Brussels, 29/05/2002 (Agence Europe) - On 28 May, the EU Council adopted without debate the decision opening the road to the signing, on behalf of the Community, of the international treaty on plant genetic resources for research and breeding. The new international treaty, adopted on 3 November 2001 by the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), mainly aims to sustainably protect plant genetic resources for food production and agriculture through the setting in place of a legally binding framework. The States must sign this treaty by 4 November.
Commissioner David Byrne welcomed the decision mainly because the treaty provides for free access to phytogenetic resources for research and breeding selection needs. An example is the "Brassica" complex, which comprises vegetable crops such as cabbage, rapeseed, mustard, cress, rocket, radish and turnip. Mr Byrne recalled that negotiations were long and laborious and sometimes marked by North-South divergence, mainly on the subject of the sharing of commercial advantages from the use of genetic resources coming from developing countries. The Community would have like the treaty to cover all agricultural plants, rather than just some. It will, however, continue in its effort to cover other crops also, said Mr Byrne.