Article 14

1.  Where the Office intends to entrust an agency with responsibility for the technical examination of varieties in accordance with Article 55(2) of the basic Regulation, hereinafter referred to as ‘the designation of an agency’, it shall transmit an explanatory statement on the technical suitability of that agency as an Examination Office to the Administrative Council for consent. Article 13(1a), (1b) and (1c) shall apply mutatis mutandis.

2.   Where the Office intends to establish its own sub-office for the technical examination of varieties in accordance with Article 55(2) of the basic Regulation, it shall transmit an explanatory statement on the technical and economic appropriateness of establishing such a sub-office for that purpose and on the siting of such sub-office to the Administrative Council for consent.

3.  Where the Administrative Council gives its consent to the explanatory statements referred to in paragraphs 1 and 2, the President of the Office shall notify the designation of an agency to the agency concerned, or shall publish the establishment of a sub-office in theOfficial Journal of the European Union. Such designation or establishment may be cancelled only with the consent of the Administrative Council. Article 13(2) and (3) shall apply mutatis mutandis to the members of the staff of the agency referred to in paragraph 1 of this Article.