Remarks by Commissioner Stella Kyriakides at the Agrifish Council - Plant and Forest Reproductive Material

Chair, Ministers,

The proposals to revise the legislation on the marketing of plant and forest reproductive material form another major element in the package for the sustainable use of key natural resources.

They bring the legislation into line with scientific and technical developments, and at the same time strengthen its sustainability and biodiversity aspects.

The proposed Regulation on plant reproductive material will replace 10 Directives.

This is an exercise in consolidating, simplifying and modernising the existing legislative framework.

The proposal retains the basic principles of variety registration and certification.

We have included stronger sustainability requirements for approving new varieties, which will give farmers access to improved varieties that are better adjusted to the challenges they face – offering, for instance, greater resistance to drought or plant pests.

Measures to ease market access for organic varieties will support moves towards the 25% organic production target.

And measures for conservation and new, locally adapted varieties will help preserve and enhance the genetic diversity of cultivated crops.

Meanwhile, the separate proposal for a Regulation on forest reproductive material will help ensure that the right tree is planted in the right place.

Assessing the sustainability characteristics of parent trees, such as their resistance to certain diseases, will speed up the climate change adaptation of forests, so that they remain productive.

National contingency plans will help ensure a sufficient supply of forest reproductive material to reforest areas affected by for example fires and other disasters.

And rules to enable the selection of genetically diverse parent trees will help preserve and enhance biodiversity.

Last but not least, to make both sectors more competitive, we have included clear rules on the use of digital tools or innovative production processes.

Ministers,

these proposals will boost innovation, resilience and sustainability, to bring long-term much needed economic, social, health and environmental benefits to everyone.

I now look forward to your views.