Commission Directive 86/109/EEC of 27 February 1986 limiting the marketing of seed of certain species of fodder plants and oil and fibre plants to seed which has been officially certified as ‘basic seed’ or ‘certified seed’3 has been substantially amended several times4. In the interests of clarity and rationality the said Directive should be codified, together with Commission Directive 75/502/EEC of 25 July 1975 limiting the marketing of seed of smooth-stalk meadow grass (Poa pratensis L.) to seed which has been officially certified as ‘basic seed’ or ‘certified seed’5, by assembling them in a single text.

Directive 66/401/EEC allows the marketing of basic seed, certified seed and commercial seed of certain species of fodder plants.

Directive 2002/57/EC allows the marketing of basic seed, certified seed of all kinds and commercial seed of certain species of oil and fibre plants.

Both Directives authorise the Commission to prohibit the marketing of seed unless it has been officially certified as ‘basic seed’ or ‘certified seed’.

Member States are in a position to produce sufficient basic seed and certified seed to satisfy within the Community the demand for seed of some of the species referred to above with seed of those categories.

The measures provided for in this Directive are in accordance with the opinion of the Standing Committee on Seeds and Propagating Material for Agriculture, Horticulture and Forestry.

This Directive should be without prejudice to the obligations of the Member States relating to the time limits for transposition into national law of the Directives set out in Annex I, Part B,