2007/780/EC: Council Decision of 26 November 2007 amending Decision 2003/17/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 (Text with EEA relevance)
Date: 2007-11-26
Institutions: Council of the European Union
Subjects: OECD, labelling, mutual recognition principle, plant health control, plant health legislation, seed, third country

L 314/20

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

1.12.2007

COUNCIL DECISION

of 26 November 2007

amending Decision 2003/17/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

(Text with EEA relevance)

(2007/780/EC)

THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,

Having regard to the Treaty
Community,

establishing the European

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

fodder plant

Having regard to Council Directive 66/402/EEC of 14 June
1966 on the marketing of cereal seed (2), and in particular
Article 16(1) thereof,

Having regard to Council Directive 2002/54/EC of 13 June
2002 on the marketing of beet seed (3), and in particular
Article 23(1) thereof,

(2)

(3)

It appears that those field inspections continue to afford
the same guarantees as those carried out by the Member
States. Those field inspections should therefore continue
to be considered as equivalent.

As Decision 2003/17/EC will expire on 31 December
2007, the period for which equivalence is recognised
under
It appears
desirable to limit that period to five years.

that Decision should be extended.

(4)

Decision 2003/17/EC should therefore be amended
accordingly,

HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION:

Article 1

Having regard to Council Directive 2002/57/EC of 13 June
2002 on the marketing of seed of oil and fibre plants (4), and
in particular Article 20(1) thereof,

In Article 6 of Decision 2003/17/EC, ‘31 December 2007’ shall
be replaced by ‘31 December 2012’.

Having regard to the proposal from the Commission,

Article 2

Whereas:

This Decision is addressed to the Member States.

(1)

Council Decision 2003/17/EC (5) provides that
for a
in third
limited period field inspections carried out
countries on seed-producing crops of certain species
are considered as equivalent to field inspections carried
out in accordance with Community legislation and that
seed of certain species produced in third countries is
considered as equivalent to seed produced in accordance
with Community legislation.

Done at Brussels, 26 November 2007.

For the Council
The President

J. SILVA

(1) OJ 125, 11.7.1966, p. 2298. Directive as last amended by Directive

2004/117/EC (OJ L 14, 18.1.2005, p. 18).
(2) OJ 125, 11.7.1966, p. 2309. Directive as

last amended by
Commission Directive 2006/55/EC (OJ L 159, 13.6.2006, p. 13).
(3) OJ L 193, 20.7.2002, p. 12. Directive as last amended by Directive

2004/117/EC.

(4) OJ L 193, 20.7.2002, p. 74. Directive as last amended by Directive

2004/117/EC.

(5) OJ L 8, 14.1.2003, p. 10. Decision as last amended by Regulation

(EC) No 1791/2006 (OJ L 363, 20.12.2006, p. 1).