No L 231/22 Official Journal of the European Communities 13.8.92 (Acts whose publication is not obligatory) COUNCIL COUNCIL DECISION of 13 July 1992 on the equivalence of checks on practices for the maintenance of varietics carried out in third countries (92/420/EEC) THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES, Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Economic Community, Having regard to Council Directive 70/457/EEC of 29 September 1970 on the common catalogue of varieties of agricultural plant species (1), and in particular Article 21 (1) (b) thereof, Having regard to Council Directive 70/458/EEC of 29 September 1970 on the marketing of vegetable seed (2), and in particular Article 32 (1) (b) thereof, Having regard to the proposal from the Commission, Whereas, by Decision 78/476/EEC (3), the Council noted that the official checks on practices for the maintenance of varieties carried out in certain third countries afforded the same guarantees as those carried out by the Member States; whereas the said Decision expires on 30 June 1992; (1) O] NoL 225, 12. 10. 1970, p. 1. Directive as last amended by Directive 90/654/EEC (O] No L 353, .17. 12. 1990, p. 48). (2) O] No L 225, 12. 10. 1970, p. 7. Directive as last amended by Directive 90/654/EEC (O] No L 353, 17. 12. 1990, p. 48). (3) OJ No L 152, 8. 6. 1978, p. 17. Decision as last amended by Decision 88/574/EEC (OJ No L 313, 19. 11. 1988, p. 45). Whereas it appears that the abovementioned official checks carried out in the third countries referred to in Decision 78/476/EEC continue to afford the same guarantees as those carried out by the Member States; Whereas, in the case of the country referred to as Yugoslavia in Decision-78/476/EEC, it is appropriate, given the recent developments in that country, to replace the name ‘Yugoslavia’ with the names ‘Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina’, ‘Republic of Croatia’ and ‘Republic of Slovenia’, all of which countries have recently been recognized by the Community; Whereas additional information has been requested from these three countries; whereas it is therefore appropriate, in these cases, to grant a shorter period of equivalence to allow time for this information to be supplied and assessed; ' Whereas it has now been established that practices for the maintenance of certain varieties can be officially checked also in Switzerland, Morocco, Taiwan, Uruguay, Finland and, in connection with vegetables species, in Hungary in addition to agricultural plant species; Whereas an examination of the conditions under which official checks on practices for the maintenance of varieties are carried out in the abovementioned six countries has shown that these checks afford the same -guarantees as those carried out by the Member States; Whereas Switzerland, Morocco, Taiwan, Uruguay and Finland should therefore be granted equivalence, and the equivalence granted to Hungary should be extended to vegetable species;