Comments on: Europe stomps on biodiversity source

By: Association Kokopelli fined (again?) at Agricultural Biodiversity Weblog

Association Kokopelli fined (again?) at Agricultural Biodiversity Weblog — Wed, 05 Mar 2008 11:22:49 +0000

[...] a year ago we reported that a French court had fined the Kokopelli Association â‚¬17,130 for putting unregistered seeds on [...]

By: How the European Common Catalogue destroys biodiversity at Agricultural Biodiversity Weblog

Mon, 12 Feb 2007 05:11:58 +0000

[...] All of which is a roundabout way of saying that as far as agricultural biodiversity is concerned, Europe is probably more in need of help than anywhere else. Elsewhere, as in Europe, intensive agriculture and monocropping are destroying existing biodiversity. But elsewhere, unlike Europe, farmers, gardeners and ordinary folk who just want to grow themselves a bit of food have a bit of choice. If they can find the variety they want, they can buy it (or obtain it by barter, whatever) and grow it. In Europe that is not legal. There is a Common Catalogue of registered varieties. If a variety is not registered in the catalogue, it may not be marketed. And marketed means exchanged and given away too, not just sold. That’s the legislation that the Kokopelli Association fell foul of, and many folks simply don’t believe it. But it is true, and has been since the 1960s. [...]

By: jcherfas

jcherfas — Thu, 08 Feb 2007 05:24:52 +0000

There seems to have been a problem with comment submission. Has anyone else noticed? Anyway, Franz Konig had this to contribute:

The most recent working document on the EU directive on agricultural conservation varieties and landraces is dated 17/01/2007.

Some highlights:
Article 4: Substantive Requirements:

2. By way of derogation from Article 1(2) of Commission Directive 2003/90/EC, Member States may adopt their own rules as regards distinctiveness, stability and uniformity.

However, when Member States adopt such rules, they shall ensure that for the assessment of distinctivenss and stability at least the characteristics marked by an asterisk in the UPOV guidelines referred to in that provision are used.

For the assessment of the uniformity level established on the basis of off-types, a population standard of 10% and an acceptance probability of at least 90% shall be applied.

Article 10 Derogation from certification

3. The seed except Oryza sativa shall comply with the requirements for certification of certified seed provided for in Directive 66/401/EEC, 66/402/EEC. 2002/54/EC. 2002/56/EC and 2002/57/EC with the exception of the requirements in respect of minimum varietal purity and the requirements concerning official examination or examination under official supervision.

()

The seed shall have sufficient varietal purity.

Article 13: seed testing

2. For the (seed) tests …Member States shall ensure that samples are drawn fom homogeneous lots.

Article 19

Member States shall ensure that seed is subject to official post control by random inspections to verify its varietal identity and varietal purity.

By: Jeremy

Jeremy — Fri, 02 Feb 2007 18:47:59 +0000

Thanks for that. I knew something was in the works, and I’ll keep an eye open for reports of those discussion. This is the meeting on 26-27 february? I don’t think there is a draft that has emerged from the Standing Committee on Seeds yet, is there?

By: A. strigosa

A. strigosa — Fri, 02 Feb 2007 13:38:40 +0000

The newest EU rule will be discussed February 2007: a Directive “providing for certain derogations for acceptance of agricultural landraces and varieties which are naturally adapted to the local and regional conditions and threatened by genetic erosion and for marketing of seed and seed potatoes of those landraces and varieties”

How is this proposed? By applying breeder’s standards, i.e. UPOV DUS criteria of Distinctness, Uniformity and Stability.

Landraces are going to be 90% uniform in the EU.
Seed production of these landraces will not exceed 20 hectares.
Memberstates shall ensure that seed is verified on varietal identity and varietal purity.

By: Jeremy

Jeremy — Wed, 31 Jan 2007 06:27:57 +0000

Alas, it isn’t so much the the EU is caving in to pressure from Big Ag as that they seem to think that one size fits all. The US allows enterprise to thrive. If you choose to buy unregistered seeds, that’s your problem. The EU sets out to “protect” growers from the “folly” of wanting to grow unregistered varieties.

Given the interest, I’m going to dust off some earlier analyses and post them here in a day or two.

By: GreenEngineer

GreenEngineer — Tue, 30 Jan 2007 20:33:21 +0000

Ugh. I had not heard of this. American progressives (self included) like to think that the EU is less in the pocket of the big corporations than the US government, though this is probably a conceit.

I’d be curious to hear your analysis. Is this just the EU caving to pressure from Big Ag, or is there more to this? If the former, what’s their rationale?