No L 195/20 Official Journal of the European Communities 26.7. 8§ SEVENTH COUNCIL DECISION of 27 June 1985 on the equivalence of seed produced in third countries (85/356/EEC) THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES, Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Economic Community, Having regard to Council Directive 66/400/EEC of 14 June 1966 on the marketing of beet seed (1), as last amended by the 1979 Act of Accession, 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 (?), as last amended by Directive 85/38/EEC (3), 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 (*), as last amended by Directive 81/561/EEC (°), 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 (¢), as last amended by Directive 82/727/EEC(’), and in particular Article 15 (1) (b) thereof, ‘ Having regard to the proposal from the Commission, Whereas there are rules on seed control in Austria, Australia, Bulgaria, Canada, Switzerland, Czechoslovakia, Cyprus, the German Democratic Republic, Spain, Hungary, Israel, Norway, New Zealand, Portugal, Poland, Romania, Chile, Sweden, Finland, Turkey, the United States of America, Yugoslavia and South Africa; Whereas the abovementioned rules provide that basic seed and certified seed be officially certified and their packages officially closed and marketed in accordance with the OECD schemes for the varietal certification of seed moving in international trade; whereas furthermore such rules provide for seed sampling and testing in accordance with the methods of the International Seed Testing Association; Whereas an examination of these rules and the manner in which they are applied has shown that the conditions 1 (1) OJ No 125, 11. 7.'1966, p. 2290/66. (2) OJ No 125, 11. 7. 1966, p. 2298/66. (3) O] No L 16, 19. 1. 1985, p. 41. (*) OJ No 125, 11. 7. 1966, p. 2309/66. (5) O] No L 203, 23. 7. 1981, p. 52. () O] No L 169, 10. 7. 1969, p. 3. (7) O] No L 310, 25. 10. 1982, p. 21. 6 7 governing seed harvested and controlled in these countries afford the same assurances as - regards the . seed’s characteristics, identity, examination, marking and control, as do the conditions applicable to seed harvested and controlled within the Community; Whereas Decision 80/818/EEC (), as last amended by Decision 85/5/EEC (°), which established equivalences for seed produced in the abovementioned countries, expires on 30 June 1985; whereas a new Decision -is therefore necessary; Whereas certain of the conditions laid down in Decision - 80/818/EEC should be improved in the light of experience ' gained; whereas, in particular, the link with the current regime on the equivalence of checks on practices for the maintenance of varieties should be defined; Whereas, in the case of seven third countries, additional detailed information has been requested; whereas the renewal of the equivalence in respect of those countries should be limited to a period necessary to examine and to assess such information, without prejudice to a possible extension, pending the outcome of this examination and assessment; Whereas this Decision is without prejudice to a possible renewal of the equivalence in respect of Cyprus and Finland where seed production and certification of the species covered by Decision 80/818/EEC did not take place during the period of application of that Decision; 4 Whereas this Decision does not preclude Community findings being revoked or extension of the period of their validity being refused where the conditions on which they are based are not or cease to be satisfied; whereas, to this end, further practical information on seed produced in the abovementioned countries should be obtained by growing and checking samples of such seed in Community comparative trials; Whereas it has become apparent that certain technical and administrative provisions in the Annex are subject to frequent change; whereas to simplify the procedure for amending the Annex changes should be dealt with under the procedure of the Standing Committee on Seeds and Propagating Material for Agriculture, Horticulture and Forestry; (*) OJ No L 240, 12. 9. 1980, p. 26. (*) Of No L 2, 3. 1. 1985, p. 20.