genuine competition, thus contri-buting to an improvement in the profitability of production;
Whereas the application of these standards makes some form of inspec-
tionof quality n ecessary for the products which are subject tostandardisation; whereas therefore provision should be made to ensuresuch inspection;
Whereas exports of flowering bulbs to third countries are of consider-
able economic importance to the Community; whereas the continuationand development of such exports may be ensured by stabilising pricesinthis trade; whereas provisionshould therefore be made for min imumexport prices for the products inquestion ;
Whereas the common organisation of the market in live plants justifies
the applicationof the CommonCustoms Tariff; whereas, moreover, the
regulations on imports from third countries should be coordinated and
unified without delay;
Whereas, so as not to leave the Community market without defence
against exceptional disturbances which may arise by reason of importsand exports, the Community should be enabled to take all necessarymeasures without delay;
Whereas the common organisation of the market involes the removal at
the internal frontiers of the Community of all obstacles to the free
movement of the goods in question;
Whereas the provisions of the Treaty which allow the assessment of
aids granted by Member States and the prohibition of those which areincompatible with the common market should be made to apply to liveplants;1968R0234 — EN — 01.01.1993 — 005.001 — 2
(1) OJ No 156, 15.7.1967, p 27.
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Whereas, inorder to facilitate implemen tationof the proposed
measures, a procedure should be provided for establishing close co-operationbetweenMember States an d the Commissionwithina
Management Committee;
Whereas the common organisation of the market in live plants must
take appropriate account, at the same time, of the objectives set out inArticles 39 and 110 of the Treaty;
HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION:
Article 1
A common organization of the market in live trees and other plants,
bulbs, roots and the like, cut flowers and ornamental foliage shall be
established inrespect of the products fallin g withinChapter 6 of the
combined nomenclature ►M3 ◄; it shall comprise
common quality standards and a trading system.
Article 2
In order to encourage action by trade and joint trade organisations, the
following Community measures may be taken in respect of the
products referred to inArticle 1:
— measures to mprove quality and stimulate demand;
— measures to promote better organisation of production and
marketing;
— measures to facilitate the recording of market price trends.
General rules concerning measures shall be adopted in accordance with
the procedure laid downinArticle 43 (2) of the Treaty.
Article 3
Standards of quality, sizing and packaging, and the scope of these stan-
dards, may be determined for the products referred to in Article 1, or
for groups of such products; the standards may relate in particular toquality grading, to wrapping, to presentation and to marking.
Whenstan dards have beenadopted, the products to which they apply
may not be displayed for sale, offered for sale, sold, delivered or other-
wise marketed except in accordance with the said standards.
Standards and the general rules for their application shall be adopted
by the Council, acting in accordance with the voting procedure laiddowninArticle 43 (2) of the Treaty ona proposal from the Commis-
sion.
Article 4
Adjustments to quality standards to take account of the requirements of
production and marketing techniques shall be decided in accordance
with the procedure laid downinArticle 14.
Article 5
1. Member States shall subject to quality inspection products for
which quality standards have been determined. They shall notify other
Member States and the Commission, not later than one month after theentry into force of each quality standard, of the name and address ofthe bodies entrusted with the inspection of each product or group ofproducts for which the standard is laid down.
2. Detailed rules for the applicationof paragraph 1 shall be adopted
as necessary in accordance with the procedure laid down in Article 14,account being taken in particular of the need to ensure coordination ofthe work of the inspection bodies and uniformity of interpretation andapplicationof quality stan dards.1968R0234 — EN — 01.01.1993 — 005.001 — 3
▼M2
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Article 6
When standards have been determined, all offers made to the public by
way of advertisements, catalogues or price lists must include, if theprice is quoted, mention of the nature of the product and of its sizegrading.
Article 7
1. For each of the products falling within subheading 0601 10, one
or more minimum prices for exports to third countries may be fixed
each year in good time before the marketing season, beginning in
1968, inaccordan ce with the procedure laid downinArticle 14.
Exportationof such products shall be permitted on ly at a price equal to
or above the minimum price fixed for the product in question.
2. Detailed rules for the applicationof paragraph 1 shall be adopted
inaccordan ce with the procedure laid downinArticle 14.
Article 8
1. The CommonCustoms Tariff shall be applied from 1 July 1968
to the products referred to inArticle 1; from that date n o other customs
duties shall be levied.
2. The necessary provisions for the co-ordination and unification of
the import systems applied by each of the Member States with regardto third countries shall be adopted before 1 July 1968 by the Council,
acting in accordance with the voting procedure laid down in Article 43
(2) of the Treaty ona proposal from the Commission . These measuresshall be put into effect at the latest on 1 January 1969.
Article 9
1. If by reason of imports or exports the Community market in one
or more of the products referred to inArticle 1 experien ces or is threa-tened with serious disturbances which may endanger the objectives setout inArticle 39 of the Treaty, appropriate measures may be applied intrade with third countries until such disturbance or threat of disturbancehas ceased.
