The Council and Parliament reach an agreement on new rules on plant reproduction

Brussels – The Council and the European Parliament have reached a provisional agreement on a major overhaul of EU rules governing the production and marketing of plant reproductive material (PRM) proposed by the Commission, an important step towards modernising a legislative framework which, in some cases, has not undergone significant changes since the 1960s. 

The new rules aim to increase agricultural biodiversity, explains a Council statement, to support conservation and the development of varieties adapted to local conditions, and to ensure greater flexibility for the various uses by breeders, other professional operators, and non-professional operators. They also aim to ensure that plant propagating material placed on the EU market is of high quality and reliable, and is adapted to the environmental and climate challenges facing Europe.

The proposal replaces several existing sectoral directives with a single harmonised regulation to create a system that is more flexible, conducive to innovation, and environmentally resilient. 

The provisional agreement must now be approved by the Council and Parliament before it is formally adopted and enters into force, but it will not take effect for four years.