On expiry of the time limit laid down in the preceding article, the person in charge of the tasks falling within the remit of the national plant variety authority shall decide on the application. He may decide either to grant the plant variety certificate, or to reject the application, or to carry out a further investigation under conditions and within time limits which he shall lay down.
His decision shall state the reasons on which it is based. It is notified to the applicant and, where appropriate, to the authors of the observations.