Amended proposal for a regulation on the production of plant reproductive material

18.3.2014

Question for written answer E-003163-14
to the Commission
Rule 117
Tonino Picula (S&D)

At its March part-session Parliament voted by a convincing majority to reject the proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council on the production and making available on the market of plant reproductive material: as many as 96% of the Members voted against the proposal. In the debate before the vote many of them expressed concern about the effect of the proposed measures, especially on the conservation of biodiversity and the survival of small-scale producers of plant reproductive material.

Precisely because of its highly varied nature, or in other words its natural and cultural significance, plant reproductive material is to be regulated by 12 directives intended to gear the legislation to the entire range of specific characteristics. If directives of that sort were to be adopted, the danger would be not only that the needs of consumers and the requirements of the authorities might not be met, but that efforts to maintain genetic diversity might even be jeopardised. Such directives would, moreover, bolster the oligopoly of the biggest firms, in which the top three already control 53% of the world market in seeds and the top ten control as much as 73% of the market. Additional administrative obstacles could further threaten small producers and in many cases would prove insurmountable.

In view of the rejection of its proposal in Parliament, which directly influences the implementation of the directives, can the Commission say whether — and if so, when — it is thinking of revising the proposal so as to ensure that the regulation brought to bear on plant reproductive material is compatible with biodiversity conservation and the interests of small-scale producers?

OJ C 335, 25/09/2014