Forest reproductive material produced in third countries: ‘tested’ category, its labelling and the names of the authorities responsible for the approval and control of the production

The European Parliament adopted by 499 votes to 131, with 27 abstentions, a legislative resolution on the amended proposal for a decision of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Council Decision 2008/971/EC as regards the forest reproductive material of the ‘tested’ category, its labelling and the names of the authorities responsible for the approval and control of the production.

Parliament adopted its position at first reading following the ordinary legislative procedure.

Parliament supports the proposal which aims to extend the equivalence regime for the import of forest reproductive material (FRM) established by Decision 2008/971/EC to the ‘tested’ category, in line with the amended OECD rules of 2013. It provides (i) conditions for determining whether FRM of the ‘tested’ category imported from a certain third country can be considered as equivalent to FRM produced within the Union and complying with Directive 1999/105/EC, as well as (ii) the additional conditions as regards seed and planting stocks set out in Decision 2008/971/EC.

This draft decision, once adopted, should replace the temporary authorisation granted by Commission Implementing Decision (EU) 2021/773 authorising each Member State to decide until 31 December 2024 whether FRM of the ‘tested’ category produced in a specific third country affords the same guarantees as FRM produced in the Union and complying with Directive 1999/105/EC.

Parliament specified that this Decision should enter into force as a matter of urgency on the day of its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union in order to ensure that it enters into force before the expiry of Implementing Decision (EU) 2021/773.