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EUROPEAN-SEED.COMIEUROPEANSEEDI31tuberscuttingsandyoungplants.VegetableseedsseedpotatoesandornamentalshaveasigniicantweightintheDutchsector.Inmostcountriestheeconomicweightotheornamentalbreedersbranchistoosmalltohaveaull-timenationalrepresentativeorganisationstatesLouwaars.Thisbroadrangemakesusstrongandstrengthensourvoicetowardsgovernment.Itwasalsothemainreasonwhyseverallong-establishedsectororganisationsmergedtobecomePlantumin2001.ThePlantumstaseatedinthehistoricalcheesecityoGoudaoerssupporttodozensothematiccommissionsandworkinggroups.Therearepermanentcommissionsonbiodiversitybreedingmethodsinnovationpolicyintellectualpropertyrightsemploymentrulesorganicseedsexporttradebarrierscropprotectionandenvironmentandpublicimage.Inthecommissionandworkinggroupmeetingsmemberdelegatesotendealwithbothhotbuttonanddelicateissues.Inthededicatedworkinggroupsakeyunctionistheknowledgeexchangewithcolleaguesandtheplanningojointactions.BIODIVERSITYAkeyissueorPlantumisbiodiversitypolicy.Plantumhasbeenactiveinthisdossieratinternationallevelsoratleast12yearsHempSeedPotatoesWheatsaysAnkevandenHurkdeputydirectorandbiodiversityspecialistwithPlantum.CurrentlywehavetodealinparticularwiththeimplementationotheNagoyaProtocolinthenationallegislations.Accesstogeneticsourcesisimportanttoensureuturebreederscontributionstosustainabilityinhorticultureandagricultureamajorsocietalobjective.DuetotheEuropeanbiodiversityregulationsbasedontheNagoyaProtocolsuchaccessmaybecomeverycomplex.ItwillnotonlybecomeveryexpensivebutalsobringalargeadministrativeworkloadvandenHurkcautions.Theriskolimitingtheuseogeneticresourcesisdecreasedinnovationandadeclineingeneticdiversity.In2013PlantumhelpedtodevelopnewEuropeanlegislationonaccesstogeneticresourcesandassistedincreatinglegalcertaintybyintroducingthelawonaccesstomaterialsreceivedatertheNagoyaProtocolwentintoorce.RecognitionosectorspecifcsystemshadbeenincludedintheprotocolollowingintensivelobbyingongloballevelbutimportantchallengesarestillacedontheleveloimplementinginnationalrulesvandenHurksays.TherecentinclusionoalimitedbreedersexemptionintheDutchPatentsActisconsideredtobeanimportantfrststepinenablingtheplantbreedersaccesstomaterialsorbreeding.ThisistheintermediateresultoanintensivedebategoingoninvariouscountriesinEuropeandabroad.PROTECTINGPROSPERITYCropprotectionisalsoaveryimportantdossier.Thewithdrawalochemicalsisaseriousproblemespeciallywhenhigh-qualityseedneedstobeproducedorarmers.GeaBouwmancropprotectionspecialistatPlantumarguesthaticropprotectionisusedintheseedproductionstageorasseedtreatmentthelarge-scaleuseochemicalscanotenbereducedsigniicantly.ItisimportantthatnationalinterpretationoEuropeancropprotectionrulesdonotdamagethelevelplayingfeldthatEuropewantsandneedstoachieve.IthappenstoootenthatchemicalsthatareallowedinotherEUcountriesarewithdrawnbytheDutchauthoritieswarnsBouwman.Plantumknowsacilitatingexportandinternationaltradeisakeyissueoritsmembers.Everycountryhasitsownphytosanitaryrequirements.Thesecanoperateastradebarriers.Otenthebarrierscanberesolvedthroughcontactsbetweenthenationalplantprotectionoicersbutdamagetotradecannotalwaysbeavoided.PlantumactsasanintermediarybetweencompaniesandphytosanitaryoicialssaysMariandeBeuzewhoisresponsibleorPlantumsexportpromotionandtradebarrierscommittee.Contrarytothediscussionsaboutbiodiversitythesearesubjectswheredecisionsandactionscantendurelongdelaysshesays.NielsLouwaars