ARCHIVESHISTORIQUES
DELACOMMISSION
COLLECTION RELIEEDES
DOCUMENTS "COM"
COM(78)288
Vol.1978/0106

Disclaimer
Conformément aurèglement(CEE,Euratom)n°354/83duConseildu1erfévrier1983
concernantl'ouvertureaupublicdesarchiveshistoriquesdelaCommunauté économique
européenne etdelaCommunauté européenne del'énergieatomique(JOL43du15.2.1983,
p.1),telquemodifiéparlerèglement(CE,Euratom)n°1700/2003du22septembre2003
(JOL243du27.9.2003,p.1),cedossierestouvertaupublic.Lecaséchéant,lesdocuments
classifiésprésentsdanscedossierontétédéclassifiés conformément àl'article5dudit
règlement.
Inaccordance withCouncilRegulation(EEC,Euratom)No354/83of1February1983
concerningtheopeningtothepublicofthehistoricalarchivesoftheEuropeanEconomic
Community andtheEuropeanAtomicEnergyCommunity (OJL43,15.2.1983,p.1),as
amendedbyRegulation(EC,Euratom)No1700/2003of22September2003(OJL243,
27.9.2003,p.1),thisfileisopentothepublic.Wherenecessary,classifieddocuments inthis
filehavebeendeclassified inconformitywithArticle5oftheaforementioned regulation.
InÜbereinstimmung mitderVerordnung(EWG,Euratom)Nr.354/83desRatesvom1.
Februar1983überdieFreigabederhistorischen ArchivederEuropäischen
Wirtschaftsgemeinschaft undderEuropäischen Atomgemeinschaft (ABI.L43vom15.2.1983,
S.1),geändertdurchdieVerordnung (EG,Euratom)Nr.1700/2003vom22.September2003
(ABI.L243vom27.9.2003,S.1),istdieseDateiderÖffentlichkeit zugänglich.Soweit
erforderlich,wurdendieVerschlusssachen indieserDateiinÜbereinstimmung mitArtikel5
dergenanntenVerordnungfreigegeben.

COMMISSION OFTHEEUROPEAN COMMUNITIES
COM(78)288final
Brussels,27June1978
Proposalfora
COUNCILDIRECTIVE
amendingDirectives66/401/EEC,66/402/EEC,66/403/EEC,69/208/EEC,
70/458/EECand70/457/EEConthemarketingoffodderplantseed,
cerealseed,seedpotatoes,seedofoilandfibreplants,vegetable
seedandonthecommoncatalogueofvarietiesofagricultural plant
species *
(submittedtotheCouncilbytheCommission)
: ,\ ■. ;
' "V*-*A
C0I-I(78)288final '\\y ■. ■

EXPLANATORY NOTE
AccordingtotheprovisionsofDirectives66/401/EEC,69/208/EEC,70/457/ECC
and70/458/EECtheequivalenceofmeasurestakeninthirdcountriesconcerning
varietyandofficialseedexaminationcouldbeestablished,untilthe
1stJuly1977,bytheMemberStatesatnationallevel.
AscertainequivalencedecisionstakenatCommunitylevelapplyonlyfromthe
1stJuly1978,thepresentproposalprovidesforanextensionofthesaid
periodretroactively .
InthesamewaycertainMemberStatesmustalsobeenabledtoextendthe
validityofnationalequivalences whichhavebeenestablishedforseed
potatoesproducedincertainthirdcountriessincethepreparatory workfor
theadoptionofequivalence *atCommunitylevelhasnotyetbeencompletedfor
seedpotatoes. '
Furthermorethisproposalproviderforthepossibilityofrelaxing,under
Communitycontrol,certainconditionstobesatisfiedbytheseedinthecase
ofcertaincultivatedspeciesinordertocomplywithexceptionalsituations
orplanthealthrequirements . *
Finally,itwouldbeusefultoadapttheprovisionsonthecataloguesof
varietiesinthelightofcertainrequirements whichhaveemergedduringthe
periodofapplication oftheDirectives.

