Commission Implementing Directive (EU) 2016/2109

of 1 December 2016

amending Council Directive 66/401/EEC as regards the inclusion of new species and the botanical name of the species Lolium x boucheanum Kunth

(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 seed1, and in particular Article 2(1)(A) thereof,

Whereas:

(1)

Article 2(1)(A)(a) of Directive 66/401/EEC lists Lolium x boucheanum Kunth. The International Seed Testing Association has recently changed the botanical name of Lolium x boucheanum Kunth to Lolium x hybridum Hausskn. Consequently it is appropriate to change the name of that species in Directive 66/401/EEC.

(2)
Commission Decision 2009/109/EC2 provides for the organisation of a temporary experiment to assess whether certain species not covered by Directive 66/401/EEC may be marketed as or in seed mixtures. Experience gained during that temporary experiment has shown that the species Biserrula pelecinus, Lathyrus cicera, Medicago doliata, Medicago italica, Medicago littoralis, Medicago murex, Medicago polymorpha, Medicago rugosa, Medicago scutellata, Medicago truncatula, Ornithopus compressus, Ornithopus sativus, Plantago lanceolata, Trifolium fragiferum, Trifolium glanduliferum, Trifolium hirtum, Trifolium isthmocarpum, Trifolium michelianum, Trifolium squarrosum, Trifolium subterraneum, Trifolium vesiculosum and Vicia benghalensis contribute to establishing new fodder plant seed mixtures that offer solutions for persistent, productive and biodiverse pastures and forage crops. Those species should therefore be included in the list of species covered by Article 2(1)(A)(b) of Directive 66/401/EEC.
(3)

On the basis of the technical experience gained during the above temporary experiment, it is appropriate that certain requirements are set out for each of those species concerning minimum germination, minimum analytical purity, maximum content of seeds of other plant species, maximum content of seeds of other plant species in a sample of weight and marking.

(4)

Directive 66/401/EEC should therefore be amended accordingly.

(5)

The measures provided for in this Directive are in accordance with the opinion of the Standing Committee on Plants, Animals, Food and Feed,

HAS ADOPTED THIS DIRECTIVE: