Report from the Commission to the Council and the European Parliament on the implementation of Council Regulation (EC) No 1467/94 of 20 June 1994
Date: 1997-06-30
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: agricultural situation, application of EU law, biotechnology, evaluation of resources, report

COMMISSION  OF THE  EUROPEAN  COMMUNITIES 

Brussels,  30.06.1997 
COM(97)  327  final 

REPORT  FROM  THE  COMMISSION  TO THE  COUNCIL 
AND  THE  EUROPEAN  PARLIAMENT 
on the 
implementation  of Council Regulation (EC) 
Nol467/94  of  20 June  1994 

CONTENTS 

Contents 

1  Introduction 

1.1  Historical  background 
1.2  This Report 

2  Current Position 

2.1  The Inventory 

2.1.1  Version  1 
2.1.2  Version  2 

2.2  Actions 

2.2.1  First  Call 
2.2.2  Second  Call 
2.3  Accompanying  measures 
2.3.1  Specialized  groups 
2.3.2  Seminars, 
2.3.3  Training  & Mobility 
2.3.4  Results 

2.4  Community  Coordination 

.  . 

2.4.1  International  Negotiations 
2.4.2  Community  Programme  of RTD 
'  2.4.3  Other  Community  Instruments  . 

'. 

2.5  The financial  situation 

3  Conclusions  and recommendations 

3.1  Managerial 
3.2  Technical  and  scientific 

A  Appendix -  Work Programme 

A.l  The  Inventory 

A.1.1  Legal basis 
A. 1.2  The first  version  of  the Inventory 
A. 1.3  The second  version  of  the  Inventory 

A.2  Shared  cost  & concerted  actions 

A.2.1  Legal basis 
A.2.2  Consultation  of  the  Committee 
A.2.3  First  Call 
A.2.4  Second  Call 
A.2.5  Summary 
A.2.6  First  Call projects 
A.2.7  Second  Call projects 

Regulation  1467/94 

1 

CONTENTS 

3 
3 
3 

5 
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5 
6 
7 
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8 
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10 
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15 
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16 

iii 
iii 
iii 
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iv 
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vi 
vi 
vi 
viii 

. 

CONTENTS 

CONTENTS 

B  Appendix -  The Study 

B.l  Conclusions 

B.l.l  Community  level 
B.l.2  National  level 
B.l.3  Project  level 

B.2  Full text 

B.2.1  The Regulation  1467/94 
B.2.2  Plants; International  context 
B.2.3  Plants; International  partnerships 
B.2.4  Plants; National partnerships 
B.2.5  Plants; In situ conservation 
B.2.6  Plants; Ex situ conservation 
B.2.7  Plants; Characterisation 
B.2.8  Plants; Utilisation 
B.2.9  Animais 
B.2.10 Animais 
B.2.11 Animais 
B.2.12 Animais 
B.2.13 Animais 
B.2.14 Animais 
B.2.15 Animais 
B.2.16 Animais 
B.2.17 Animais 
B.2.18 Animais 

Background 
International  context 
International  developments 
International  partnerships 
National partnerships 
In vivo conservation 
In vitro Conservation 
Characterisation 
Utilisation 
Special characteristics 

-3£ 

C  Appendix -  Publications 
Cl  Regulation  1467/94 
C.2  Work Programme; details 
C.3  First Call; details 
C.4  Second  Call; details 

D  Appendix -  Declarations  by E.U. *~ 
D.l  Declaration  by the EU at Nitra 
D.2  At Rome 
D.3  At Leipzig 
D.4  EU Legislation 

x 
x 
x 
xi 
xii 
xv 
xv 
xv 
xvii 
xviii 
XLX 
xix 
xxi 
xxi 
xxii 
xxii 
xxiv 
xxvi 
xxvi 
xxvii 
xxvii 
xxviii 
xxix 
xxix 

xxxi 
xxxi 
xxxi 
xxxi 
xxxi 

xxxii 

xxxii 
xxxii 
xxxii 
xxxii 

^  Copies of  these  documents  (only  available in English) are available  from 

The  secretariat  of  the  Division  for  the  Coordination  of Agricultural  Research, 
Commission  of  the  European  Communities  (DG VI F II 3), 
200 rue de la  Loi (Loi  130 6-233), 
B-1049 Bruxelles, Belgium. 
fax:  (+32) 2 296  30 29, attention  "Genetic  Resources", 
e-mail:  Richard.Hardvvick@dg6.ccc.be. 