ProposalforaCouncilDirectiveamendingDirectives66/401/EEC,
66/402/EEC,66/403/EEC,69/208/EEC,70/458/EECand70/457/EEConthemarketing
offodderplantseed,cerealseed,seedpotatoes,seedofoilandfibreplants,
vegetableseedandonthecommoncatalogueof.varietiesofagriculturalplant
species '
THECOUNCILOFTHEEUROPEANCOMMUNITIES,-
HavingregardtotheTreatyestablishingtheEuropeanEconomicCommunity,and
inparticularArticle43thereof,
HavingregardtotheproposalfromtheCommission #
HavingregardtotheopinionoftheEuropeanParliament,
Whereas,forthereasons *givenbelow,certainDirectivesonthemarketingof
seedsandpropagatingmaterialshouldbeamended;•
Whereastheprovisions onthemarketingoffodderplantseed,seedofoiland
fibreplantsandofvegetableseedandalsotheprovisionsofthecommoncata­
logueofvarietiesofagricultural plantspeciesprovidethat,afterthe
1July1977,theequivalence ofmeasurestakeninthirdcountriesconcerning
varietyandofficialseedexamination cannolongerbeestablished bythe
MemberStatesatnationallevel;whereascertainequivalencedecisionstaken
atCommunitylevelshalltakeeffectfrom1July1978?whereastheperiod,*,
providedfortheestablishment ofequivalenceatnationallevelshouldbe'•
extended "byoneyearinordertocoverthetraditionaltradepatternswhich
havebeenmaintainedafter1July1977pendingtheCommunitydecisions;
Whereastheprovisionsonthemarketingofseedpotatoesprovideforthe
possibilitytoextend,until30June1978,thevalidityofcertain
decisionsontheestablishment ofequivalencetakenpreviouslyatnational
level;whereastheworktoenablesuchequivalencetobeestablished atComrauni
levelandinparticulartheworkwhichhastobeundertakenunderCouncil
Directive77/93/EECof21December1976onprotectivemeasuresagainstthe
introductionintotheMemberStatesofharmfulorganismsofplantorplant
products(l)hasnotyetbeencompleted;whereas,therefore,thesaidextension
shouldbepermitteduntil30June1979}
./.
(1)O.J.N°L26,31/1/1977,p.20 ~

Whereasinthecaseoffodderplantseed,certainconditionsconcerning
seedtestingmustheabletoherelaxedforthoseregionsoftheCommunity
inwhichveryfavourableecologicalconditionsensurecompliancewiththe
relevantCommunitystandardslaiddown; '
Whereasinthecaseofseedofryeusedforfodderpurposes,atemporary
relaxationoftheCommunitystandardsapplicabletoryeseedshouldbe
permittedinordertoovercomethetemporarydifficulties whichexist
incertainCommunityregionsfortheseproducts;
Whereasinthecaseofcerealseed,recentlyexperimented methodsinorder
toreducetheeffectsofattackbycertainharmfulorganismsappearto
justifytheadmissionofmixturesofseedofdifferentvarieties,provided
thatmeasuresaretakenguaranteeing thatthequalityoftheseedorthe
finalproductisnotaffected;
Whereas,inordertoimprovethefunctioning ofthesystemsofthecommon
catalogueofvarietiesofagricultural plantspeciesandofthecommon
catalogueofvarietiesofvegetablespecies,certainprovisionsrelating
totheadmissionofvarietiesatnationallevel,totheexchangeof
information betweentheMemberStatesandtothefreemarketingofseed
shouldbeadaptedtointernationally establishedrulesandtotheneeds
ofthemarketingyears;
Whereas,finally,theprovisionsofthetwoabove-mentioned commoncata­
loguespermittheMemberStatestograntfortheirownterritoryaperiod
forthedisposalofseedofvarietieswhoseacceptancehasexpired;
whereasitisappropriatetoprovideforsuchaperiodatCommunity
levelinthecaseofseedofvarietieswhichwerelistedinoneofthe
commoncatalogues,
HASADOPTEDTHISDIRECTIVE:

