Article 6
1
Notwithstanding Article 3(1), Member States may authorise producers in their own territory to place on the market:
a
small quantities of seed potatoes for scientific purposes or selection work;
b
appropriate quantities of seed potatoes for other test or trial purposes, provided they belong to varieties for which an application for entry in the catalogue has been submitted in the Member State in question.
In the case of genetically modified material, such authorisation may be granted only if all appropriate measures have been taken to avoid adverse effects on human health and the environment. For the environmental risk assessment to be carried out in this respect, the provisions of Article 7(4) of Directive 2002/53/EC shall apply accordingly.
2
The purposes for which the authorisations referred to in paragraph 1(b) may be given, the provisions relating to the marking of packages, and the quantities and the conditions under which Member States may grant such authorisation shall be determined in accordance with the procedure referred to in Article 25(2).
3
Authorisation granted, before 14 December 1998, by Member States to producers in their own territory for the purposes set out in paragraph 1 shall remain in force pending determination of the provisions referred to in paragraph 2. Thereafter, all such authorisations shall respect the provisions established in accordance with paragraph 2.