{
  "url": "https://openlegislation.uk/eu-regulation-2014-704/introduction",
  "json_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/eu-regulation-2014-704/introduction.json",
  "legislation": "eur/2014/704",
  "legislation_title": "Commission Regulation (EU) No 704/2014 of 25 June 2014 amending Regulation (EU) No 211/2013 on certification requirements for import into the Union of sprouts and seeds intended for the production of sprouts (Text with EEA relevance)",
  "legislation_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/eu-regulation-2014-704",
  "path": "introduction",
  "kind": "introduction",
  "number": null,
  "heading": "Introductory text",
  "text": "Commission Regulation (EU) No 704/2014\nof 25 June 2014\namending Regulation (EU) No 211/2013 on certification requirements for import into the Union of sprouts and seeds intended for the production of sprouts\n(Text with EEA relevance)\nTHE EUROPEAN COMMISSION,\nHaving regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union,\nHaving regard to Regulation (EC) No 882/2004 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 29 April 2004 on official controls performed to ensure the verification of compliance with feed and food law, animal health and animal welfare rules, and in particular Article 48(1) thereof,\nWhereas:\n(1)\nCommission Regulation (EU) No 211/2013 lays down certification requirements for sprouts or seeds intended for the production of sprouts imported into the Union.\n(2)\nDuring recent audits conducted by the Commission Inspection Services (Food and Veterinary Office) in third countries, certain deficiencies were observed. These deficiencies relate to the competent authorities' capability to certify that the seeds intended for the production of sprouts are produced in compliance with Regulation (EC) No 852/2004 of the European Parliament and of the Council, in particular with the general hygiene provisions for primary production and associated operations set out in Part A of Annex I thereto.\n(3)\nIn order to maintain the highest level of consumer protection while third countries take the necessary corrective actions to establish a robust certification system, it is appropriate to allow, as an alternative in the country of origin, the certification requirement on the general hygiene provisions for primary production to be replaced by a microbiological test for seeds intended for the production of sprouts before export to the Union takes place. For that reason, the model certificate in the Annex to Regulation (EU) No 211/2013 also needs to be amended.\n(4)\nThis measure should be limited in time until third countries have provided the necessary guarantees that the deficiencies have been corrected.\n(5)\nThe measures provided for in this Regulation are in accordance with the opinion of the Standing Committee on the Food Chain and Animal Health and neither the European Parliament nor the Council has opposed them,\nHAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION:",
  "extent": "E+W+S+N.I.",
  "status": null,
  "version": "current",
  "annotations": [
    {
      "type": "footnote",
      "label": "f1",
      "text": "OJ L 165, 30.4.2004, p. 1."
    },
    {
      "type": "footnote",
      "label": "f2",
      "text": "Commission Regulation (EU) No 211/2013 of 11 March 2013 on certification requirements for imports into the Union of sprouts and seeds intended for the production of sprouts (OJ L 68, 12.3.2013, p. 26)."
    },
    {
      "type": "footnote",
      "label": "f3",
      "text": "Regulation (EC) No 852/2004 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 29 April 2004 on the hygiene of foodstuffs (OJ L 139, 30.4.2004, p. 1)."
    }
  ],
  "outstanding_effects": [],
  "provenance": {
    "source": "legislation.gov.uk",
    "source_url": "https://www.legislation.gov.uk/eur/2014/704/introduction",
    "retrieved_at": "2026-11-01T14:47:29.697441+00:00"
  },
  "licence": "Open Government Licence v3.0",
  "licence_url": "https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3/",
  "attribution": "Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives."
}