(1)

In accordance with Article 6(2) of Directive 91/414/EEC the German authorities received on 10 September 1997 an application from Prophyta GmbH, hereafter referred to as the applicant, for the inclusion of the active substance Coniothyrium minitans in Annex I to the Directive. Commission Decision 98/676/EC ( 3 ) confirmed that the dossier was ‘complete’ in the sense that it could be considered as satisfying, in principle, the data and information requirements of Annexes II and III to Directive 91/414/EEC.

(2)

For this active substance, the effects on human health and the environment have been assessed, in accordance with the provisions of Article 6(2) and (4) of Directive 91/414/EEC, for the uses proposed by the applicant. The nominated rapporteur Member State submitted a draft assessment report concerning the substance to the Commission on 13 March 2000.

(3)

The draft assessment report was reviewed by the Member States and the Commission within the Standing Committee on the Food Chain and Animal Health. The review was finalised on 4 July 2003 in the format of the Commission review report for Coniothyrium minitans.

(4)

The review did not reveal any open questions or concerns, which would have required a consultation of the European Food Safety Authority.

(5)

It has appeared from the various examinations made that plant protection products containing Coniothyrium minitans may be expected to satisfy, in general, the requirements laid down in Article 5(1)(a) and (b) of Directive 91/414/EEC in the light of Article 5(3) thereof, in particular with regard to the uses which were examined and detailed in the Commission review report. It is therefore appropriate to include this active substances in Annex I, in order to ensure that in all Member States the authorisations of plant protection products containing this active substance can be granted in accordance with the provisions of that Directive.

(6)

Although the Uniform Principles have still to be adopted for micro-organisms, it is appropriate that the Member States should apply the general provisions of Article 4 of the Directive when granting authorisations. It is appropriate to provide that the finalised review report, except for confidential information within the meaning of Article 14 of Directive 91/414/EEC, is kept available or made available by the Member States for consultation by any interested parties.

(7)

After inclusion, Member States should be allowed a reasonable period to implement the provisions of Directive 91/414/EEC as regards plant protection products containing Coniothyrium minitans and in particular to review existing provisional authorisations and, by the end of this period at the latest, to transform those authorisations into full authorisations, to amend them or to withdraw them in accordance with the provisions of Directive 91/414/EEC.

(8)

It is therefore appropriate to amend Directive 91/414/EEC accordingly.

(9)

The measures provided for in this Directive are in accordance with the opinion of the Standing Committee on the Food Chain and Animal Health,