Niveau juridique : Union européenne
Les groupes de dialogue civil (GDC) assistent la Commission européenne et aident à organiser un dialogue régulier sur toutes les questions relatives à la politique agricole commune (PAC), y compris le développement rural, et à sa mise en œuvre. Il s’agit de groupes consultatifs, simples espaces de dialogue. Ces groupes sont composés d’ONG de niveau européen, y compris des associations représentatives, des groupes d’intérêts socio-économiques, des organisations de la société civile et des syndicats. Sont ainsi présents dans ce groupe de dialogue sur les cultures arables aussi bien IFOAM-EU ou la Via Campesina que la COPA-COGGECA (comité des organisations professionnels agricoles de l’UE- réunissant des acteurs comme la FNSEA).
Lors de la réunion du 14 mars 2022, (l’après-midi était consacré aux semences, notamment un point sur la révision de législation et un sur la proposition d’EVCV de créer un cadre pour les systèmes semenciers paysans.
Extraits du compte-rendu (passages en gras soulignés par nos soins)
Révision de la réglementation sur la commercialisation des semences
« The Commission presented its initiative on the revision of the plant and forest reproductive material legislation. This revision concerns 12 directives on the marketing of seeds and other plant propagating material, the common catalogues of varieties and the forest reproductive material. These directives set out the rules for the marketing of seeds and other reproductive material for the economically most important species for the EU.
The Commission informed stakeholders and the public about its plans to revise this legislation through the publication of an inception impact assessment. As described therein, the revision seeks to address two broad problems: a) the divergent implementation of the Directives between the Member States and the resulting unequal conditions for the operators and b) the legislation preventing innovation and the use of new technologies as well as the adaptation to the latest broader policy developments (European Green Deal and related strategies). The Commission intends to adopt a legislative proposal for this revision by the end of the 2022. It will be accompanied by an impact assessment that will examine different optionsfor achieving the set objectives.
The Commission encouraged all interested stakeholders to participate in the ongoing consultation activities: a) public consultationuntil 27 March 2022, b) targeted survey until 1 April 2022, registration required by email to prm-ia@icf.com.
Beelife addressed the question on the nectariferous capacity of species/varieties producing nectar as criteria defining the varieties. From their point of view, they would like that the criteria « nectariferous/polliniferous » become compulsory. They observe varieties arriving in the market that should be nectariferous but actually do not producing nectar. They would like the nectariferous/polliniferous capacity of varieties to be systematically covered.
The Commission replied that legislation currently requires that new varieties of agricultural species should be accepted if they have satisfactory value for cultivation and use. The characteristics for this examination are 1) yield 2) resistance to harmful organisms 3) behaviour with respect to factor in the physical environment 4) quality characteristics, without no further details given in the directives. The revision will examine how best to refine these criteria, so that new varieties are examined in a consistent way for characteristics that contribute to sustainable production. The proposal to include the nectariferous/polliniferous capacity of varieties in these characteristics was noted. »
Proposition d’ECVC sur la création d’un cadre légal spécifique pour les systèmes semenciers paysans.
« ECVC (European Coordination Via Campesina) presented their proposal for a specific legal framework for peasant seeds systems. This system would permit small farmers to access seeds better adapt to climatic conditions or to specific agricultural practices.
ECVC is proposing that small farmers can create,selectand exchange their own seeds. This would help to build resilient farming systems based on the knowledge and best practices of the farmers. ECVC also proposedthat the exchange of seeds should be considered as an exchange of services without any obligation to be member of an organisation and the farmers would be protected by the plant health regulation applicable to the agricultural production.
EUROSEEDS and COPA-COGECA expressed their concerns about this system. Seeds used on the EU market must be officially tested and the plant health regulation must be fully enforce to avoid spreading deceases.
ECVC pointed out that their proposal concerns exchange of seeds between local farmers. On a question from IFOAM regarding the definition a ‘peasant farmer’ ECVC replied that it is referring to the type of production rather than the size of the farm. »
Lien vers le compte-rendu de la réunion ICI