MEPs on the agriculture committee of the European Parliament have today (Tuesday, March 19), proposed changes to the rules on plant and forest reproductive material.
The European Commission last year proposed to replace the directives currently in place on the production and marketing of plant and forest reproductive material with a regulation.
The draft law on plant reproductive material aims to improve declining agro-biodiversity in the EU by increasing the variety of plant reproductive material on the market.
The proposed regulation on forest reproductive material intends to increase biodiversity and restoration of forest ecosystems, as well as to improve climate adaptation and mitigation.
MEPs adopted a report on new rules on plant reproductive material by 25 votes to two and 17 abstentions, and forest reproductive material by 32 votes to one and nine abstentions.
Plant reproductive material
Plant reproductive material is plant material, for example seeds, cuttings, trees, roots, and tubers, used for the reproduction of other plants, according to the commission.
Requirements for the production of plant reproductive material should apply not only to marketing but also to imports into the EU, agriculture MEPs said in their report.
MEPs propose to allow farmers to exchange between each other a limited quantity (set by the commission) of any type of plant reproductive material, not only seeds as proposed.
The total value of seeds and planting stock used in EU agriculture was €13.3 billion in 2021. Around 2 million hectares of EU land are used for the production of certified seed.
To support the conservation of plant genetic resources, MEPs propose to make the marketing of conservation varieties easier.
The access to, sale and transfer of conservation varieties in small quantities should be exempted from the rules, and the period of registration should be extended to 30 years, MEPs said.
Forest reproductive material
Forest reproductive material refers to seeds, plants and parts of plants of tree species that are used for the development of new forests and for other types of tree planting.
In the EU, 60% of forest stands are composed of even-aged trees, and over 80% have three species or less, which makes them susceptible to damage from droughts, fires, pests and diseases.
MEPs propose that member states may request technical support of the commission during the drawing-up of contingency plans for a sufficient supply of material to reforest areas affected by extreme weather.
Member states will have to co-operate between each other to ensure a supply of forest reproductive material for cross-border affected areas, according to the adopted text.
Forest reproductive material must be traceable from collection to marketing. Producers will be obliged to notify national authorities prior to harvesting to allow for the organisation of controls.
MEPs propose to allow professional operators having sufficient competence, infrastructure and resources – and not only national authorities – to issue official labels accompanying forest reproductive material.
The label should include a QR code with instructions on how to take care of, store and plant the forest reproductive material, according to the committee’s report.
The reports adopted by the committee will now be put to a plenary vote, possibly during the April 22-25 session. If adopted, they will constitute the parliament’s position at first reading.
EU organic farmers
The deputy director of IFOAM Organics Europe, the umbrella organisation for organic food and farming, Eric Gall said the review has the potential to re-introduce genetic diversity.
“Preserving agro-biodiversity and ensuring that plant genetic resources are not concentrated in the hands of only a few big actors are essential for the resilience and future of our food system.
“Organic breeders and farmers want to work with plant biodiversity, so seed variety registration rules need to be adapted to allow for this diversity,” Gall said.
Organic farmers need access to plant reproductive material, such as seeds and seedlings, that has been specifically bred to “perform well” under organics, according to the organisation.
Organic breeders and seed multipliers contribute to maintaining and fostering agro-biodiversity, making sure farmers have access to a wide range of plant reproductive material, IFOAM said.