1.7.2017   

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

L 170/87

(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 809/2014 (2) and the Annex to that Regulation. It appears that it is appropriate that those rules are incorporated into Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) No 639/2014 (3) as amended by Delegated Regulation (EU) 2017/1155 (4). 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,

(1)

In Article 17(7), the second subparagraph is replaced by the following:

‘By way of derogation from point (c) of the first subparagraph, where sowing takes place after the final date for submitting the single application, the labels shall be submitted by 30 June at the latest. However, for hemp cultivated as catch crop, the labels shall be submitted by a date to be fixed by the Member States but not later than 1 September. Where the labels also have to be submitted to other national authorities, the Member States may provide for those labels to be returned to the beneficiary once they have been submitted in accordance with that point. The labels returned shall be marked as used for an application.’

(2)

Article 45 is deleted.

(3)

The Annex is deleted.