Commission Implementing Directive 2012/37/EU
of 22 November 2012
amending certain Annexes of Council Directives 66/401/EEC and 66/402/EEC as regards the conditions to be satisfied by the seed of Galega orientalis Lam., the maximum weight of a seed lot of certain fodder plant species and the sample size of Sorghum spp.
(Text with EEA relevance)
THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION,
Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union,
Having regard to Council Directive 66/401/EEC of 14 June 1966 on the marketing of fodder plant seed(1), and in particular Article 21a thereof,
Having regard to Council Directive 66/402/EEC of 14 June 1966 on the marketing of cereal seed(2), and in particular Article 21a thereof,
Whereas:
(1) Hardseededness is a typical characteristic of Galega orientalis Lam. Therefore, the quality requirements of the species as regards minimum germination should be supplemented with certain information regarding that characteristic.
(2) Directive 66/401/EEC provides for the maximum weight of a seed lot to avoid heterogeneity in lots as regards seed testing.
(3) Since changes in seed production and marketing practices, in particular the increased size of the seed crop production and the methods of transporting seed suggested that an increase in the maximum prescribed lot weight for seed of grasses might be desirable, a temporary experiment was organised in accordance with Commission Decision 2007/66/EC(3).
(4) That experiment showed that under the new conditions production plants are able to produce sufficiently homogenous seed lots of higher sizes. Therefore, Member States should be allowed to authorise the increase of the maximum weight of seed lots of grass species.
(5) The conditions for seed production, field inspection, sampling and testing provided for in Directive 66/402/EEC are based on internationally accepted methods and standards, such as those established by the International Seed Testing Association (ISTA).
(6) The quality requirements set for the species Sorghum spp. are mainly based on the species Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench. As a result of the newly developed market for forage and biomass production the demand for other subspecies and hybrids of Sorghum spp. with smaller grain size and thinner and platter form has increased. Consequently, the requirements for separate subspecies should be further developed in order to take into consideration their seed characteristics.
(7) The species Sorghum spp. should be differentiated into Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench, Sorghum sudanense (Piper) Stapf and hybrids thereof, and their sample sizes should be adapted to the standards set by the ISTA.
(8) Directives 66/401/EEC and 66/402/EEC should therefore be amended accordingly.
(9) The measures provided for in this Directive are in accordance with the opinion of the Standing Committee on Seeds and Propagating Material for Agriculture, Horticulture and Forestry,
HAS ADOPTED THIS DIRECTIVE: