18.10.2002 Official Journal of the European Communities L 280[27 COUNCIL DECISION of 3 October 2002 establishing guidance notes supplementing Annex VII to Directive 2001/18/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council on the deliberate release into the environment of genetically modi- fied organisms and repealing Council Directive 90/220/EEC (2002/811/EC) THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION, Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community, Having regard to Directive 2001/18/EC of the European Parlia- ment and of the Council (), and in particular the first paragraph of Annex VII thereto, Having regard to the proposal from the Commission, Whereas: (1)  Directive 2001/18/EC stipulates that, before a genetically modified organism (hereinafter referred to as GMO) as or in products is placed on the market, a notification must be submitted to the competent authority of the Member State where such a GMO is to be placed on the market for the first time. (2)  According to Directive 2001/18/EC, the notifier must ensure that monitoring and reporting on the deliberate release of GMOs are carried out in accordance with the conditions specified in the authorisation for the placing on the market of a GMO pursuant to Article 13(2), Article 19(3) and Article 20 of that Directive. Therefore, such notification must contain a plan for monitoring, including a proposal for the time-period of the moni- toring plan, in accordance with Annex VII to Directive 2001/18/EC. () OJ L 106, 17.4.2001, p. 1. (3)  Annex VII to Directive 2001/18/EC should be supple- mented by notes providing detailed guidance on the objectives, general principles and design of the moni- toring plan referred to in that Annex. (4)  The committee set up under Article 30(2) of Directive 2001/18/EC was consulted on 12 June 2002 and has not delivered an opinion on the Commission's proposal for a Decision, HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION: Article 1 The guidance notes set out in the Annex to this Decision shall be used as a supplement to Annex VII of Directive 2001/18EC. Article 2 This Decision is addressed to the Member States. Done at Luxembourg, 3 October 2002. For the Council The President F. HANSEN