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: 1997-12-11
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: mutual recognition principle, plant health control, plant health legislation, seed, third country

COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES 

Brussels,  11.12.1997 
COM(97) 686  final 

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 

(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 1997. 

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 two years, 

i.e. from 1 January 1998 to 31 December 1999. 

There are no subsidiarity implications given that the proposal aims at 

extending the period of validity of an existing measure to ensure further 

uniform applications throughout the Community. 

£ 

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, 

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 seed , 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 seed , 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 seed , 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 plants , and in particular 

Article 15(1)(b) thereof, 

Having regard to the proposal from the Commission, 

Whereas, in Council Decision 95/514/EC  it has been determined  for a 

limited period that field inspections carried out in certain third 

OJ No 125, 11.07.1966, p. 2290/66, as last amended by Commission 
Directive  96/72/EC  (OJ No L 304, 27.11.1996, p. 10). 
OJ No 125, 11.07.1966, p. 2298/66, as last amended by Commission 
Directive  96/72/EC  (OJ No L 304, 27.11.1996, p. 10). 
OJ No 125, 11.07.1966, p. 2309/66, as last amended by Commission 
Directive  96/72/EC  (OJ L 304, 27.11.1996, p. 10). 
OJ No L 169, 10.07.1969, p. 3, as last amended by Commission 
Directive  96/72/EC  (OJ No L 304, 27.11.1996, p. 10). 
OJ No L 296, 09.12.1995, p. 34. Decision as last amended by 
Commission Decision 97/33/EC  (OJ No L 13, 16.01.1997, p. 31). 

3 

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 1997; whereas a new 

decision is therefore necessary; 

Whereas, in this 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; 

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 two years; 

HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION: 

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

"31 December 1999". 

Article 1 

This Decision is addressed to the Member States. 

Article 2 

Done at Brussels, 

For the Council 

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ISSN 0254-1475 

COM(97) 686 final 

DOCUMENTS 

EN 

03  10  14 

Catalogue  number  :  CB-CO-97-708-EN-C 

ISBN  92-78-29072-6 

Office  for Official  Publications of the European Communities 

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