Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2017/1172

of 30 June 2017

amending Implementing Regulation (EU) No 809/2014 as regards the control measures relating to the cultivation of hemp

THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION,

Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union,

Having regard to Regulation (EU) No 1306/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 17 December 2013 on the financing, management and monitoring of the common agricultural policy and repealing Council Regulations (EEC) No 352/78, (EC) No 165/94, (EC) No 2799/98, (EC) No 814/2000, (EC) No 1290/2005 and (EC) No 485/20081, and in particular Article 58(4) and Article 62(2)(e) thereof,

Whereas:

(1)
The rules for the verification of the Δ9 tetrahydrocannabinol content (hereinafter referred to as ‘THC content’) of hemp varieties have been established in Article 45 of Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) No 809/20142 and the Annex to that Regulation. It appears that it is appropriate that those rules are incorporated into Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) No 639/20143 as amended by Delegated Regulation (EU) 2017/11554. Therefore, Article 45 of Implementing Regulation (EU) No 809/2014 and the Annex to that Regulation should be deleted with effect from the date of entry into force of Delegated Regulation (EU) 2017/1155.
(2)

The rules for the determination of hemp varieties and the verification of the THC content are based on the assumption that hemp is cultivated as main crop in spring, but they are not fully suitable for hemp cultivated as catch crop. In particular, the date of 30 June as the latest date for the submission of the official seed labels established in Article 17(7) of Implementing Regulation (EU) No 809/2014 is too early for hemp cultivated as catch crop. As that cultivation method has proved to be appropriate for industrial hemp and compatible with environmental requirements, Member States should have the possibility to fix a later date for hemp cultivated as catch crop but no later than 1 September.

(3)

Implementing Regulation (EU) No 809/2014 should therefore be amended accordingly.

(4)

The measures provided for in this Regulation are in accordance with the opinion of the Committee for Direct Payments,

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