Ministerial Joint Decree No. 134599 providing, in compliance with Commission Directive 2009/145/EC, for certain derogations, for acceptance of vegetable landraces and varieties which have been traditionally grown in particular localities and regions and are threatened by genetic erosion and of vegetable varieties with no intrinsic value for commercial crop production but developed for growing under particular conditions and for marketing of seed of those landraces and varieties.

In order to ensure in situ conservation and the sustainable use of plant genetic resources, landraces and varieties which have been traditionally grown in particular localities and regions and are threatened by genetic erosion (conservation varieties) should be grown and marketed even where they do not comply with the general requirements as regards the acceptance of varieties and the marketing of seed. In addition to the general aim of protecting plant genetic resources, the particular interest of preserving these varieties lies in the fact that they are especially well adapted to particular local conditions. As regards the vegetable species covered by Ministerial Joint Decree No. 236989/2003, the aim of the present Decree is to establish certain derogations, in compliance with Commission Directive 2009/145/EC, in relation to the conservation in situ and the sustainable use of plant genetic resources through growing and marketing: a) for acceptance for inclusion in the national catalogue of varieties of vegetable species, as provided for in Ministerial Joint Decree No. 236989/2003, of landraces and varieties which have been traditionally grown in particular localities and regions and threatened by genetic erosion, hereinafter ‘conservation varieties’; b) for acceptance for inclusion in the catalogue referred to in point (a) of varieties with no intrinsic value for commercial crop production but developed for growing under particular conditions, hereinafter ‘varieties developed for growing under particular conditions’; and (c) for the marketing of seed of such conservation varieties and varieties developed for growing under particular conditions. Unless otherwise provided in this Decree, the provisions of Ministerial Joint Decree No. 236989/2003 shall apply. The Decree is composed of xx articles, as follows: art. 1, Purpose; art. 2, Subject matter; art. 3, Definitions; art. 4, Conservation varieties; art. 5, Substantive requirements; art. 6, Procedural requirements; art. 7, Exclusion of acceptance; art. 8, Denomination; art. 9, Region of origin; art. 10, Maintenance; art. 11, Certification; art. 12, Verification; art. 13, Seed testing; art. 14, Region of seed production; art. 15, Marketing conditions; art. 16, Quantitative restrictions; art. 17, Application of quantitative restrictions; art. 18, Sealing of packages; art. 19, Labelling; art. 20, Official post control; art. 21, Monitoring; art. 22, Varieties developed for growing under particular conditions; art. 23, Substantive requirements; art. 24, Procedural requirements; art. 25, Exclusion of acceptance; art. 26, Denomination; art. 27, Verification; art. 28, Seed testing; art. 29, Quantitative restrictions; art. 30, Sealing of packages; art. 31, Labelling; art. 32, Official post control; art. 33, Monitoring; art. 34, Reporting; art. 35, Annexes; art. 36, Notification of the recognised organisations of plant genetic resources; art. 37, Repeals; art. 38, Entry into force.