No L 296/34 Official Journal of the European Communities 9.12. 95 COUNCIL DECISION of 29 November 1995 on the equivalence of field inspections carried out in third countries on seed producing crops and on the equivalence of seed produced in third countries (95/514/EC) THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION, Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community, Having regard to Council Directive 66/400/EEC of 14 June 1966 on the marketing of beet seed (*), and in particular Article 16 (1) thereof, Having regard to Council Directive 66/401/EEC of 14 June 1966 on the marketing of fodder plant seed (3, and in particular Article 16 (1) thereof, Having regard to Council Directive 66/402/EEC of 14 June 1966 on the marketing of cereal seed (%), and in particular Article 16 (1) thereof, Having regard to Council Directive 69/208/EEC of 30 June 1969 on the marketing of seed of oil and fibre plants (¥}, and in particular Article 15 (1) thereof, Having regard to the proposal from the Commission, Whereas there are rules on official seed control in Australia, Bulgaria, Canada, Switzerland, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Israel, Morocco, New Zealand, Poland, Romania, Argentina, Chile, Slovakia, Slovenia, Turkey, Uruguay, the United States of America and South Africa; whereas these rules provide for an official field inspection to be carried out during the period of seed production ; Whereas the abovementioned rules provide in principle that basic seed, certified seed and certified seed of the first generation may be officially certified and their packages officially closed in accordance with the OECD schemes and for the varietal certification of seed moving in inter- national trade ; whereas, furthermore, such rules provide for seed sampling and testing in accordance with the methods of the International Seed Testing Association (ISTA’); () OJ No 125, 11. 7. 1966, p. 2290/66. Directive as last amended by the 1994 Act of Accession. () OJ No 125, 11. 7. 1966, p. 2298/66. Directive as last amended by the 1994 Act of Accession. () OJ No 125, 11. 7. 1966, p. 2309/66. Directive as last amended by Commission Directive 95/6/EC (O] No L 67, 25. 3. 1995, . 30). * l())_] N)o L 169, 10. 7. 1969, p. 3. Directive as last amended by the 1994 Act of Accession. Whereas in the respective third countries an examination of these rules and the manner in which they are applied has shown that the prescribed field inspection of seed producing crops satisfies the relevant conditions laid down in the abovementioned Directives; whereas the conditions governing seed harvested and controlled in these countries afford the same assurances as regards the seed’s characteristics, the arrangements for its examina- tion, for ensuring identity, for marking and for control, as do the conditions applicable to seed, harvested and controlled within the Community; Whereas Decision 85/355/EEC(°), which established equivalence for field inspections in the abovementioned countries and Decision 85/356/EEC (%) which established equivalences for seed produced in the abovementioned countries, expired on 30 June 1995 ; whereas a new deci- sion is therefore necessary; Whereas the OECD schemes for the varietal certification of seed moving in international trade, upon which this Decision is based, may be modified in the near future; whereas, in these circumstances, it appears desirable to limit the continuation of the equivalence under this Deci- sion to 18 months; Whereas this Decision is without prejudice to a possible renewal of the equivalence in respect of Cyprus where seed production and field inspections did not take place under Decisions 85/355/EEC and 85/356/EEC; Whereas this Decision does not preclude Community findings being revoked where the conditions on which they are based 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 tests; Whereas certain provisions in this decision are subject to technical amendment; whereas, to simplify the proce- dures, such modifications should be dealt with under the procedure of the Standing Committee on Seeds and Propagating Material for Agriculture, Horticulture and Forestry, () OJ No L 195, 26. 7. 1985, p. 1. Decision as last amended by Decision 95/20/EC (O] No L 28, 7. 2. 1995, p. 11). (¥) OJ No L 195, 26. 7. 1985, p. 20. Decision as last amended by Decision 95/20/EC (OJ No L 28, 7. 2. 1995, p. 11).