Law No. 50 of 2012 on Seeds and Seed Tubers.

This Law, consisting of 38 articles divided in VIII Sections, aims at: organizing and encouraging seeds production in both the public and private sector; ensuring registration, adoption and protection of the new agricultural varieties derived from Iraqi researchers and providing them in sufficient quantity at the right time and at fair prices; and insuring the procedures for accreditation of the seeds and related matters.
The Law is divided as follows: Section I: Definitions and Objectives. Section II: National Council for Seeds. It is established in the Ministry of Agriculture and this Section deals with its rules and composition. Section III: Council tasks. They are, inter alia, to establish procedures and criteria for certification of seeds in line with international standards; institute committees to resolve disputes related to seeds production; increase resources for the Fund to support the seeds, and grant licenses to create, install and operate seed cleaning factories. Section IV: Seeds and Seed Tubers Accreditation. Responsible body is the Public Authority for examination and accreditation of Seeds. Its tasks deal with: Seed Varieties Official Guide; rank of products; certificated and non-certificated Seeds Card (according to the compliance to the standards established by the Ministry of Agriculture); laboratories for official seed analysis; inspections of fields and cleaning plants; methods, procedures and documentation required for the definition of quality standards. Section V: Trade of seeds and seed tubers. It deals with: applications to obtain or renew permits for seed production, import and export; withdrawal of these permits; inspections of land, cultivated fields and warehouses; rules for seed production, import and export, including the obligation to inform the Council of the presence of GMOs and its nature and, for imported seeds, the analysis at the International Seed Testing Association (ISTA) or according to international standards. Section VI: Seeds and Seed Tubers inspection. Section VII: Sanctions. Section VIII: General and Final Provisions.