-3-
Article 1
Council Directive 66/401/EECof14June1966onthemarketing offodder plant
seed (1),aslastamended byCommission Directive 78/J86/EEC(2),isherety .
amended asfollows : \
1.Thefollowing paragraph isadded toArticle 2:
"(1c)Member States maybeauthorized inaccordance withtheprocedure
.laiddown inArticle 21nottoapply inrespect oftheir own
production thecondition contained inAnnex II(I)(2)(B)(I)inrespect
ofoneormoreofthespecies concerned ,totheextent thatecologi­
calconditions andpastexperience permit theassumption thatthe
standards laiddown inAnnex II(I)C2 >column 13oftheTable are
complied with .
2.InArticle 16(2 ) ,"1July1977"shall read "1July1978".
Article 2
Council Directive 66/402/EECof14June1966onthemarketing ofcereal seed (3)
aslastamended byCommission Directive 78/387/EEC (4),ishereby amended as
follows : _ .
1.Thefollowing paragraph isadded toArticle 2:
"1c.Until 30June 1982,Member States maybeauthorized inaccordance
with theprocedure laiddown inArticle 21topermit themarketing
oftheseed ofcertain varieties ofryetobeused chiefly asfodder
which does notsatisfy therequirements with regard togermination or
analytical purity laid down inAnnex II.".
2.InArticle 2<2)(d ), "31December 1978"shall read "31December
1980 ".
' •./.
(1)0JN0125,11/7/1966 ,p.2298 /66
(2)0JN°L113,25/4/1978 ,p.1
(3)0JN°125,11/7/1966 ,p.2309 /66 '
(40JN°L113,25/4/1978 ,p.13

-4-
3.Thefollowing paragraph isadded toArticle 13 :
"(1)Member States maybeauthorized inaccordance with theprocedure Laid
down inArticle 21topermit themarketing ofspecific mixtures of
seeds ofvarious varieties recognized asbeing resistant tocertain
harmful organisms ,provided that these mixtures areofsuch akind ,
according toscientific ortechnical knowledge ,astoreduce the
effects ofattacks bythese harmful organisms andprovided also that
thecomponents ofthemixture comply ,before mixing ,with themarketing
rules applicable tothem ,.".
4.InArticle 13,paragraph 1becomes paragraph' 2andparagraph 2becomes
paragraph 3.
Article 3
InArticle 15(2a )ofCouncil Directive 66/403/EEC of14June 1966 onthe marke­
ting ofseed potatoes (1)aslast amended byDirective 77/648/EEC (2)thedate
"30June 1978 "ishereby amended toread "30June 1979 "•
Art icle4
In ,Article 15 (2)ofCouncil Directive 69/208/EEC of30June 1969 onthe marke­
ting ofseed ofoiland .fibre plants(3),asLastamended by.Commission
Directive 78/388/EEC (4)thedate "1July 1977 "ishereby amended toread
"1July 1978".
Article 5
Council Directive 70/457/EECof29September 1970 onthecommon catalogue of
varieties ofagricultural plant species (5),aslast amended byDirective
78/55/EEC (6),ishereby amended asfollows :
1.Article 5(1 )'shall read :
"1.Avariety shall beregarded asdistinct if,when acceptance isapplied
for,itisclearly distinguishable ,inoneormore important morpholo­
gical orphysiological characteristics ,from anyother variety whose
existence isamatter ofcommon knowledge atthetime .Such varieties
shall include atleast :
(1)O.J. N°125,11/7/1966 ,p.2320 /66 * *
(2)O.J. N°L261,14/10/1977 ,p.21
(3)O.J. N°L169,10/7/1969 ,p.3
(4)O.J. N°L113,25/4/1978 ,p.20
(5)O.J. N°L225,12/10/1970 ,p.1
(6)O.J. N°L16,20/1/1978,p.23

