
Article 1 
Methabenzthiazuron shall not be included in Annex I to Directive 91/414/EEC.
Article 2 
Member States shall ensure that:

((a)) Authorisations for plant protection products containing methabenzthiazuron are withdrawn by 25 October 2006;
((b)) From 26 April 2006 no authorisations for plant protection products containing methabenzthiazuron are granted or renewed under the derogation provided for in Article 8(2) of Directive 91/414/EEC.
Article 3 

1. By derogation from Article 2, a Member State listed in column B of the Annex may maintain authorisations for plant protection products containing substances listed in column A for uses listed in column C of that Annex until 30 June 2009 at the latest.A Member State making use of the derogation provided for in the first subparagraph shall ensure that the following conditions are complied with:
(a) the continued use is only accepted so far as it has no harmful effects on human or animal health and no unacceptable influence on the environment;
(b) such plant protection products remaining on the market after 25 October 2006 are relabelled in order to match the restricted use conditions;
(c) all appropriate risk mitigation measures are imposed to reduce any possible risks;
(d) alternatives for such uses are being seriously sought.
2. The Member State concerned shall inform the Commission about the measures taken in application of paragraph 1, and in particular about the actions taken pursuant to points (a) to (d), by 31 December of each year.
Article 4 
Any period of grace granted by Member States in accordance with Article 4(6) of Directive 91/414/EEC, shall be as short as possible.
Where authorisations shall be withdrawn in accordance with Article 2 by 25 October 2006 at the latest, the period shall expire on 25 October 2007 at the latest.
Where authorisations shall be withdrawn in accordance with Article 3(1) by 30 June 2009 at the latest, the period shall expire on 31 December 2009 at the latest.
Article 5 
This Decision is addressed to the Member States.
Done at Brussels, 25 April 2006.
For the Commission
Markos KYPRIANOU
Member of the Commission
ANNEX
Column A Column B Column C
Active substance Member State Use
Methabenzthiazuron Belgium Leek, peas
France Allium cropsForage grassesLeguminous crops