(1)

In accordance with Article 80(1)(a) of Regulation (EC) No 1107/2009, Council Directive 91/414/EEC (2) is to apply, with respect to the procedure and the conditions for approval, to active substances for which a decision has been adopted in accordance with Article 6(3) of that Directive before 14 June 2011. For S-abscisic acid the conditions of Article 80(1)(a) of Regulation (EC) No 1107/2009 are fulfilled by Commission Implementing Decision 2011/253/EU (3).

(2)

In accordance with Article 6(2) of Directive 91/414/EEC the Netherlands received on 9 December 2010 an application from Sumitomo Chemical Agro Europe SAS for the inclusion of the active substance S-abscisic acid in Annex I to Directive 91/414/EEC. Implementing Decision 2011/253/EU confirmed that the dossier was ‘complete’ in the sense that it could be considered as satisfying, in principle, the data and information requirements of Annexes II and III to Directive 91/414/EEC.

(3)

For that active substance, the effects on human and animal health and the environment have been assessed, in accordance with the provisions of Article 6(2) and (4) of Directive 91/414/EEC, for the uses proposed by the applicant. The designated rapporteur Member State submitted a draft assessment report on 21 May 2012.

(4)

The draft assessment report was reviewed by the Member States and the European Food Safety Authority (hereinafter ‘the Authority’). The Authority presented to the Commission its conclusion (4) on the pesticide risk assessment of the active substance S-abscisic acid on 23 July 2013. The draft assessment report and the conclusion of the Authority were reviewed by the Member States and the Commission within the Standing Committee on the Food Chain and Animal Health and finalised on 13 December 2013 in the format of the Commission review report for S-abscisic acid.

(5)

It has appeared from the various examinations made that plant protection products containing S-abscisic acid may be expected to satisfy, in general, the requirements laid down in Article 5(1)(a) and (b) and Article 5(3) of Directive 91/414/EEC, in particular with regard to the uses which were examined and detailed in the Commission review report. It is therefore appropriate to approve S-abscisic acid.

(6)

In accordance with Article 13(2) of Regulation (EC) No 1107/2009 in conjunction with Article 6 thereof and in the light of current scientific and technical knowledge, it is, however, necessary to include certain conditions and restrictions.

(7)

A reasonable period should be allowed to elapse before approval in order to permit Member States and the interested parties to prepare themselves to meet the new requirements resulting from the approval.

(8)

Without prejudice to the obligations provided for in Regulation (EC) No 1107/2009 as a consequence of approval, taking into account the specific situation created by the transition from Directive 91/414/EEC to Regulation (EC) No 1107/2009, the following should, however, apply. Member States should be allowed a period of six months after approval to review authorisations of plant protection products containing S-abscisic acid. Member States should, as appropriate, vary, replace or withdraw authorisations. By way of derogation from that deadline, a longer period should be provided for the submission and assessment of the complete Annex III dossier, as set out in Directive 91/414/EEC, of each plant protection product for each intended use in accordance with the uniform principles.

(9)

The experience gained from inclusions in Annex I to Directive 91/414/EEC of active substances assessed in the framework of Commission Regulation (EEC) No 3600/92 (5) has shown that difficulties can arise in interpreting the duties of holders of existing authorisations in relation to access to data. In order to avoid further difficulties it therefore appears necessary to clarify the duties of the Member States, especially the duty to verify that the holder of an authorisation demonstrates access to a dossier satisfying the requirements of Annex II to that Directive. However, this clarification does not impose any new obligations on Member States or holders of authorisations compared to the Directives which have been adopted until now amending Annex I to that Directive or the Regulations approving active substances.

(10)

In accordance with Article 13(4) of Regulation (EC) No 1107/2009, the Annex to Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) No 540/2011 (6) should be amended accordingly.

(11)

The measures provided for in this Regulation are in accordance with the opinion of the Standing Committee on the Food Chain and Animal Health,

(1)

Implementing Regulation (EU) No 543/2011 lays down, pursuant to the outcome of the Uruguay Round multilateral trade negotiations, the criteria whereby the Commission fixes the standard values for imports from third countries, in respect of the products and periods stipulated in Annex XVI, Part A thereto.

(2)

The standard import value is calculated each working day, in accordance with Article 136(1) of Implementing Regulation (EU) No 543/2011, taking into account variable daily data. Therefore this Regulation should enter into force on the day of its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union,

(1)

The European Union has created a European Union Solidarity Fund (the ‘Fund’) to show solidarity with the population of regions struck by disasters.

(2)

The Interinstitutional Agreement of 17 May 2006 allows the mobilisation of the Fund within the annual ceiling of EUR 1 billion.

(3)

Regulation (EC) No 2012/2002 contains the provisions whereby the Fund may be mobilised.

(4)

Romania has submitted an application to mobilise the Fund, concerning drought and forest fires.

(5)

Germany, Austria and the Czech Republic have submitted applications to mobilise the Fund, concerning a flooding disaster.

(1)

By Council Decision 2002/148/EC (4), consultations with the Republic of Zimbabwe under Article 96(2)(c) of the ACP-EU Partnership Agreement were concluded and appropriate measures were taken. Those appropriate measures have since been amended and their period of application is reviewed periodically.

(2)

In order to demonstrate the Union’s continued commitment to the political process as part of the Global Political Agreement, the Council decided on 7 August 2012, by Decision 2012/470/EU (5) to extend the validity of Decision 2012/96/EU (6) and to suspend application of the appropriate measures limiting cooperation with Zimbabwe under Article 96 of the ACP-EU Partnership Agreement for a period of 12 months. On 9 August 2013, by Decision 2013/428/EU (7), the Council decided, to further extend the validity of Decision 2012/96/EU until 20 February 2014, while maintaining the suspension of the appropriate measures.

(3)

In line with the Council’s agreement to continue incentivising full implementation of key provisions of the 2013 Zimbabwe constitution and the remaining recommendations for electoral reform made by international and domestic observers following the July 2013 elections, the validity of Decision 2012/96/EU should be further extended, while maintaining the suspension of the appropriate measures.

(4)

The Union can review this decision at any time,