WORLD TRADE
ORGANIZATIONG/TBT/Notif.00/242
15 May 2000
(00-1971)
Committee on Technical Barriers to Trade
NOTIFICATION
The following notification is being circulated in accordance with Article 10.6.
1. Member to Agreement notifying:   THE NETHERLANDS
If applicable, name of local government involved (Articles 3.2 and 7.2):           
2. Agency responsible:   Ministry of Agriculture, Nature Management and Fisheries
Agency or authority designated to handle comments regarding the notification shall be
indicated if different from above:   National Enquiry Point – EC WTO TBT Enquiry Point
3. Notified under Article 2.9.2 [ X], 2.10.1 [    ], 5.6.2 [    ], 5.7.1 [    ], other:           
4. Products covered (HS or CCCN where applicable, otherwise national tariff heading.
ICS numbers may be provided in addition, where applicable):   Plant material from
bulbs, intended for cultivation.
5. Title, number of pages and language(s) of the notified document:   Amendment 1999/1
of the Horticultural Marketing Board Regulation on the Cultivation and Trade in Bulbs1999
6. Description of content:   In order to supplement the European Directives in the area of the
plant material of bulbs (in particular Directive 98/56/EC), the Horticultural Marketing
Board has established detailed quality requirements in the Horticultural Marketing Board
Regulation on the cultivation and trade in bulbs 1999.  The present regulation amends thisregulation.  The amendatory regulation in question modernises subsections of the existingstandards relating to Dahlias, Gladioli, Lilies and Tulips.  For the first time detailed
requirements for Begonias and Zantedeschias have been established in order to supplement
the European standards.  The standards state whether or not certain diseases and infestationsshould be allowed to occur, and if so, to what extent this should be allowed.
7. Objective and rationale, including the na ture of urgent problems where applicable:
The Horticultural Marketing Board Regulation on the cultivation and trade in bulbs 1999
establishes detailed standards for a number of bulbs, which serves to supplement the
standards that have been established at a European level.  The standards serve to promotehonesty in the market, and the health of products.  The standards that have been included
serve as a basis for the monitoring of bulbs by the Bulb Inspectorate, and apply exclusively
to bulbs cultivated in the Netherlands.
8. Relevant documents:   Industrial Organisation Act,  Ordinance establishing the
Horticultural Marketing Board 1998, Decree on the agricultural quality of bulbs (included).
9. Proposed date of adoption:
Proposed date of entry into force: }1 June 2000
10. Final date for comments:   26 May 2000
11. Texts available from:  National enquiry point [ X] or address, e-mail and telefax
number of the other body:           