(1)

Commission Decisions 2007/305/EC (2), 2007/306/EC (3) and 2007/307/EC (4) lay down the rules for the withdrawal from the market of Ms1×Rf1 (ACS-BNØØ4-7×ACS-BNØØ1-4) hybrid oilseed rape, Ms1×Rf2 (ACS-BNØØ4-7×ACS-BNØØ2-5) hybrid oilseed rape and Topas 19/2 (ACS-BNØØ7-1) oilseed rape respectively, as well as their derived products (‘GM material’). Those decisions have been adopted after the authorisation holder, the company Bayer CropScience AG, indicated to the Commission that it had no intention of submitting an application for the renewal of the authorisation of that GM material in accordance with the first subparagraph of Article 8(4), Article 11, Article 20(4) and Article 23 of Regulation (EC) No 1829/2003.

(2)

All three Decisions provided for an initial transitional period of five years during which food and feed containing, consisting of or produced from this GM material were allowed to be placed on the market in a proportion no higher than 0,9 % and provided that that presence was adventitious or technically unavoidable. The purpose of that transitional period was to take into account the fact that minute traces of that GM material could sometimes be present in the food and feed chains, even after Bayer CropScience AG had decided to stop selling seeds derived from those genetically modified organisms and even if all measures were taken to avoid the presence of that GM material.

(3)

In light of experience after the withdrawal of that GM material from the market, Commission Implementing Decision 2012/69/EU (5) amended all three Decisions in order to extend the transition period until 31 December 2016. Given the very low trace levels which had been reported, that Decision reduced the tolerated presence of that GM material in food and feed to 0,1 % mass fraction.

(4)

Decisions 2007/305/EC, 2007/306/EC and 2007/307/EC also set out a series of measures that Bayer CropScience AG had to take in order to ensure the effective withdrawal from the market of this GM material and laid down reporting obligations on Bayer CropScience AG.

(5)

In December 2013 and in March 2016, Bayer CropScience AG reported that despite the measures taken to prevent the presence of those genetically modified organisms in accordance with Decisions 2007/305/EC, 2007/306/EC and 2007/307/EC, minute traces have been still detected in oilseed rape commodities in recent years. This persisting presence of traces can be explained by the biology of oilseed rapes which can remain dormant for long periods as well as by farm practices which have been employed to harvest the seeds which may have resulted in accidental spillage, the level of which was difficult to estimate at the dates of adoption of Decisions 2007/305/EC, 2007/306/EC and 2007/307/EC and Implementing Decision 2012/69/EU. The occurrence of traces has continued to follow a decreasing trend.

(6)

Against this background, it is appropriate to extend the transitional period for another three years until 31 December 2019 to allow for the complete removal of the remaining traces of Ms1×Rf1, Ms1×Rf2 and Topas 19/2 oilseed rapes in the food and feed chain.

(7)

In order to further contribute to the removal of that GM material, it is also appropriate that Bayer CropScience AG continues to implement the in-house programme required in accordance with Decisions 2007/305/EC, 2007/306/EC and 2007/307/EC and to gather data, as it previously did on a voluntary basis, on the presence of such material in oilseed rape commodities imported into the Union from Canada, the only country where those oilseed rapes were cultivated for commercial purposes. Bayer CropScience AG should report to the Commission on both aspects by 1 January 2019.

(8)

Bayer CropScience AG should ensure the continued availability of certified reference materials to enable control laboratories to perform their analysis during that transitional period.

(9)

Decisions 2007/305/EC, 2007/306/EC and 2007/307/EC should therefore be amended accordingly.

(10)

The measures provided for in this Decision are in accordance with the opinion of the Standing Committee on Plants, Animals, Food and Feed,

(1)

Article 1 is replaced by the following:

(2)

Article 2 is replaced by the following:

(3)

the Annex is deleted.

(1)

Article 1 is replaced by the following:

(2)

Article 2 is replaced by the following:

(3)

the Annex is deleted.