Registration
Before registration, the variety's identity is tested for:
- Distinctness;
- Uniformity;
- Stability;
- Value for cultivation and use of the variety - for agricultural crops.
Each variety should have one name.
Certification
Certification and inspections guarantee the identity, health and quality of seeds and propagating material before marketing - whether they come from inside or outside the EU .
Marketing
Seed and propagating material are marketed in:
- Different marketing categories;
- Homogenous lots where lots are identified for traceability reasons;
- Specific requirements for packaging, sealing, labelling and documentation apply.
Exceptions
Under certain conditions, some EU countries are not obliged to apply these rules to some plant species that are not usually grown or marketed on their territory e.g. vines, some tree species.
The Commission grants exemptions after an EU country applies (Commission Implementing Decision (EU) 2017/478).
Equivalence
Seed harvested outside the EU may only be marketed in the EU if it offers the same guarantees as officially certified EU seed. The seed's identity must be ensured throughout its marketing.
Beet seed
EU certification
The EU certification ensures the quality of beet seed. EU countries can market only officially certified beet seed.
Certification includes field inspection, seed sampling and testing, and results in an official label. Marketing is with reference to the variety.
Seed must fulfil the criteria in Directive 2002/54/EC for:
- Field production and seed purity;
- Identity and plant health;
- Special requirements on e.g. polyploidy, monogermity and segmentation for the marketing categories: pre-basic, basic and certified seed.
Who does the certification?
Only the national competent authority can carry out the certification or the business itself under that authority's official supervision.
Certification conditions
| Crops | Seeds |
|---|---|
|
|
The Commission adopts measures related to the Directive together with national experts in the Standing Committees on Seeds and Propagating Material for Agriculture and Horticulture, Forest Reproductive Material and Vine.
Oil & fibre plant seed
EU certification
EU certification ensures the quality of oil and fibre seed for 14 species. EU countries can only market officially certified seed. Certification includes field inspection, seed sampling and testing, and results in an official label. Marketing is with reference to the variety.
Criteria
Seed must fulfil the criteria set out in Directive 2002/57/EC for:
- Field production and seed purity;
- Identity and plant health;
- Specific requirements for the marketing categories: pre-basic, basic, commercial and certified seed.
Who does the certification?
Only the national competent authority can carry out the certification or the business itself under that authority's official supervision.
Certification conditions
| Crops | Seeds |
|---|---|
|
|
The Commission adopts measures related to the Directive together with national experts in the Standing Committees on Seeds and Propagating Material for Agriculture and Horticulture, Forest Reproductive Material and Vine.
Cereal seed
EU certification ensures the quality of cereal seed for 15 species or crossings . EU countries can only market officially certified seed. Certification includes field inspection, seed sampling and testing, and results in an official label.
Marketing is with reference to the variety.
Criteria
Seed must fulfil the criteria in Directive 66/402/EEC for:
- Field production;
- Seed purity and identity ;
- Plant health;
- Specific requirements for the different marketing categories: pre-basic, basic and certified seed.
Who does the certification?
Only the national competent authority can carry out the certification or the business itself under that authority's official supervision.
Certification conditions
| Crops | Seeds |
|---|---|
|
|
The Commission adopts measures related to the Directive together with national experts in the Standing Committees on Seeds and Propagating Material for Agriculture and Horticulture, Forest Reproductive Material and Vine.
Fodder plant seed
EU certification ensures the quality of grass and legume seeds of 55 fodder plant species and crossings. EU countries can only market officially certified fodder plant seed.
Certification includes field inspection, seed sampling and testing, and results in an official label.
Marketing is with reference to the variety.
Criteria
Seed must fulfil the criteria in Directive 66/401/EEC for:
- Field production;
- Seed purity and identity ;
- Plant health;
- Specific requirements for the different marketing categories: pre-basic, basic and certified seed.
Who does the certification?
Only the national competent authority can carry out the certification or the business itself under that authority's official supervision.
Certification conditions
| Crops | Seeds |
|---|---|
|
|
The Commission adopts measures related to the Directive together with national experts in the Standing Committees on Seeds and Propagating Material for Agriculture and Horticulture, Forest Reproductive Material and Vine.
