28.2.2015   

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

L 57/15

(1)

Council Decision 2008/971/EC (2) granted equivalence to certain third countries as regards the systems for the approval and registration of basic material and the subsequent production of reproductive material from this basic material. For certain other third countries the information available at Union level was not sufficient to include those third countries in that Decision. Therefore, the Commission adopted Commission Decision 2008/989/EC (3).

(2)

In order to prevent trade patterns from being disrupted after 31 December 2014, it is appropriate to extend the period of application of Decision 2008/989/EC pending an adaptation of Decision 2008/971/EC.

(3)

Pending a future amendment of Decision 2008/971/EC, it is also appropriate to temporarily authorise Member States to take decisions in respect of forest reproductive material of the category ‘tested’ produced in the third countries already listed in Decision 2008/971/EC.

(4)

The information communicated by Member States shows that forest reproductive material originating in New Zealand is not accompanied by a master certificate or an official certificate issued by that country. New Zealand should, therefore, be deleted from the list of countries in relation with which Member States are authorised to take decisions as regards the equivalence of the guarantees afforded by forest reproductive material.

(5)

Therefore, Decision 2008/989/EC should be amended accordingly.

(6)

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

(1)

Article 3 is replaced by the following:

‘Article 3

This Decision shall apply until 31 December 2019’

(2)

The Annex is amended in accordance with the Annex to this Decision.