Commission Regulation (EC) No 792/2009 of 31 August 2009 laying down detailed rules for the Member States’ notification to the Commission of information and documents in implementation of the common organisation of the markets, the direct payments regime, the promotion of agricultural products and the regimes applicable to the outermost regions and the smaller Aegean islands2 lays down common rules for notifying information and documents by the competent authorities of the Member States to the Commission. Those rules cover in particular the obligation for the Member States to use the information systems made available by the Commission and the validation of the access rights of the authorities or individuals authorised to send notifications. In addition, that Regulation sets common principles applying to the information systems so that they guarantee the authenticity, integrity and legibility over time of the documents and provides for personal data protection.

The Commission has developed, in its own internal working procedures and in its relations with the authorities involved in the management of protected designations of origin, protected geographical indications and traditional terms, in accordance with Section Ia of Chapter I of Title II of Regulation (EC) No 1234/2007, an information system allowing the management by electronic means of the documents and procedures required under Regulation (EC) No 1234/2007 and Commission Regulation (EC) No 607/2009 of 14 July 2009 laying down certain detailed rules for the implementation of Council Regulation (EC) No 479/2008 as regards protected designations of origin and geographical indications, traditional terms, labelling and presentation of certain wine sector products3, both with the competent authorities in Member States and third countries and with the trade organisations and natural or legal persons that have an interest in the framework of this Regulation.

It is considered that this system, in accordance with Regulation (EC) No 792/2009 or by applying mutatis mutandis the principles that it sets out, enables certain communications provided for by Regulation (EC) No 607/2009, in particular as regards procedures applicable to the protection of geographical indications, designations of origin and traditional terms, the maintenance of the database of the designations concerned and the registers foreseen for the protection of these designations.

Furthermore, the information systems that have already been put in place operationally by the Commission for communicating information regarding the authorities and bodies responsible for the controls to be carried out under the common agricultural policy allow the specific objectives in this area to be met as regards geographical indications, designations of origin and traditional terms. These systems should be made applicable for the communication of information concerning the authorities responsible for examining applications for the protection of designations at the level of Member States or third countries, as well as for the communication of information concerning the authorities responsible for certifying wines that do not have a protected designation of origin or a protected geographical indication.

In the interests of effective administrative management and taking account of the experience acquired through the use of information systems put in place by the Commission, communications should be simplified and the way in which information is managed and made available should be improved under Regulation (EC) No 607/2009 in accordance with Regulation (EC) No 792/2009. To this end, with a view to giving the competent authorities of the Member States the means of becoming familiar with the legislative, regulatory and administrative provisions, introduced at national level in accordance with Articles 118z(2) and 120a of Regulation (EC) No 1234/2007, and to simplifying and facilitating the controls and the cooperation between Member States, provided for by Commission Regulation (EC) No 555/20084, Member States should be asked to communicate to the Commission certain information that is of specific interest for the certification of products, with a view to the Commission’s making this information available to the competent authorities and to the public, where this information is useful for the consumer.

Furthermore, it is appropriate, in the interests of clarity and reducing the administrative burden, to determine the content of certain communications provided for by Regulation (EC) No 607/2009 and to simplify the procedures.

The transitional measures adopted in order to facilitate the transition from the provisions of Council Regulations (EC) No 1493/19995 and (EC) No 479/20086 to those of Regulation (EC) No 1234/2007 present difficulties of interpretation as regards the scope and duration of the applicable procedures. Moreover the scope of the provisions of Article 118s of Regulation (EC) No 1234/2007, taken together with those of Article 118q, as regards the nature of the amendments covered, the reference periods and the duration of the transitional period should be made more precise.

Regulation (EC) No 607/2009 should therefore be amended accordingly.

The measures provided for in this Regulation are in accordance with the opinion of the Management Committee for the Common Organisation of Agricultural Markets,