L 71/22 Official Journal of the European Union 10.3.2004 COMMISSION DIRECTIVE 2004/29/EC of 4 March 2004 on determining the characteristics and minimum conditions for inspecting vine varieties THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES, Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community, Having regard to Council Directive 68/193/EEC of 9 April 1968 on the marketing of material for the vegetative propaga- tion of the vine ('), as last amended by Directive 2003/61/ EC (3), and in particular Article 5d(2) thereof, Whereas: (1)  Commission Directive 72/169/EEC of 14 April 1972 on determining the characteristics and minimum conditions for inspecting vine varieties (°) has been substantially amended (%). In the interests of clarity and rationality the said Directive should be codified. (2)  In accordance with the provisions of Directive 68/193/ EEC, Member States are obliged to compile a catalogue of the varieties accepted for certification and inspection of standard propagation material in their territory. (3)  The acceptance of varieties is subject to Community conditions which should be enforced by means of offi- cial inspections and in particular by crop inspections. (4)  The inspections should cover a sufficient number of characteristics to enable the varieties to be described. (5)  The minimum characteristics which have to undergo inspection should be determined at Community level. (6)  Moreover, the minimum conditions for carrying out the inspections should be laid down. (7)  These characteristics and minimum conditions for inspection should be laid down in the light of the present state of scientific and technical knowledge. (8)  The measures provided for in this Directive are in accordance with the opinion of the Standing Committee on Seeds and Propagating Material for Agriculture, Horticulture and Forestry. (9)  This Directive should be without prejudice to the obliga- tions of the Member States relating to the time limits for transposition into national law of the directives set out in Annex III, part B, 1 OJ L 93, 17.4.1968, p. 15. ) OJ L 165, 3.7.2003, p. 23. 0J L 103, 2.5.1972, p. 25. () i (*) See Annex III, part A. 4 HAS ADOPTED THIS DIRECTIVE: Atrticle 1 Member States shall provide that official inspections carried out for the acceptance of vine varieties shall cover at least the char- acteristics listed in Annex I. They shall ensure that the minimum conditions listed in Annex I are fulfilled at the time of the inspections. Atticle 2 Directive 72/169/EEC, as amended by the Directive listed in Annex III, part A, is repealed, without prejudice to the obliga- tions of the Member States relating to the time limits for trans- position into national law of the Directives set out in Annex III, part B. References to the repealed Directives shall be construed as references to this Directive and shall be read in accordance with the correlation table in Annex IV. Article 3 This Directive shall enter into force on the 20th day following that of its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union. Atrticle 4 This Directive is addressed to the Member States. Done at Brussels, 4 March 2004. For the Commission David BYRNE Member of the Commission