(1)

Article 3(1)(b) of Regulation (EU) 2019/788 provides that one of the conditions of validity of an initiative is that in at least one quarter of Member States, the number of signatories is at least equal to the minimum number of citizens set out in Annex I, at the time of registration of the proposed citizens’ initiative. These minimum numbers correspond to the number of the Members of the European Parliament elected in each Member State, multiplied by the total number of Members of the European Parliament.

(2)

On 29 March 2017, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (the ‘United Kingdom’) submitted the notification of its intention to withdraw from the Union pursuant to Article 50 of the Treaty on European Union.

(3)

On 28 June 2018 the European Council adopted Decision (EU) 2018/937 establishing the composition of the European Parliament (2). That Decision, which entered into force on 3 July 2018, sets out the number of representatives in the European Parliament elected in each Member State for the 2019-2024 parliamentary term, which begins on 2 July 2019.

(4)

On 22 March 2019, by Decision (EU) 2019/476 (3), the European Council in agreement with the United Kingdom decided to extend the period under Article 50(3) TEU until 22 May 2019 in the event that the House of Commons approved the Withdrawal Agreement by 29 March 2019, or, if that were not to be the case, until 12 April 2019. The House of Commons did not approve the Withdrawal Agreement by 29 March 2019. On 11 April 2019, by Decision (EU) 2019/584 (4) the European Council, in agreement with the United Kingdom, decided to further extend that period until 31 October 2019.

(5)

In order to mirror the rules contained in Decision (EU) 2018/937 with regard to the minimum number of signatories set out in Annex I of Regulation (EU) 2019/788, it is appropriate to replace Annex I to Regulation (EU) 2019/788. That amendment should apply from the date at which Regulation (EU) 2019/788 becomes applicable, that is to say, on 1 January 2020. However, should the withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the European Union take place after that date, the amendment would become applicable after the withdrawal.

(6)

Annex I to Regulation (EU) 2019/788 should therefore be replaced,

(1)

Pursuant to the first subparagraph of Article 53(1) of Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012, the Commission has examined France’s application for the approval of amendments to the specification for the protected designation of origin ‘Beurre d’Isigny’, registered under Commission Regulation (EC) No 1107/96 (2).

(2)

By letter of 16 October 2017, the French authorities notified the Commission that a transitional period under Article 15(4) of Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012, ending on 31 December 2022, had been granted to ten operators who are established on their territory and meet the conditions laid down in that Article pursuant to the Order of 12 September 2017 on amendments to the specifications for the protected designations of origin ‘Beurre d’Isigny’ and ‘Crème d’Isigny’, published on 20 September 2017 in the Official Journal of the French Republic. By letter of 26 September 2018, the same authorities submitted the text of a new Order of 30 August 2018 amending the Order of 12 September 2017 and including the names of those operators. During the national opposition procedure, the operators, who had been legally marketing ‘Beurre d’Isigny’ continuously for at least five years prior to submission of the application, lodged an objection. Six operators objected to the following provision: ‘Each lactating cow must be allocated at least 0,35 hectares of meadow (natural, temporary or annual), of which at least 0,2 hectares are pasture, or at least 0,1 hectares are pasture supplemented with hay.’ The operators in question are: GAEC des Normandes (SIRET: 38531072700016), GAEC des Quesnel (SIRET: 41022988100011), GAEC du Chalet (SIRET: 34005162200017), GAEC de la Cour des Mares (SIRET: 34897314000026), GAEC du Hameau (SIRET: 38259121200016) and GAEC du Petit Flot (SIRET: 43783781800016). Two operators objected to the following provision: ‘For the minimum period of 7 months when the cows are put out to pasture, on average at least 40 % of the feed ration, expressed as dry matter, must consist of fresh grass or hay.’ The operators in question are: EARL des Clôtures (SIRET: 51075733900013) and GAEC du Clos Roset (SIRET: 48310227300016). Two operators objected to the following provision: ‘For the rest of the year (non-grazing period), the proportion (of fresh grass or hay) in the daily feed ration may not be less than 20 %, expressed as dry matter.’ The operators in question are: GAEC de la Ronchette (SIRET: 49754563200018) and GAEC du Village Culot.

(3)

Since the amendments in question are not minor within the meaning of Article 53(2) of Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012, the Commission published the amendment application in the Official Journal of the European Union (3) as required by Article 50(2)(a) of that Regulation.

(4)

As no statement of opposition under Article 51 of Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012 has been received by the Commission, the amendments to the specification should be approved,

(1)

Commission Directive 2008/113/EC (2) included Verticillium albo-atrum (formerly Verticillium dahlia) strain WCS850 as an active substance in Annex I to Council Directive 91/414/EEC (3).

(2)

Active substances included in Annex I to Directive 91/414/EEC are deemed to have been approved under Regulation (EC) No 1107/2009 and are listed in Part A of the Annex to Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) No 540/2011 (4).

(3)

The approval of the active substance Verticillium albo-atrum strain WCS850, as set out in Part A of the Annex to Implementing Regulation (EU) No 540/2011 expires on 30 April 2020.

