The experience gained, in particular, in the context of the application of Commission Regulation (EC) No 217/2006 of 8 February 2006 laying down rules for the application of Council Directives 66/401/EEC, 66/402/EEC, 2002/54/EC, 2002/55/EC and 2002/57/EC as regards the authorisation of Member States to permit temporarily the marketing of seed not satisfying the requirements in respect of minimum germination (5), has shown that the minimum germination percentages of pure seed required by Directives 66/402/EEC and 2002/55/EC as regards Avena nuda L., Zea mays L., as super-sweet corn and Hordeum vulgare L., as naked barley do not allow a su ...[+++]fficient availability of seed of those species.

At that meeting, an examination of the proposal for a Council directive codifying Council Directive 92/33/EEC of 28 April 1992 on the marketing of vegetable propagating and planting material, other than seed resulted in the Consultative Working Party’s establishing, by common accord, that the proposal is a straightforward codification of existing texts, without any change in their substance.

Of course, we can then disagree on the issue of whether or not to regulate the issue of mixing pure seeds with seeds containing GMOs.

I also agree, however, with the need to ensure that we have pure seeds that are, as far as possible, uncontaminated by GMOs.

Sweden is authorised to permit, for a period expiring on 30 April 1998, the marketing in its territory of a maximum of 1,4 tonnes of seed of the category 'certified seed` of the varieties of sheep's fescue (Festuca ovina L.) listed below which do not satisfy the requirements laid down in Annex II to Directive 66/401/EEC with regard to minimum germination capacity, provided that the germination capacity is at least 65 % of pure seed and the official label bears the endorsement 'minimum germination capacity 65 %`:

Now, because of the fact that there is so much genetic outcrossing happening with the canolas, it has been almost impossible to find a source of pure seed.