Vine: marketing of material for the vegetative propagation (amend. Directive 68/193/EEC and repeal. Directive 74/649/EEC)

The committee adopted the report (consultation procedure) by Christa Barbara KLASS (EPP/ED, D) on the Commission proposal for a Council directive amending Directive 68/193/EEC on the marketing of material for the vegetative propagation of the vine. The committee supported the Commission's aim of ensuring that the single market in this material operated freely. Its amendments went further than the Commission in removing barriers to trade. Otherwise, the committee mainly tightened up definitions and cut red tape. In particular, the amendments replaced the term "genetically modified varieties of vine" by the term "genetically engineered varieties of vine" to make clear that crossbreeding, independently of genetically engineered modification, remained possible. The report also distinguished between "genotype", "clone" and "variety" and made clear that there was no connection between "genotype and genetic modification. It also aimed to protect regional varieties, which were so important in European wine production. In addition, the committee reinforced the requirement that genetically modified material may only be authorised if the conditions laid down in Directive 90/220 are met. �