Commission Regulation (EU) No 211/2013 lays down certification requirements for sprouts or seeds intended for the production of sprouts imported into the Union.

During recent audits conducted by the Commission Inspection Services (Food and Veterinary Office) in third countries, certain deficiencies were observed. These deficiencies relate to the competent authorities' capability to certify that the seeds intended for the production of sprouts are produced in compliance with Regulation (EC) No 852/2004 of the European Parliament and of the Council, in particular with the general hygiene provisions for primary production and associated operations set out in Part A of Annex I thereto.

In order to maintain the highest level of consumer protection while third countries take the necessary corrective actions to establish a robust certification system, it is appropriate to allow, as an alternative in the country of origin, the certification requirement on the general hygiene provisions for primary production to be replaced by a microbiological test for seeds intended for the production of sprouts before export to the Union takes place. For that reason, the model certificate in the Annex to Regulation (EU) No 211/2013 also needs to be amended.

This measure should be limited in time until third countries have provided the necessary guarantees that the deficiencies have been corrected.

The measures provided for in this Regulation are in accordance with the opinion of the Standing Committee on the Food Chain and Animal Health and neither the European Parliament nor the Council has opposed them,