The authorising Member State may check maintenance of the variety.
Where maintenance takes place in a Member State other than the authorising Member State, the Member States shall assist each other administratively as regards the necessary checks.
A Member State may accept maintenance in a third country, provided that it has been decided under Article 22(1)(b) of Directive 2002/53/EC that the checks on practices for the maintenance afford the same assurances as those carried out by the Member States.