Seed-grain Trade Act (No. 233 of 1993).

The Act repeals Act No. 669 of 1975 and, making reference to EC legislation and the European Economic Space Agreement, regulates the quality and marketing of seeds, seed certification, packing, labelling, and others. It establishes a public control mechanism by the State Control Centre for Plant Production.The scope of the present Act is to protect and maintain high quality standards for, and to enhance access to and production of seed which is suitable for use in Finland (sect. 1).
The 24 sections are divided into 5 Chapters: General provisions (1); Marketing of seed (2); Supervision and control (3); Miscellaneous provisions (4); entry into force and transitional provisions (5).
The Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry shall decide in accordance with provisions of the EEA Agreement which seed shall be qualified as "certified seed" for trade purposes. The Ministry shall also prescribe further criteria for the qualification of such seed. Section 4 deals with other categories of seed. Section 5 provides for a plant species list which shall be approved by the Plant Breeders' Rights Offices created under section 9 of the Plant Breeders' Rights Act (789/92). Sections 7 and 8 contain rules for packing respectively marking of seed. An enterprise or breeder which packs, places on the market, imports or exports seed shall notify this the Plant Production Control Centre and shall keep books on its activities in accordance with rules to be issued by the Ministry of Agriculture.