Proposal for a COUNCIL DECISION amending Decision 95/514/EC on the equivalence of field inspections carried out in third countries on seed-producing crops and on the equivalence of seed produced in third countries
Date: 1996-11-26
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: mutual recognition principle, plant health control, plant health legislation, seed, third country

COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN  COMMUNITIES 

Brussels,  26.11.1996 
COM(%) 604 final 

Proposal  for a 

COUNCIL  DECISION 

amending  Decision  95/514/EC  on  the  equivalence  of  f i e ld  inspections  carried 
out  in  third  countries  on  seed-producing  crops  and  on  the  equivalence  of 
seed  produced  in  third  countries 

(presented  by  the  Commission) 

EXPLANATORY  MEMORANDUM 

Directives 66/400/EEC, 66/401/EEC, 66/402/EEC and 69/208/EEC on 
the marketing  of beet seed, fodder plant seed, cereal seed and 
seed  of  oil  and  fibre  plants  respectively,  provide  for  the 
Council to determine whether field inspections in third countries 
and seed harvested in third countries are equivalent to those in 
the Community. 

By Decision  95/514/EC the Council has determined  for a limited 
period  that  field  inspections  carried  out  in  certain  third 
countries on seed-producing  crops of certain species  satisfies 
the  conditions  laid  down  in  the  Community  legislation  on  the 
marketing  of  seed; by  the  same  Decision  95/514/EC  the  Council 
also determined that seed of certain species produced in the same 
third countries was equivalent to corresponding seed produced in 
the Community. This Decision covered twenty-one third countries 
and established the conditions under which seed of agricultural 
plant species might be imported  into the Community. 

The Decision 95/514/EC will expire on 31 December 1996. 

In that Decision, reference to the OECD schemes for the varietal 
certification of seed moving in international trade was made as 
one of the bases for Community equivalence. In 1995 a system of 
alternative seed certification was included in these schemes as 
an experiment. However the results of this experiment have not 
yet been evaluated. In these circumstances, it appears desirable 
to ensure continuation of the equivalence, but to limit it, under 
a new Decision, to further 12 months, i.e. from 1 January  1997 
to 31 December 1997. 

There are no subsidiarity  implications given that the proposal 
aimes at extending the period of validity of an existing measure 
to ensure further uniform applications throughout the Coiï ïunity. 

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Proposal for a Council Decision 

amending Decision 95/514/EC on the equivalence of field inspections carried 
out in third countries on seed-producing crops and on the equivalence of 
seed produced in third countries 

THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION, 

I-. 

Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community, 

Having regard to Council Directive 66/400/EEC of 14 June 1966 on the 
marketing of beet seed1, and in particular Article 16(1) (b) thereof, 

Having regard to Council Directive 66/401/EEC of 14 June 1966 on the 
marketing of fodder plant seed2, and in particular Article  16(1)(b) 
thereof, 

Having regard to Council Directive 66/402/EEC of 14 June 1966 on the 
marketing of cereal seed3, and in particular Article 16(1) (b) thereof, 

Having regard to Council Directive 69/208/EEC of 30 June 1969 on the 
marketing of seed of oil and fibre plants4, and in particular 
Article 15(1)(b) thereof, 

Having regard to the proposal from the Commission, 

0J No 125, 11.07.1966, p. 2290/66. Directive as last amended by the 
1994 Act of Accession. 
0J No 125, 11.07.1966, p. 2298/66. Directive as last amended by 
Commission Directive 96/18/EC  (OJ No L 76, 26.03.1996, p. 21). 
OJ No 125,  11.07.1966, p. 2309/66. Directive as last amended by 
Commission Directive  95/6/EC  (OJ L 67, 25.03.1995, p. 30). 
OJ No L 169, 10.07.1969, p. 3. Directive as last amended by 
Commission Directive  96/18/EC  (OJ No L 76, 26.03.1996, p. 21). 

d 

Whereas, in Council Decision 95/514/EC5 it has been determined  for a 
limited period that field inspections carried out in certain third 
countries on seed-producing crops of certain species satisfies the 
conditions laid down in Directives 66/400/EEC, 66/401/EEC, 66/402/EEC and 
69/208/EEC; whereas  in Decision 95/514/EC it has also been determined that 
seed of certain species produced  in certain third countries was equivalent 
to corresponding  seed produced  in the Community; 

Whereas Decision ,95/514/EC will expire on 31 December 1996; whereas a new 
decision is therefore necessary; 

Whereas, in this Decision, reference to the 0ECD schemes for the varietal 
certification of seed moving in international  trade was made as one of the 
bases for Community equivalence; 

Whereas in 1995 a system of alternative seed certification was included  in 
these schemes as an experiment; 

Whereas, the results of this experiment have not yet been evaluated; 

Whereas, in these circumstances, it appears desirable to ensure 
continuation of the equivalence, but to limit it, under this Decision, to 
further 12 months; 

HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION: 

In Article 6 of Decision 95/514/EC  "31 December 1996" is replaced by 
"31 December  1997". 

Article 1 

This Decision  is addressed to the Member States. 

Article 2 

Done at Brussels, 

« 

For the Council 

OJ No L 296,  09.12.1995, p. 34. Decision as last amended by 
Commission Decision  96/217/EC  (OJ No L 72, 21.03.1996, p. 37) 

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ISSN 0254-1475 

COM(96) 604  final 

DOCUMENTS 

EN 

03  11 

Catalogue  number  :  CB-CO-96-596-EN-C 

ISBN 92-78-11704-8 

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