Seed potatoes
EU certification ensures the quality of seed potatoes. EU countries can market only officially certified seed potatoes.
Seed must fulfil the criteria in Directive 2002/56/EC:
- Health and quality standards e.g. the presence of blackleg and common scab ;
- Seed identity;
- Requirements for minimum size.
Marketing is with reference to the variety.
The Commission adopts measures related to the Directive together with national experts in the Standing Committees on Seeds and Propagating Material for Agriculture and Horticulture, Forest Reproductive Material and Vine.
Fruit plant propagating material
Certification
Fruit plant propagating material of 23 genera and species may only be marketed if certified as:
- Pre-basic;
- Basic;
- Certified;
- Qualifying for Conformitas Agraria Comunitatis.
Directive 2008/90/EEC - Marketing of fruit propagating material and fruit plants for fruit production
To gain this certification, official inspections check if the material meets criteria for:
- Identity;
- Quality;
- Plant health;
The rules also cover batch separation & marking, identification of varieties and labelling.
Suppliers' responsibility
Suppliers must ensure that their material meets the legal criteria. Only suppliers approved by their national authorities can sell their material in the EU.
Non-EU seed and material
Seed, propagating and planting material from non-EU countries may only be marketed in the EU if they offer the same guarantees as those produced in the EU.
Who makes the decisions?
The Commission adopts measures related to the Directive together with national experts in the Standing Committee on Propagating Material and Plants of Fruit Genera and Species.
Vegetable seed and propagating material
In the EU, seed of registered vegetable varieties can be marketed once officially examined and certified. In some cases, seed of a category not officially certified can be checked as meeting the legal requirements.
Directive 2002/55/EC on the marketing of vegetable seed of 36 species sets out requirements for:
- Registration;
- Certification;
- Seed purity and identity.
Before marketing in the EU, vegetable varieties must be listed in the Common catalogue based on EU countries' national catalogues. Only distinct, stable and sufficiently uniform varieties are accepted.
Suppliers must ensure that their material meets the legal criteria.
Vegetable propagating & planting material
Vegetable propagating and planting material must fulfil the criteria in Directive 2008/72/EEC for:
- Quality and purity of the crop;
- Varietal characteristics;
- The used propagation system.
- Specific rules for rootstocks and other parts of plants are also developed.
Who makes the decisions?
The Commission adopts measures related to the Directive together with national experts in the Standing Committees on Seeds and Propagating Material for Agriculture and Horticulture, Forest Reproductive Material and Vine.
Vine propagating material
There is a common EU certification system for marketing material for the propagation of the vine - Directive 68/193/EEC.
Vine propagating material may only be marketed if it:
- has been officially examined and certified as:
- initial propagating material;
- basic;
- certified;
- is officially checked standard material;
- fulfils the conditions regarding the varietal identity, purity, and dimensions of the propagating material.
Certification conditions
| Crops | Seeds |
|---|---|
|
|
Who makes the decisions?
The Commission adopts measures related to the Directive together with national experts in the Standing Committee on Plants, Animals, Food and Feed, section Vine.
Ornamental plant propagating material
The seed and propagating material of ornamental plants can only be marketed if it:
- Substantially free from harmful organisms that may affect its quality as propagating material;
- For propagating material - has satisfactory vigour and dimensions;
- For seed - has satisfactory germination.
Suppliers are responsible for the quality of their products.
Before marketed in the EU, the material has to meet legal criteria such as:
- Batch separation & marking;
- Accurate identification of varieties if needed;
- Labelling.
The Commission adopts measures related to the Directive together with national experts in the Standing Committee on Propagating Material of Ornamental Plants.
Forest reproductive material
Quality reproductive material in forestry suited to the site where it is planted is essential for the forests':
- Stability;
- Resistance to disease;
- Adaptation;
- Productivity and diversity.
Forest reproductive material can only be marketed if:
- It belongs to one of the four categories Directive 1999/105/EC specifies;
- The basic material - the trees from which reproductive material is harvested - is approved.
After harvesting, a master certificate is issued with a unique register reference for information and traceability.
Basic material
Basic material is officially approved and inspected regularly. Reproductive material produced from basic material shall meet certain quality standards. The quality criteria vary depending on the category.