European seed sector: world leader in seed trade
Ensuring farmers’ access to the highest quality seed of the most suitable plant varieties
Europe’s plant breeders and seed producers develop the high quality seeds that are required for sustainable and competitive farming. The European seed sector is the largest exporter in the global seed market, and as a result seeds are regularly moved within different Member States as well as internationally for commercial and research purposes.
Research and plant breeding too are conducted in various Member States, as well as internationally, to develop new plant varieties of all species that are adapted to a range of environments and conditions. It is not uncommon for a seed company, including SMEs, to run or collaborate in breeding programmes in 10-15 countries, to produce seeds in more than 20 countries in the northern and southern hemispheres and to distribute seed to farmers and end users in more than 100 countries. Currently, European farmers have a wide choice, with on average 3,500 new varieties authorised within the EU each year, and more than 40,000 different agricultural and vegetable varieties available to European farmers.
The specific nature of the global seed trade needs to be reflected in the regulative framework. Seeds are often exported and re-exported several times before they are finally sold, unlike other commodities that are exported to a single destination and then processed or consumed directly.
Establishing clear and workable rules and market access conditions in line with relevant international standards and protocols is essential to maintaining Europe’s global leadership in seed exports.
Seed laws and seed trade regulations have been adopted to guarantee quality standards to farmers. Engaging the discussion between public bodies and private operators related to market access will also help to achieve the objective of ensuring the delivery of quality seeds to farmers across the world.
Several international organisations, conventions and treaties deal with the regulation of seed trade covering access, production to delivery of quality seeds to farmers. Among these are the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) whose seed schemes are globally recognised when it comes to international trade; the International Seed Testing Association (ISTA) which has developed globally recognized standard procedures for seed sampling and testing; the International Union for the protection of New Varieties of Plants (UPOV) that enables breeders producing new plant varieties to enjoy intellectual property protection; and international conventions and treaties hosted by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) that provides the international regulatory framework for related aspects of seed trade, plant health and phytosanitary measures, access and benefit-sharing for plant germplasm. Within the EU, the production and marketing of different species are regulated under various Council Directives.
Euroseeds is committed to supporting fair rules and proportionate requirements for all operators of plant reproductive material that will ensure farmers’ access to healthy, high quality seed of the most suitable plant varieties, facilitate the movement of seed, and safeguard the leading international position of Europe’s plant breeders and seed producers.