The Council, acting in accordance with the voting procedure laid down
inArticle 43 (2) of the Treaty ona proposal from the Commission ,shall adopt detailed rules for the applicationof this paragraph an ddefine the cases in which and the limits within which Member States
may take protective measures.
2. If the situation mentioned in paragraph 1 arises, the Commission
shall, at the request of a Member State or onits ownin itative, decideupon the necessary measures; the measures shall be communicated to
the Member States and shall be immediately applicable. If the
Commissionreceives a request from a Member State, it shall take adecision thereon within twenty-four hours following receipt of therequest.
3. The measures decided uponby the Commissionmay be referred
to the Council by any Member State within three working daysfollowing the day on which they were communicated. The Councilshall meet without delay. It may amend or repeal the measures in ques-tion in accordance with the voting procedure laid down in Article 43(2) of the Treaty.
Article 10
1. The following shall be prohibited in the internal trade of the
Community:
— the levying of any customs duty or charge having equivalent effect;
— any quantitative restriction or measure having equivalent effect;— recourse to Article 44 ►
C1of the Treaty ◄.1968R0234 — EN — 01.01.1993 — 005.001 — 4
▼M2
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▼M2
2. By way of derogation from the provisions of the second and third
indents of paragraph 1, the maintenance of quantitative restrictions ormeasures having equivalent effect and recourse to Article 44 of the
Treaty shall continue to be authorized:
— for unrooted cuttings and slips of vines (subheading 0602 1010)
and vine slips, grafted or rooted (subheading 0602 2010) until the
date fixed for the applicationinall Member States of the provision sto be adopted by the Council on the marketing of materials for thevegetative propagationof the vin e.
As regards potted plants and sapling fruit trees and bushes (subhead-
ings 0602 2091, 060220 99, 0602 30 10, 0602 9970, 0602 99 91 and
0602 99 99), the Council shall adopt such measures as may be requiredin pursuance of Articles 3, 12 or 18 of this Regulation.
Article 11
Save as otherwise provided inthis Regulation , Articles 92 to 94 of the
Treaty shall apply to the productionof an d trade inthe productsreferred to inArticle 1.
Article 12
The Council, acting in accordance with the procedure laid down in
Article 43 (2) of the Treaty, shall add to this Regulationsuch furtherprovisions as may be required in the light of experience.
Article 13
1. A Management Committee for Live Plants (hereinafter called the
‘Committee’) shall be established, consisting of representatives of
Member States and presided over by a representative of the Commis-
sion.
2. Withinthe Committee the votes of Member States shall be
weighted inaccordan ce with Article 148 (2) of the Treaty. TheChairmanshall n ot vote.
Article 14
1. Where the procedure laid downinthis Article is to be followed,
the Chairmanshall refer the matter to the Committee either onhis owninitiative or at the request of the representative of a Member State.
2. The representative of the Commission shall submit a draft of the
measures to be taken. The Committee shall deliver its Opinion on suchmeasures withina time limit to be set by the Chairmanaccordin g tothe urgency of the questions under consideration. An Opinion shall beadopted by a ►
C1majority of ►M1fifty-four ◄votes.◄
3. The Commissionshall adopt measures which shall apply immedi-
ately. However, if these measures are not in accordance with theOpinion of the Committee they shall forthwith be communicated bythe Commission to the Council. In that event the Commission maydefer applicationof the measures which it has adopted for n ot morethan one month from the date of such communication.
The Council, acting in accordance with the voting procedure laid down
in Article 43 (2) of the Treaty, may take a different decision within onemonth.
Article 15
The Committee may consider any other question referred to it by its
Chairman either on his own initiative or at the request of the represen-
tative of a Member State.
Article 16
At the end of the transitional period the Council, acting in accordance
with the voting procedure laid down in Article 43 (2) of the Treaty on1968R0234 — EN — 01.01.1993 — 005.001 — 5
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a proposal from the Commission, shall decide in the light of experience
whether to retain or amend the provisions of Article 14.
Article 17
This Regulation shall be so applied that appropriate account is taken, at
the same time, of the objectives set out inArticles 39 an d 110 of the
Treaty.
Article 18
This Regulationshall be applied without prejudice to the provision s
adopted or to be adopted with a view to approximating the provisions
which have beenlaid downby law, regulationor admin istrative actionin Member States and which are designed to maintain or improve thetechnical or genetic level of production of certain products covered byArticle 1 and intended specifically for reproduction.
Article 19
This Regulation shall enter into force on the third day following its
publicationinthe Official Journal of the European Communities .
It shall apply from 1 July 1968.
This Regulation shall be binding in its entirety and directly applicable
inall Member States.1968R0234 — EN — 01.01.1993 — 005.001 — 6