Seed Act (2019/600).

This Act lays down rule relative to the production, placing on the market, import and export of seeds and seed potatoes used as propagating material for agricultural and horticultural species. Its purpose is to maintain and promote high-quality plant production by ensuring the production and use of high-quality and suitable seeds for plant conditions in Finland and to provide necessary information on the seed. It does not apply to seeds for sale in small quantities to end-users. Provisions on measures to preserve a good state of health for plants and to combat plant pests and prevent their spread are in the Act on the Protection of Plant Health (702/2003). Provisions regarding the requirements regarding organically produced seed are also in the Act on Supervision of Organic Production (294/2015).
The Act consists of 48 sections divided into 8 Chapters: General provisions (1); Placing on the market of seed (2); Business activities related to seed (3); Laboratories (4); Authorities (5); Control and supervision (6); Administrative enforcement measures (7); Miscellaneous provisions (8).
Only species present in the common catalogues of varieties of agricultural plant and vegetable species may be placed on the market in Finland. Only seeds of varieties that are on the plant variety list referred to in section 8 of this Act or on the European Union common variety list for agricultural plant species may be placed on the market. For use as propagating material, only certified seed may be placed on the market which complies with the national requirements and requirements of European Union legislation on variety, purity, health and germination and production, handling and storage of seed. Furthermore, standard seed which is sufficiently identifiable and varietal and which meets the requirements of European Union legislation on purity, health and germination may be placed on the market. Section 8 stipulates that the plant variety list shall include the plant varieties approved by the plant variety board, which is appointed by the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry for a period of three years. On application, a variety may be approved for inclusion in the plant variety list if it satisfies the requirements of distinctness, stability and uniformity of Council Directive 2002/53/EC on the common catalogue of varieties of agricultural plant species and has the cultivation value required in the Directive. The National Food Agency is responsible for the testing referred to in section 8 on the prerequisites for a variety to be approved for inclusion in the variety list. The Natural Resources Institute is responsible for the cultivation value tests that are made to investigate the variety's suitability for cultivation conditions in Finland. Cultural value experiments shall be arranged in a comprehensive manner in different parts of the country, taking into account the cultivation areas of the different species. The Plant Variety Board may revoke the approval of a plant variety at certain conditions. A genetically modified variety can be approved on application for inclusion in the variety list. In addition to the general requirements for seeds, GMO seeds may be produced and placed on the market only if necessary measures have been taken to establish and prevent adverse effects on human health and the environment and the genetically modified seed has been approved for cultivation in the European Union pursuant to Regulation (EC) No 1829/2003 of the European Parliament and of the Council on genetically modified food and feed or the Genetic Engineering Act (377/1995).
The Act also concerns the packaging and labelling of seeds and provides rules for laboratories, which may be approved private laboratories. Seed packing operations may only be conducted in packing plants inspected and approved by the National Food Agency. The National Food Agency may set conditions for the operations of the packing business. A package can be approved for a maximum of ten years at a time based on the Swedish Food Agency's risk assessment. Anyone placing seed on the market or importing or exporting seed shall submit a written notification to the National Food Agency on the initiation and termination of their activities and on essential changes in it. Private laboratories for seed testing shall be proved and supervised by the National Food Agency. The general control and planning of the implementation of this Act is assigned to the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry. The supervisory authorities, as well as the authorized inspectors and samplers, have the right to inspect seed crops and crops and areas near them for the certification, control and supervision under this Act, to inspect seed and inspect production and packaging areas, storage and sales places, and the means of transport, operators' accounts and register. These rights also apply to foreign inspectors as mentioned in EU legislation. Seed that is not approved may be exported at certain conditions. Import from third counties (non-EU or non-EEA countries) of seed that does not meet prescribed standards may be barred by the national Food Agency.