10. 4. 98 Official Journal of the European Communities L112/1 (Acts whose publication is not obligatory) COMMISSION COMMISSION DECISION of 25 March 1998 authorising the Member States to permit temporarily the marketing of seed of field pea (Pisum sativum L.) not satisfying the requirements of Council Directive 66/401/EEC (Text with EEA relevance) (98/254/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 (') as last amended by Directive 96/72/EC (%), and in particular Atrticle 17 thereof, Having regard to the requests submitted by Denmark, Austria and Sweden, Whereas in Denmark, Austria and Sweden the production of seed of the category ‘certified seed’ of certain varieties of field pea (Pisum sativum L.) satisfying the require- ments of the said Directive in relation to minimum germination capacity has been insufficient in 1997 and is therefore not adequate to meet these countries’ needs; whereas those varieties are, in the case of Denmark, vari- eties of the semi leaflet type with round green or yellow seeds proven to be suitable under the conditions of the applicant country or similar growing conditions; whereas those varieties in the case of Austria are varieties tested and adapted to the more continental climatic conditions in the east of the applicant country and are characterised by a yellow colour; whereas those varieties in the case of Sweden are varieties with yellow seeds used as fodder or for cooking which have been shown to be suitable for the growing conditions of the applicant country; Whereas it is not possible to cover this demand satisfac- torily with seed from other Member States, or from third () OJ 125, 11. 7. 1966, p. 2298/66. () OJ L 304, 27. 11. 1996, p. 10. countries, satisfying all the requirements laid down in the said Directive; Whereas Denmark, Austria and Sweden should therefore be authorised to permit for a period expiring on 30 June 1998 the marketing of seed of the abovementioned species subject to less stringent requirements; Whereas, moreover, other Member States which are able to supply Denmark, Austria or Sweden with such seed not satisfying the requirements of the said Directive should be authorised to permit the marketing of such seed; Whereas the measures provided for in this Decision are in accordance with the opinion of the Standing Committee on Seeds and Propagating Material for Agriculture, Horti- culture and Forestry, HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION: Article 1 1. Denmark is authorised to permit, for a period expiring on 30 June 1998, the marketing in its territory of a maximum of 4400 tonnes of seed of the category ‘certified seed’ of the varieties of field pea (Pisum sativum L) listed below which do not satisfy the requirements laid down in Annex II to Directive 66/401/EEC with regard to the minimum germination capacity, provided that the germination capacity is at least 70 % of pure seed and the official label bears the endorsement ‘minimum germina- tion capacity 70 %’.