Introductory text

THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES,

Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community,

Having regard to Council Regulation (EC) No 1947/2005 of 23 November 2005 on the common organisation of the market in seeds and repealing Regulations (EEC) No 2358/71 and (EEC) No 1674/72^f1, and in particular the first subparagraph of Article 8(2) thereof,

Having regard to Council Regulation (EEC) No 2358/71 of 26 October 1971 on the common organisation of the market in seeds^f2, and in particular Article 8 thereof,

Whereas:

By letter dated 18 December 2006, the Finnish Government requested authorisation, from 1 January 2006 to 31 December 2006, to grant farmers aid for certain quantities of varieties of seeds and cereal seed produced solely in Finland because of its specific climatic conditions.

Finland requests authorisation to grant aid per hectare for certain areas under Gramineae (grass) and Leguminosae (legumes) seeds species as listed in Annex XI to Council Regulation (EC) No 1782/2003 of 29 September 2003 establishing common rules for direct support schemes under the common agricultural policy and establishing certain support schemes for farmers^f3, with the exception of Phleum pratense L. (Timothy), and for certain areas under cereal seed.

The proposed aid meets the requirements laid down in Article 8 of Regulation (EC) No 1947/2005. It concerns seeds and cereal seed varieties for cultivation in Finland which are adapted to the weather conditions in that country and are not grown in other Member States. The Commission authorisation should be limited to the varieties included in the list of Finnish varieties which are cultivated only in Finland.

Provision should be made for the Commission to be informed of the measures taken by Finland to comply with the limits laid down in this Decision,

HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION: