Opening Remarks by Commissioner Stella Kyriakides at the Agrifish Council - Production and Marketing of Plant and Forest Reproductive Material

Agrifish Council - PRM/FRM Proposals

Chair, Ministers,

I would like to thank the Spanish Presidency for its commitment to the legislative proposals on the production and marketing of plant and forest reproductive material.

Both proposals feature on the list of common legislative priorities for 2023 and 2024.

They are part of a package, designed to promote the sustainable use of key natural resources, while at the same time supporting producers and farmers.

The proposals ensure that the EU's plant and forest reproductive material sectors remain competitive and contribute to the Farm to Fork and European Green Deal objectives.

I welcome that the proposals have been overall well received by Member States.

I am aware that some have raised concerns on the potential administrative burden, the number of implementing and delegated acts, the link to the Official Controls Regulation and the extension of the sustainability assessment to varieties of fruit plants and vegetables.

I reassure you that the link with the Official Controls Regulation will improve the effectiveness of the system as it allows the use of existing tools like digital databases, alert systems, and the Better Training for Safer Food courses.

It also allows for the delegation of powers to control bodies. This reduces the administrative burden for competent authorities and ensures highly efficient controls of the reproductive material – combined with plant health controls already based on the Official Controls Regulation.

I know that the number of empowerments to prepare implementing and delegated acts is an issue for some. However, one reason behind the proposal was to make adjusting to new scientific and technical developments more flexible than it is currently.

Empowerments are essential, as developments are fast-moving, plus we have kept empowerments to a minimum.

Ministers,

We are ready to provide clarifications where needed, to enable the co-legislators to continue making good progress on these important files.

I look forward to the Spanish Presidency's progress report.