Commission Regulation (EC) No 1980/2006 of 20 December 2006 laying down transitional measures amending Regulation (EC) Νο 2076/2002 and Decisions 2001/245/EC, 2002/928/EC and 2006/797/EC as regards the continued use of certain active substances not included in Annex I to Directive 91/414/EEC by reason of the accession of Bulgaria (Text with EEA relevance)

‘4 By way of derogation from paragraph 3, for the authorisations of plant protection products containing substances listed in column A of Annex II, Bulgaria may maintain in force authorisations for plant protection products containing those substances for the uses listed in column C until 30 June 2009 provided that: (a) the continued use is only accepted so far as it has no harmful effects on human or animal health and no unacceptable influence on the environment; (b) such plant protection products remaining on the market are relabelled in order to match the restricted use conditions; (c) all appropriate risk mitigation measures are imposed to reduce any possible risks; (d) alternatives for such uses are being seriously sought. Bulgaria shall inform the Commission about the measures taken in application of this paragraph, and in particular about the actions taken pursuant to points (a) to (d), by 31 December of each year.’

1 Member States shall ensure that: (a) authorisations for plant protection products containing zineb are withdrawn within a period of six months from the date of adoption of the present Decision; (b) from the date of adoption of the present Decision no authorisations for plant protection products containing zineb are granted or renewed under the derogation provided for in Article 8(2) of Directive 91/414/EEC.

2 By way of derogation from paragraph 1, for the authorisations of plant protection products containing zineb, Bulgaria may maintain in force authorisations for plant protection products containing that substance for the use on horticultural crops, grapevine, tobacco, apples and stone fruit, provided that: (a) the continued use is only accepted so far as it has no harmful effects on human or animal health and no unacceptable influence on the environment; (b) such plant protection products remaining on the market are relabelled in order to match the restricted use conditions; (c) all appropriate risk mitigation measures are imposed to reduce any possible risks; (d) alternatives for such uses are being seriously sought. Bulgaria shall inform the Commission about the measures taken in application of this paragraph, and in particular about the actions taken pursuant to points (a) to (d), by 31 December of each year.’

Decision 2002/928/EC is amended as follows: 1. In Article 2 the following point (d) is added: ‘(d) for the authorisations of plant protection products containing substances listed in column A of the Annex, Bulgaria may maintain in force authorisations for plant protection products containing those substances for the uses listed in column C until 30 June 2009 provided that: (i) the continued use is only accepted so far as it has no harmful effects on human or animal health and no unacceptable influence on the environment; (ii) such plant protection products remaining on the market are relabelled in order to match the restricted use conditions; (iii) all appropriate risk mitigation measures are imposed to reduce any possible risks; (iv) alternatives for such uses are being seriously sought. Bulgaria shall inform the Commission about the measures taken in application of this paragraph, and in particular about the actions taken pursuant to points (a) to (d), by 31 December of each year.’ 2. In Article 3 the following point c) is added: ‘(c) for the uses for which the authorisation is to be withdrawn by 30 June 2009, shall expire not later than 31 December 2009.’ 3. In the Annex, in the line referring to benomyl, under column B the word ‘Bulgaria’ is added and under column C the words ‘Limited to professional users with appropriate protective equipment. Vineyards, peaches, tomatoes and tobacco’ are added.

‘2 By way of derogation from the first paragraph, and from Article 2, Bulgaria may maintain in force authorisations for plant protection products containing sodium tetrathiocarbonate for the uses listed in column C until 30 June 2009 provided that: (a) the continued use is only accepted so far as it has no harmful effects on human or animal health and no unacceptable influence on the environment; (b) such plant protection products remaining on the market are relabelled in order to match the restricted use conditions; (c) all appropriate risk mitigation measures are imposed to reduce any possible risks; (d) alternatives for such uses are being seriously sought.

3 The Member State concerned shall inform the Commission about the measures taken in application of paragraphs 1 and 2, and in particular about the actions taken pursuant to points (a) to (d) of each paragraph, by 31 December of each year.’

This Regulation shall enter into force subject to and on the date of entry into force of the Treaty of Accession of Bulgaria and Romania.