09/01/2015 (Agence Europe) - Tree seeds. The Commission was given the green light by member states experts on 19 December 2014 to extend the rules on the import of forest genetic material from certain third countries (Canada, United States, Norway, Turkey, Serbia and Switzerland). These rules allow genetic material officially certified in these countries to be considered as equivalent to the seeds and plants certified in the EU. 99% of tree seeds and forest reproductive material are produced for internal use in the EU but the import, particularly of Norwegian spruce, is important to avoid trade disruption. The new rules came into effect on 1 January 2015 and will remain in force until 31 December 2019. (LC)