Directive 1970/458 - Marketing of vegetable seed - Main contents

official title

Avis juridique important

|

Council Directive 70/458/EEC of 29 September 1970 on the marketing of vegetable seed /* CODIFIED VERSION CF 374Y0608(07) */

Official Journal L 225 , 12/10/1970 P. 0007 - 0021

Danish special edition: Series I Chapter 1970(III) P. 0601

English special edition: Series I Chapter 1970(III) P. 0674

Greek special edition: Chapter 03 Volume 6 P. 0009

Spanish special edition: Chapter 03 Volume 4 P. 0054

Portuguese special edition Chapter 03 Volume 4 P. 0054

Finnish special edition: Chapter 3 Volume 3 P. 0095

Swedish special edition: Chapter 3 Volume 3 P. 0095

COUNCIL DIRECTIVE of 29 September 1970 on the marketing of vegetable seed (70/458/EEC)

THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES,

Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Economic Community, and in particular Articles 43 and 100 thereof;

Having regard to the proposal from the Commission;

Having regard to the Opinion of the European Parliament (1);

Having regard to the Opinion of the Economic and Social Committee;

Whereas the production of vegetable seed occupies an important place in the agriculture of the European Economic Community;

Whereas satisfactory results in vegetable cultivation depend to a large extent on the use of appropriate seed ; whereas, to this end, certain Member States have for some time restricted the marketing of seed of certain species of vegetable to controlled seed of specified varieties ; whereas other States have introduced optional controls in respect of the quality of this seed;

Whereas, in so far as they undertake these seed controls, Member States have been able to take advantage of the systematic plant selection work carried out over several decades which has resulted in the development of distinct, stable and sufficiently uniform varieties which, by reason of their characters, promise to be of great value for the purposes in view;

Whereas greater productivity will be achieved in Community vegetable cultivation if for the choice of varieties accepted for certification, checking and marketing the Member States apply uniform rules which are as strict as possible;

Whereas, as a starting point, it is necessary to establish a common catalogue of varieties of vegetable species ; whereas such a catalogue can for the moment be compiled only on the basis of national catalogues;

Whereas all the Member States should therefore compile one or more national catalogues of the varieties accepted for certification, checking and marketing in their territory;

Whereas these catalogues must be drawn up in accordance with uniform rules so that the varieties accepted will be distinct, stable and sufficiently uniform;

Whereas, in order to carry out the examinations for the acceptance of a variety, a large number of uniform criteria and minimum requirements must be laid down;

Whereas, on the other hand, provisions relating to the length of time during which acceptance of a variety is to remain valid, the grounds on which acceptance may be revoked and the practices for maintenance of the variety must be standardised ; whereas the Member States should inform one another of the acceptance and withdrawal of varieties;

Whereas seed of varieties listed in the common catalogue of varieties should not be subject within the Community to any marketing restrictions relating to variety;

Whereas the Commission should publish in the Official Journal of the European Communities the varieties accepted in the common catalogue;

Whereas, furthermore, Member States should be given the right to raise objections to a variety where such objections are on plant health grounds; (1)OJ No C 108, 19.10.1968, p. 30.

Whereas provision should be made for measures recognising the equivalence of examinations and controls of varieties carried out in third countries;

Whereas it is, however, justifiable to restrict marketing to certain varieties only if the farmer can be sure of actually obtaining seed of those...

This text has been adopted from EUR-Lex.

This page is also available in a full version containing the legal context, de Europese rechtsgrond, other dossiers related to the dossier at hand and the related cases of the European Court of Justice.