(4)

An application for the renewal of the approval of Verticillium albo-atrum strain WCS850 was submitted in accordance with Article 1 of Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) No 844/2012 (5) within the time period provided for in that Article.

(5)

The applicant submitted the supplementary dossiers required in accordance with Article 6 of Implementing Regulation (EU) No 844/2012. The application was found to be complete by the rapporteur Member State.

(6)

The rapporteur Member State prepared a draft renewal assessment report in consultation with the co-rapporteur Member State and submitted it to the European Food Safety Authority (‘the Authority’) and the Commission on 1 November 2017.

(7)

The Authority communicated the draft renewal assessment report to the applicant and to the Member States for comments and forwarded the comments received to the Commission. The Authority also made the supplementary summary dossier available to the public.

(8)

On 19 December 2018, the Authority communicated to the Commission its conclusion (6) on whether Verticillium albo-atrum strain WCS850 can be expected to meet the approval criteria provided for in Article 4 of Regulation (EC) No 1107/2009. The Commission presented an initial draft renewal report for Verticillium albo-atrum strain WCS850 to the Standing Committee on Plants, Animals, Food and Feed on 22 March 2019.

(9)

The applicant was given the opportunity to submit comments on the draft renewal report.

(10)

It has been established with respect to one or more representative uses of at least one plant protection product containing Verticillium albo-atrum strain WCS850 that the approval criteria provided for in Article 4 of Regulation (EC) No 1107/2009 are satisfied.

(11)

The risk assessment for the renewal of the approval of Verticillium albo-atrum strain WCS850 is based on a limited number of representative uses, which however do not restrict the uses for which plant protection products containing Verticillium albo-atrum strain WCS850 may be authorised. It is therefore appropriate not to maintain the restriction to use as a fungicide.

(12)

The Commission considers that Verticillium albo-atrum strain WCS850 is a low-risk active substance pursuant to Article 22 of Regulation (EC) No 1107/2009. Verticillium albo-atrum strain WCS850 is not a substance of concern and fulfils the conditions set in point 5 of Annex II to Regulation (EC) No 1107/2009. Verticillium albo-atrum strain WCS850 is a micro-organism. Following the assessment by the rapporteur Member State and the Authority and taking into account the intended uses it is expected to pose a low-risk for humans, animals and the environment. In particular, the potential transfer or acquisition of resistance to antimicrobials in fungi such as Verticillium albo-atrum strain WCS850 is multifactorial and is not coded by a single gene, thus horizontal transfer of anti-microbial resistance genes between fungal species appears to be very rare and is not associated with specific mechanisms, as described for bacteria. Therefore, the Commission considers that multiple resistance to anti-microbials used in human and veterinary medicine is not demonstrated.

(13)

It is therefore appropriate to renew the approval of Verticillium albo-atrum WCS850 as a low-risk active substance.

(14)

In accordance with Article 14(1) 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 provide for certain conditions.

(15)

Implementing Regulation (EU) No 540/2011 should therefore be amended accordingly.

(16)

Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/168 (7) extended the expiry date of Verticillium albo-atrum strain WCS850 to 30 April 2020 in order to allow the renewal process to be completed before the expiry of the approval of that substance. However, given that a decision on renewal has been taken ahead of that extended expiry date, this Regulation should start to apply earlier than that date.

(17)

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

(1)

The Czech language version of Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008 contains errors in Annex II, Part A, Table 2 and in Annex II, Part E, food categories 02.1, 02.2.2, 04.2.5.1, 04.2.5.2, 04.2.5.3, 08.2, 08.3.1, 08.3.2, 08.3.3, 14.1.4, 15.1 and 15.2. Therefore, in the Czech language version, the conditions of use (restrictions/exceptions) of food additives in those provisions should be corrected in order to ensure legal clarity for food business operators and the smooth functioning of the internal market.

(2)

The Latvian language version of Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008 contains an error in Annex II, Part E, food category 04.1.2. Therefore, in the Latvian language version, the conditions of use (restrictions/exceptions) of food additives in that provision should be corrected in order to ensure legal clarity for food business operators and the smooth functioning of the internal market.

(3)

The Slovak language version of Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008 contains an error in Annex II, Part E, food category 07.1. Therefore, in the Slovak language version, the conditions of use (restrictions/exceptions) of food additives in that provision should be corrected in order to ensure legal clarity for food business operators and the smooth functioning of the internal market.

(4)

The Czech, Latvian and Slovak language versions of Annex II to Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008 should therefore be corrected accordingly. The other language versions are not affected.

(5)

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

(1)

Regulation (EU) No 1333/2014 of the European Central Bank (ECB/2014/48) (2) requires the reporting of daily statistical information by reporting agents in order that the European System of Central Banks (ESCB), in the fulfilment of its tasks, may produce statistics on the euro money market.

(2)

To further ensure the availability of high quality statistics on the euro money market, it is necessary to amend the minimum standards to be applied by reporting agents under Regulation (EU) No 1333/2014 (ECB/2014/48). In addition to the duty to provide timely reports of all transactions within the scope of the reporting obligation to the European Central Bank (ECB) or the relevant national central bank (NCB) and to ensure that the statistical information concerning these transactions is impartial, objective and reliable and is compiled and submitted in a manner that protects its integrity, reporting agents must also make themselves available to respond within set deadlines to any queries raised by the ECB or the NCBs about the accuracy of the statistical information. Maintaining these minimum standards is even more important when data is published by the ECB on a daily basis when performing its ESCB tasks.

