Presidential Decree No. 697 implementing Directive No. 92/34/EEC on the trade of fruit-bearing seedlings and propagating material.

The present Decree applies to the trade of fruit-bearing seedlings and propagating material belonging to the families, species or hybrids listed in the Annex. Any activity pertaining to the quality control of the material and to the coordination of technical and scientific operations are entrusted to the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Forestry Resources. The regional plant protection services shall be in charge of (a) the implementation of the legislation in matter of propagating material; and (b) the performance of checks of factories and laboratories. Article 5 concerns the creation of the national register of fruit-bearing plant varieties and establishes the procedure to be followed by the suppliers for the registration of a new plant variety. Further provisions concern the obligations of the suppliers and the establishment of an advisory committee on plant protection.