Article 27

1.   An examination report on the results of any technical examination which has been carried out or is in the process of being carried out for official purposes in a Member State by one of the offices responsible for the species concerned pursuant to Article 55(1) of the basic Regulation may be considered by the Office to constitute a sufficient basis for decision, provided that:

(a) the material submitted for the technical examination has complied, in quantity and quality, with any standards that may have been laid down pursuant to Article 55(4) of the basic Regulation;

(b) the technical examination has been carried out in a manner consistent with the designation by the Administrative Council pursuant to Article 55(1) of the basic Regulation and with the requirements referred to in Article 13(1a) of this Regulation and has been conducted in accordance with the test guidelines issued and any general instructions given, pursuant to Article 56(2) of the basic Regulation and Articles 22 and 23 of this Regulation;

(c) the Office has had the opportunity to monitor the conduct of the technical examination concerned; and

(d) where the final report is not immediately available, the interim reports on each growing period are submitted to the Office prior to the examination report.

2.   Where the Office does not consider the examination report referred to in paragraph 1 to constitute a sufficient basis for a decision, it may follow the procedure laid down in Article 55 of the basic Regulation, after consulting the applicant and the Examination Office concerned.

3.   The Office and each competent national plant variety office in a Member State shall give administrative assistance to the other by making available, upon request, any examination reports on a variety, for the purpose of assessing distinctiveness, uniformity and stability of that variety. A specific amount shall be charged by the Office or the competent national plant variety office for the submission of such a report, such amount being agreed by the offices concerned.

4.  An examination report on the results of a technical examination that has been carried out or is in the process of being carried out for official purposes in a third country or in the territory of a regional organisation that is a member of the UPOV or that is a party to the Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (‘TRIPS’), may be considered by the Office to constitute a sufficient basis for decision, provided that the technical examination complies with the conditions laid down in a written agreement between the Office and the competent authority of such third country or regional organisation. Such conditions shall at least include:

(a) conditions relating to the material, as referred to in point (a) of paragraph 1;

(b) the condition that the technical examination has been conducted in accordance with the test guidelines issued, or general instructions given, pursuant to Article 56(2) of the basic Regulation and Article 22 of this Regulation;

(c) the condition that the Office has had the opportunity to assess the suitability of facilities for carrying out a technical examination for the species concerned in that third country or in the territory of that regional organisation;

(d) conditions relating to the availability of reports, as laid down in point (d) of paragraph 1;

(e) the condition that the third country has adequate experience in testing the genera or species concerned; and

(f) the condition that the written agreement is concluded with the consent of the Administrative Council.

5.  The Office may request a competent authority of a third country or of a regional organisation that is a member of the UPOV or is a party to TRIPS to perform the technical examination, provided that a written agreement has been signed between the Office and that competent authority and provided that one of the following conditions applies:

(a) there is no possibility to realise the technical examination for the specific species in an Examination Office in the European Union, and an examination report on the results of a technical examination, referred to in paragraph 4, is not available or is not expected to become available;

(b) an examination report on the results of a technical examination referred to in paragraph 4 is expected to be made available but the conditions established under paragraph 4 to conduct the technical examination are not fulfilled.

6.  The written agreement referred to in paragraph 5 shall be concluded with the consent of the Administrative Council, based on the following conditions:

(a) conditions relating to the material, as referred to in point (a) of paragraph 1;

(b) the condition that the technical examination will be conducted in accordance with the test guidelines issued, or general instructions given, pursuant to Article 56(2) of the basic Regulation and Article 22 of this Regulation;

(c) the condition that the Office has had the opportunity to assess the suitability of facilities for carrying out a technical examination for the species concerned in that third country or in the territory of that regional organisation and to monitor the technical examination concerned;

(d) conditions relating to the availability of reports, as laid down in point (d) of paragraph 1;

(e) the condition that the third country has adequate experience in testing the genera or species concerned.