2004/266/EC: Commission Decision of 17 March 2004 authorising the indelible printing of prescribed information on packages of seed of fodder plants (Text with EEA relevance) (notified under document number C(2004) 819)
Date: 2004-03-17
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: fodder plant, labelling, packaging, seed

20.3.2004

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

L 83/23

COMMISSION

COMMISSION DECISION

of 17 March 2004

authorising the indelible printing of prescribed information on packages of seed of fodder plants

(notified under document number C(2004) 819)

(Text with EEA relevance)

(2004/266/EC)

THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES,

Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European
Community,

Having regard to Council Directive 66/401/EEC of 14 June
1966 on the marketing of fodder plant seed (1), as last amended
by Directive 2003/61/EC (2), and in particular the last sentence
of Article 10(1)(a) thereof,

Since that system has proved to be useful, a similar
authorisation should be granted, under the same condi-
tions, in respect of fodder plants.

(5)

The measures provided for in this Decision are in
accordance with the opinion of the Standing Committee
on Seeds and Propagating Material
for Agricultural,
Horticulture and Forestry,

Whereas:

(1)

(2)

(3)

(4)

Commission Decision 87/309/EEC of 2 June 1987
authorising the indelible printing of prescribed informa-
tion on packages of
seed of certain fodder plant
species (3), has been substantially amended several
times (4). In the interests of clarity and rationality the
said Decision should be codified.

Fodder plant seed should not normally be placed on the
market unless its packages are labelled with an official
label
in accordance with the provisions laid down in
Directive 66/401/EEC.

However, the indelible printing of the required informa-
tion on the package itself, on the basis of the model laid
down for the label, may be authorised.

In respect of cereal seed, Commission Decision 80/755/
EEC of 17 July 1980 authorising the indelible printing
of prescribed information on packages of cereal seed (5),
as amended by Decision 81/109/EEC (6), authorised the
indelible printing of the prescribed information on the
package itself, on the basis of the model laid down for
the label, under certain conditions which ensured that
responsibility rested with the certification authority.

(1) OJ 125, 11. 7. 1966, p. 2298/66 (English Special Edition, Series I,

p. 132).

(2) OJ L 165, 3.7.2003, p. 23.
(3) OJ L 155, 16.6.1987, p. 26.
(4) See Annex I
(5) OJ L 207, 9.8.1980, p. 37.
(6) OJ L 64, 11.3.1981, p. 13.

HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION:

Article 1

The Member States are hereby authorised, under the
1.
conditions laid down in paragraph 2,
to provide for the
printing under official supervision of the prescribed informa-
tion on packages of seed of fodder plant species of the cate-
gories ‘basic seed’ and ‘certified seed’.

The following conditions shall apply in respect of the

2.
authorisation granted in paragraph 1:

(a) the prescribed information shall be printed or stamped

indelibly on the package;

(b) the lay-out and the colour of the printing or the stamp
shall be in accordance with the model for the label used in
the Member State concerned;

(c) of the prescribed information, at least that required under
Annex IV, part A, point I(a)(3) and (3a) to Directive 66/
401/EEC shall be printed or stamped when samples are
taken pursuant to Article 7(2) of that Directive, the printing
or stamping being done officially or under official supervi-
sion;

L 83/24

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Official Journal of the European Union

20.3.2004

(d) in addition to the prescribed information, each package
shall have an officially attributed individual serial number
which shall have been printed or stamped indelibly on it by
the package printing firm; that firm shall inform the certifi-
cation authority of
issued,
including their serial numbers;

the quantities of packages

(e) the certification authority shall keep records of the quanti-
ties of seed thus marked,
including the number and
contents of the packages of each lot, as well as the serial
numbers referred to under (d);

(f) producers' records shall be subject to supervision by the

certification authority.

Article 3

Decision 87/309/EEC is repealed.

References to the repealed Decision shall be construed as refer-
ences to this Decision and shall be read in accordance with the
correlation table in Annex II.

Article 4

This Decision is addressed to the Member States.

Article 2

Done at Brussels, 17 March 2004.

The Member States shall notify the Commission of the condi-
tions under which they make use of the authorisation granted
in Article 1.

The Commission shall inform the other Member States thereof.

For the Commission

David BYRNE

Member of the Commission

20.3.2004

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Official Journal of the European Union

L 83/25

ANNEX I

Repealed Decision with its successive amendments

Decision 87/309/EEC

Decision 88/493/EEC

Decision 97/125/EC, Article 2 only

(OJ L 155, 16.6.1987, p. 26)

(OJ L 261, 21.9.1988, p. 27)

(OJ L 48, 19.2.1997, p. 35)

ANNEX II

Correlation table

Decision 87/309/EEC

This Decision

Articles 1 and 2

Articles 1 and 2

—

Article 3

—

—

Article 3

Article 4

Annex I

Annex II