This decision changes the deadline in Directive 2002/56/EC from 31 March 2024 to 31 March 2031.
| Official Journal of the European Union | EN Series L ---|---|--- * * * | 2024/202 | 9.1.2024 ---|---|--- COMMISSION IMPLEMENTING DECISION (EU) 2024/202 of 8 January 2024 amending Council Directive 2002/56/EC as regards the date laid down in Article 21(3) until which Member States are authorised to extend the validity of decisions concerning equivalence of seed potatoes from third countries (notified under document C(2024) 3) (Text with EEA relevance) THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION, Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, Having regard to Council Directive 2002/56/EC of 13 June 2002 on the marketing of seed potatoes (1), and in particular the second subparagraph of Article 21(3) thereof, Whereas: (1) | Directive 2002/56/EC provides that, with effect from certain dates, Member States may no longer determine for themselves the equivalence of seed potatoes harvested in third countries with seed potatoes harvested within the Union and complying with that Directive. ---|--- (2) | However, as a Union equivalence for seed potatoes from third countries has not been determined, Directive 2002/56/EC authorised Member States to extend until 31 March 2024 the validity of equivalence decisions which they had already taken for seed potatoes from certain third countries. ---|--- (3) | Since Union equivalence for seed potatoes from third countries has still not been determined, the validity of those decisions should be further extended in order to prevent a disruption of trade patterns. Those trade patterns are in particular relevant to those territories where the prohibition of import of seed potatoes, as set out in point 15 of Annex VI to Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/2072 (2), does not apply, because they are not covered by the second subparagraph of Article 1(3) of Regulation (EU) 2016/2031 of the European Parliament of the Council (3). ---|--- (4) | Therefore, and considering the investments needed for the production of seed potatoes, it is appropriate to extend that period by 7 years. ---|--- (5) | Directive 2002/56/EC should therefore be amended accordingly. ---|--- (6) | The measures provided for in this Decision are in accordance with the opinion of the Standing Committee on Plants, Animals, Food and Feed, ---|--- HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION: Article 1 In the first subparagraph of Article 21(3) of Directive 2002/56/EC, the date ‘31 March 2024’ is replaced by ‘31 March 2031’. Article 2 This Decision is addressed to the Member States. Done at Brussels, 8 January 2024. For the Commission Stella KYRIAKIDES Member of the Commission * * * (1) OJ L 193, 20.7.2002, p. 60. (2) Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/2072 of 28 November 2019 establishing uniform conditions for the implementation of Regulation (EU) 2016/2031 of the European Parliament and the Council, as regards protective measures against pests of plants, and repealing Commission Regulation (EC) No 690/2008 and amending Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2018/2019 (OJ L 319, 10.12.2019, p. 1). (3) Regulation (EU) 2016/2031 of the European Parliament of the Council of 26 October 2016 on protective measures against pests of plants, amending Regulations (EU) No 228/2013, (EU) No 652/2014 and (EU) No 1143/2014 of the European Parliament and of the Council and repealing Council Directives 69/464/EEC, 74/647/EEC, 93/85/EEC, 98/57/EC, 2000/29/EC, 2006/91/EC and 2007/33/EC (OJ L 317, 23.11.2016, p. 4). * * * ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/dec_impl/2024/202/oj ISSN 1977-0677 (electronic edition) * * *