Preamble

THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES,

Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community,

Having regard to Council Regulation (EC) No 2100/94 of 27 July 1994 on Community plant variety rights (1), and in particular Article 114 thereof,

Whereas:

(1) Commission Regulation (EC) No 1239/95 of 31 May 1995 establishing implementing rules for the application of Council Regulation (EC) No 2100/94 as regards proceedings before the Community Plant Variety Office (2) has been substantially amended several times (3). Since further amendments are to be made, it should be recast in the interests of clarity.

(2) Regulation (EC) No 2100/94 (the basic Regulation) creates a new Community system of plant variety rights, whereby a plant variety right is valid throughout the Community.

(3) Such a system should be carried out in an effective manner by the Community Plant Variety Office (the Office), which is assisted by Examination Offices in conducting the technical examination of the plant varieties concerned and which may avail itself of the services of designated national agencies or one of its own sub-offices established for that purpose. In that regard, it is indispensable to define the relationship between the Office and its own sub-offices, the Examination Offices and national agencies.

(4) A fee for the conduct of the technical examination should be paid by the Office to the Examination Offices on the basis of full recovery of costs incurred. Uniform methods for the calculation of the costs should be established by the Administrative Council.

(5) Decisions of the Office may be appealed against before its Board of Appeal. Provisions on the procedure of the Board of Appeal should be adopted. Further Boards of Appeal may be established, if necessary, by the Administrative Council.

(6) Examination reports made under the responsibility of authorities of a Member State or a third country which is a member of the International Union for the Protection of New Varieties of Plants (UPOV) should be considered a sufficient basis for decision.

(7) The use of electronic means for the filing of applications, objections or appeals and the service of documents by the Office should be permitted. Moreover, the Office should be given the possibility to issue certificates for Community plant variety rights in electronic form. Publication of information regarding Community plant variety rights should also be possible by electronic means. Finally, the electronic storage of files relating to proceedings should be allowed.

(8) The President of the Office should be empowered to determine all necessary details with respect to the use of electronic means of communication or storage.

(9) Certain provisions of Articles 23, 29, 34, 35, 36, 42, 45, 46, 49, 50, 58, 81, 85, 87, 88 and 100 of the basic Regulation already explicitly provide that detailed rules shall or may be drawn up for their implementation. Other detailed rules should be drawn up for the same purpose if clarification is required.

(10) The entry into effect of a transfer of a Community plant variety right or a transfer of an entitlement thereto should be defined in the rules relating to the entries in the Registers.

(11) The Administrative Council of the Community Plant Variety Office has been consulted.

(12) The rules provided for in this Regulation are in accordance with the opinion of the Standing Committee on Plant Variety Rights,

HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION: