EC as regards the equivalence of field inspections carried out in Moldova on fodder plant seed-producing crops and on the equivalence of fodder plant seed produced in Moldova, and as regards the equivalence of field inspections carried out in Ukraine on beet seed-producing crops and oil plant seed-producing crops and on the equivalence of beet seed and oil plant seed produced in Ukraine - Main contents

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dossier	COM(2024)52 - Amendment of Council Decision 2003/17/EC as regards the equivalence of field inspections carried out in Moldova on fodder ...
document	COM(2024)52
date	February 5, 2024

(1)Council Decision 2003/17/EC 3 provides that, under certain conditions, field inspections carried out on certain seed-producing crops in the third countries listed in its Annex I, are to be considered equivalent to field inspections carried out in accordance with Union law and that, under certain conditions, seed of certain species produced in those countries is to be considered equivalent to seed produced in accordance with Union law.

(2)In 2022, the Republic of Moldova submitted a request to the Commission for the granting of equivalence to its system of field inspections of seed-producing fodder plants and to seed of fodder plants produced and certified in the Republic of Moldova.

(3)The Commission examined the relevant legislation of the Republic of Moldova. It also carried out in 2016 an audit of the system of official controls and of certification of cereal, vegetable and oil and fibre plant seed in the Republic of Moldova and published its findings in a report 4 . On the basis of the audit, the Commission concluded that the national authorities responsible for the implementation of seed certification in the Republic of Moldova are competent, have adequate facilities in place, and operate appropriately. Those authorities are also responsible for field inspections of seed-producing fodder plants and for the certification of seed of fodder plants.

(4)On the basis of the examination of the legislation and of the audit conclusions, the Commission concluded that the field inspections of fodder plant seed-producing crops, sampling, testing and official post-controls of fodder plant seed are carried out appropriately and satisfy the requirements set out in Annex II to Decision 2003/17/EC and in Council Directive 66/401/EEC 5 .

(5)In 2022, Ukraine submitted a request to the Commission for the granting of equivalence to its system of field inspections of seed-producing crops of Beta vulgaris (beet), Helianthus annuus (sunflower) and Brassica napus (swede rape) and to seed of those crops produced and certified in that country.

(6)In 2023, Ukraine submitted another request to the Commission for the granting of equivalence to its system of field inspections of seed-producing crops Glycine max (soya bean) and to seed of those crops produced and certified in that country.

(7)The Commission examined the relevant legislation of Ukraine. It also carried out an audit in 2015 of the system of official controls and of certification of cereal seed in Ukraine and published its findings in a report 6 . On the basis of the audit, the Commission concluded that the national authorities responsible for the implementation of seed certification in Ukraine are competent, have adequate facilities in place, and operate appropriately. Those authorities are also responsible for the field inspections of seed-producing crops of beet, sunflower, swede rape and soya bean, and for the certification of seed of those crops.

(8)On the basis of the examination of the legislation and of the audit conclusions, the Commission concluded that the field inspections on beet, sunflower, swede rape and soya bean seed-producing crops, sampling, testing and official post-controls of beet, sunflower, swede rape and soya bean seed are carried out appropriately and satisfy the requirements set out in Annex II to Decision 2003/17/EC and in Council Directives 2002/54/EC 7 and 2002/57/EC 8 .

(9)The Republic of Moldova has been admitted, as regards fodder crops, to the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) Seed Schemes for the Varietal Certification of Seed moving in International Trade.

(10)Ukraine has been admitted, as regards beet, sunflower, swede rape and soya bean, to the OECD Seed Schemes for the Varietal Certification of Seed moving in International Trade.

(11)The Republic of Moldova and Ukraine have seed laboratories accredited by the International Seed Testing Association. That fact provides additional assurance on the quality of the inspections and the seed produced in those countries and their compliance with Union legislation.

(12)It is therefore appropriate to grant equivalence as regards field inspections carried out in respect of fodder plant seed-producing crops in the Republic of Moldova, and as regards the fodder plant seed produced in the Republic of Moldova and officially certified by its authorities.

(13)It is also appropriate to grant equivalence as regards field inspections carried out in respect of seed-producing crops of beet, sunflower, swede rape and soya bean in Ukraine, and as regards the seed of beet, sunflower, swede rape and soya bean produced in Ukraine and officially certified by its authorities.

(14)Decision 2003/17/EC should be therefore amended accordingly.