-anyvarietyacceptedorsubmittedforacceptanceintheMemberState
inquestion,
-anyvarietyacceptedinanotherMemberStateandanyvarietywhose
submissionforacceptancehasbeencommunicated totheMemberState
inquestion,
-anyvarietylistedinthecommoncatalogueofvarieties."
2.Article10(1)shallread;'
"1.Anyapplicationforacceptanceofavariety,anyentryinacatalogue
ofvarieitesandanyamendmentstheretoshallbesentforthwithto
theotherMemberStatesandtheCommission.".
3.ThefollowingparagraphisaddedtoArticle14:
"(2)Inthecaseof■varietieswhichhavebeenlistedinthecommon
catalogueofvarietiesreferredtoinArticle18,aperiod
shallbeallowedforthedisposal ,ofremainingstocksofseedor
propagatingmaterial,whichshallexpireon30Juneofthesecond
yearfollowingthatinwhichacceptanceinthelastcountryin
whichacceptancehadbeengrantedhasexpired.".
4.InArticle14,paragraph2becomesparagraph-3and'shallread:
"(3)Inthecaseofvarietieswhichhavenotbeenlistedinthecommon
catalogueofvarieties.MemberStatesmayinrespectoftheirown
territory,allowaperiodofnotmorethanthreeyearsafterexpiry
oftheacceptance ^forthedisposalofanyremainingseedorpropagating
material.".
5.InArticle15(1), •"31Decemberofthesecondyear",shallread
"1Julyofthethirdyear".
6.ThefollowingsentenceisaddedtoArticle15(2):
"Onlyapplications submittedsixmonthsbeforetheendoftheabovementioned
periodshallbetakenintoconsideration ^"
7.ThefollowingsentencesareaddedtoArticle15(5):
"InthecaseofBetavulgarisL.andSolanumtuberosum J_.thiscondition
shallbeconsideredfulfilledon30Juneeachyearinrespectof
varietiesforwhichthecommunications providedforinArticle10(1)
and(2)weremadeonemonthbeforethatdate,providedthataMemberState
informstheConmissiooorTZZZZQadeclaration -tothe,St**\<iioc-

-6-
CommitteeonSeedsandPropagatingMaterialthatithasnointentionofnot
makinganapplicationpursuanttoparagraph2.Theprocedurelaiddownin
Article23maybeusedtoextendtheserulestootherspecies".
8.InArticle21(2),"30June1977"shallread "30June1978".
Article6
CouncilDirective70/458/EECof29September1970onthemarketingof
vegetableseed(1),aslastamendedbyDirective78/55/EEC,is-
1.Article5(1)shallread:
"1.Avarietyshallberegardedasdistinctif,whenacceptanceisapplied
for,itisclearlydistinguishable ,inoneormoreimportantmorphological
orphysiological characteristics ,fromanyothervarietywhoseexistence
isamatterofcommonknowledgeatthetime.Suchvarietiesshallinclude
atleast: ' -
-anyvarietyacceptedorsubmittedforacceptanceintheMemberStatein
question,
-anyvarietyacceptedinanotherMemberStateandanyvarietywhosesubmis­
sionforacceptancehasbeencommunicated totheMemberStateinquestion,
-anyvarietylistedinthecommoncatalogueofvarieties".
' .> *
2.Article11(1)shallread:
"1.Anyapplicationforacceptanceofavariety,anyentryinacatalogueof
varietiesandanyamendmentstheretoshell "besentforthwithtotheother
MemberStatesandtheCommission.". .
3.ThefollowingparagraphsisaddedtoArticle15:
"(2)Inthecaseofvarietieswhichhavebeenlistedinthecommon
catalogueofvarieties,referredtoinArticle18,aperiodshall
beallowedforthedisposalofremainingstocksofseedwhichshall
expireon30Juneofthesecondyearfollowingthatinwhichacceptance
inthelastcountryinwhichthisacceptancehadbeengrantedhas
expired.". -
(1)0JIToL225,12.10.1970.p.7

-7-
A.InArticle 15»paragraph 2"becomes paragraph 3andshall read :
"(3)_Inthe case ofvarieties which have not been listed inthe common
catalogue ofvarieties theMember States may finrespect oftheir own
territory ,allow aperiod ofnotmore than three years after expiry
oftheacceptance "forthedisposal ofanyremaining seed .
5.InArticle 32(2 ) "30June 1977 " 'shall read "30June 1978 ".
Article 7
Member States Shall bring into force the laws ,regulations andadministrative
provisions necessary tocomply :
-with Articles l(2),4»5(8)a-ncl6(5)with effect fi*om
1July 1977 /.
-with Article 3,on 1July 1978 ,
-with theother provisions ofthis Directive ,on 1July 1979 .
Article 8
This Directive isaddressed totheMember States .
Done atBrussels , Forthe Counci l.