(3)

Given the need to ensure that the actual reporting population fulfils the additional requirement of responding to queries raised by the ECB or the NCBs, the minimum standards under Annex IV to Regulation (EU) No 1333/2014 (ECB/2014/48) should be supplemented.

(4)

Therefore, Regulation (EU) No 1333/2014 (ECB/2014/48) should be amended accordingly,

(1)

Commission Decision 2009/821/EC (4) lays down the list of border inspection posts approved in accordance with Directives 91/496/EEC and 97/78/EC and the list of central, regional and local units in the integrated computerised veterinary system (Traces). Those lists are respectively set out in Annex I and Annex II to that Decision.

(2)

Following the proposal from Belgium, the approval of the border inspection posts at Antwerp port and Zeebrugge port should be extended to unpacked products for human consumption. It is therefore appropriate to amend accordingly the list of entries for that Member State set out in Annex I to Decision 2009/821/EC.

(3)

Following the proposal from Denmark, a new inspection centre should be listed at the border inspection post at Skagen port for the inspection for animal by-products. It is therefore appropriate to amend accordingly the list of entries for that Member State set out in Annex I to Decision 2009/821/EC.

(4)

Following the proposal from Spain, a new border inspection post at Ferrol port should be approved for packed products for human consumption. In addition, the suspension of the border inspection post at Santander port for products for non-human consumption and of one of the inspection centres of the border inspection post at Vigo port should be lifted. It is therefore appropriate to amend accordingly the list of entries for that Member State set out in Annex I to Decision 2009/821/EC.

(5)

Following the proposal from Italy and the satisfactory inspection carried out by the Commission, the new border inspection post at Verona airport should be approved for packed products for human consumption. Therefore, the list of entries for that Member State set out in Annex I to Decision 2009/821/EC should be amended accordingly.

(6)

Following communication from Finland, the entry for the border inspection post at Hamina port should be deleted from the list set out in Annex I to Decision 2009/821/EC.

(7)

Following communication from Sweden, a derogation should be granted as regards the staff responsible for carrying out the checks and for issuing certificates at the border inspection post at Helsingborg port. It is therefore appropriate to amend accordingly the list of entries for that Member State set out in Annex I to Decision 2009/821/EC.

(8)

Germany informed the Commission that, following an administrative restructuration, certain changes should be made to the list of local units in Traces for that Member State. It is therefore appropriate to amend Annex II to Decision 2009/821/EC accordingly.

(9)

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

(1)

Commission Implementing Decision 2014/709/EU (4) lays down animal health control measures in relation to African swine fever in certain Member States, where there have been confirmed cases of that disease in domestic or feral pigs (the Member States concerned). The Annex to that Implementing Decision demarcates and lists certain areas of the Member States concerned in Parts I to IV thereof, differentiated by the level of risk based on the epidemiological situation as regards that disease. The Annex to Implementing Decision 2014/709/EU has been amended several times to take account of changes in the epidemiological situation in the Union as regards African swine fever that need to be reflected in that Annex. The Annex to Implementing Decision 2014/709/EU was last amended by Commission Implementing Decision (EU) 2019/1617 (5), following instances of African swine fever in Lithuania, Bulgaria, Romania and Poland.

(2)

Since the date of adoption of Implementing Decision (EU) 2019/1617, there have been further cases of African swine fever in feral pigs in Bulgaria and Hungary. Following these cases of that disease, and taking into account the current epidemiological situation in the Union, regionalisation in these two Member States has been reassessed and updated. In addition, the risk management measures in place also have been reassessed and updated. These changes need to be reflected in the Annex to Implementing Decision 2014/709/EU.

(3)

In September 2019, one case of African swine fever in feral pigs was observed in the region of Sliven in Bulgaria in an area currently listed in Part I of the Annex to Implementing Decision 2014/709/EU. This case of African swine fever constitutes an increased level of risk which should be reflected in that Annex. Accordingly, this area of Bulgaria affected by African swine fever should now be listed in Part II of the Annex to Implementing Decision 2014/709/EU, instead of in Part I thereof.

(4)

In September 2019, several cases of African swine fever in feral pigs were observed in the county of Pest in Hungary in an area currently not listed in the Annex to Implementing Decision 2014/709/EU. These cases of African swine fever constitute an increased level of risk which should be reflected in that Annex. Accordingly, this area of Hungary affected by African swine fever should now be listed in Part II of the Annex to Implementing Decision 2014/709/EU.

(5)

In order to take account of recent developments in the epidemiological evolution of African swine fever in the Union, and in order to combat the risks associated with the spread of that disease in a proactive manner, a new high-risk area of a sufficient size should be demarcated for Bulgaria and Hungary and duly listed in Parts I and II of the Annex to Implementing Decision 2014/709/EU. The Annex to Implementing Decision 2014/709/EU should therefore be amended accordingly.

(6)

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