1. Products of the hops sector may be imported from third countries only if their quality standards are at least equivalent to those adopted for like products harvested within the Union or made from such products.
2. Products shall be considered to be of the standard referred to in paragraph 1 if they are accompanied by an attestation issued by the authorities of the country of origin and recognised as equivalent to the certificate referred to in Article 77.
In the case of hop powder, hop powder with higher lupulin content, extract of hops and mixed hop products, the attestation may be recognised as being equivalent to the certificate only if the alpha acid content of those products is not lower than that of the hops from which they have been prepared.
3. In order to minimise the administrative burden, the Commission shall be empowered to adopt delegated acts in accordance with Article 227 setting the conditions under which obligations related to an attestation of equivalence and the labelling of packaging are not to apply.
4. The Commission shall adopt implementing acts laying down the measures necessary for the application of this Article, including the rules on the recognition of attestations of equivalence and on the checking of imports of hops. Those implementing acts shall be adopted in accordance with the examination procedure referred to in Article 229(2).