CHAPTER V

Final provisions
Article 15
1
Member States shall bring into force the laws, regulations and administrative provisions necessary to comply with this Directive not later than 30 July 2000. They shall forthwith inform the Commission thereof.
When Member States adopt these measures, they shall contain a reference to this Directive or shall be accompanied by such reference on the occasion of their official publication. The methods of making such reference shall be laid down by Member States.
2
Member States shall communicate to the Commission the text of the provisions of national law which they adopt in the field covered by this Directive.
Article 16
The Commission shall send the European Parliament and the Council:
1. every five years as from the date specified in Article 15(1) a report on any problems encountered with regard to the relationship between this Directive and international agreements on the protection of human rights to which the Member States have acceded;
2. within two years of entry into force of this Directive, a report assessing the implications for basic genetic engineering research of failure to publish, or late publication of, papers on subjects which could be patentable;
3. annually as from the date specified in Article 15(1), a report on the development and implications of patent law in the field of biotechnology and genetic engineering.
Article 17
This Directive shall enter into force on the day of its publication in the Official Journal of the European Communities.
Article 18
This Directive is addressed to the Member States.