Regulation 

1467/94 

1  INTRODUCTION 

1 

Introduction 

1.1  Historical  background 

Council Regulation (EC) No 1467/94  "On the conservation,  characterization, 
collection  and  utilization  of  genetic  resources  in agriculture", was  adopted 
on June 20th,  1994. 

The objective  of the Regulation is to "coordinate  and to promote at Com 
munity  level work  on  the  conservation,  the  characterisation,  the  collection 
and  the  utilization  of  genetic  resources  in  agriculture  undertaken  in  the 
Member  States, with  a view  to  the  achievement  of  the aims of  the  Common 
Agricultural  Policy,  and,  in  accordance  with  the  principle  of  subsidiarity, 
to  support  and  supplement  the  efforts  made  in  the  Member  States  where 
current  work  appeared  inadequate". 

The Regulation  establishes  responsibilities  for  the Commission  and  for 
the  Member  States  in  order  to  achieve  the  above  objectives.  It  provides 
for  a  first  Community  programme  for  the  conservation,  characterization, 
collection  and  utilization  of genetic resources  in agriculture.  This first  pro 
gramme  was adopted  on November  21th  of  1994, for a period  of five  years 
and  an estimated  budget  of  20  mecu. 

1.2  This Report 

Regulation  (EC) 1467/94  stipulates  (Article  11.1)  that  during  its  third  year 
of  implementation  (the  third  year  is the  period June  1996 - June  1997)  the 
Commission  shall  carry  out  a  review  of  the  Programme  and  an analysis  of 
the  situation,  in particular,  the  financial  position,  and  that  the  Commission 
shall present  a report  to Parliament  and  to the Council on the results  of  the 
review.  This  report  is made  in  conformity  with Article  11.1 of  the  Regula 
tion.  The main substance of the report is presented in section 2 (page 5), and 
the immediately  important,  managerial,  conclusions  and  recommendations 
are  presented  in  section  3 (page  15). 

Conclusions  regarding  more  minor,  operational,  aspects  of  the  Regula 
tion, and conclusions  for  the  attention  of Member States  and  their  experts, 
are  presented  in section  B.l  ("Desirable  developments",  page x). 

An  appendix  is  also  provided  (section  A,  page  iii)  with  supporting  in 
formation  on administrative  details,  and  on scientific  and  technical details, 
plus  various  reference  documents.  Section  A  also  provides  the  material 
called  for  by Article  16 of  Regulation  (EC) 1467/94. 

Article  16 lays down  that  the Commission  shall present  a regular  report 
to  the  Parliament  and  to  the  Council on  the measures  for  the  conservation, 
characterization,  collection  and  utilization  of  genetic  resources  in  agricul 
ture.  This  report  is  thus  the  first  of  the  "regular  reports" mentioned  in Ar 
ticle  16 of Regularion (EC) 1467/94 (until now, there  has not been  sufficient 
material  to warrant  a separate  report  under  Article  16). 

Regulation  1467/94 

1  INTRODUCTION 

1.2  This  Report 

Regulation  1467/94 

2  CURRENT POSITION 

2  The Current  Position 

Regulation  1467/94  lays  down  that  the  procedures  for  implementing  the 
programme  are  to  include 

1.  a permanent  inventory of  generic resources  in agriculture  in the Com 

munity, 

2.  concerted  measures,  and  shared-cost  projects  for  the  conservation, 
characterization,  collection  and  utilization  of  those genetic  resources, 

3.  accompanying  measures. 

This  Section  describes  the  current  position  regarding  the  above  mea 
sures  applied  under  Regulation  1467/94,  the  coordination  at  Community 
level, and  also 

4.  the  financial  situation. 

2.1  The  Permanent  Inventory 

The  permanent  inventory  is to consist  principally  in the establishment,  reg 
ular  updating  and  publication  of  the  state  and  nature  of genetic  resources 
in  agriculture  collected  in  the  Community  and  the  listing  of  current  work 
on  the  conservation,  characterization  and  utilization  of  those  genetic  re 
sources.  Expenditure  on  the  establishment  of  the  inventory  and  its  regular 
publication  is  to  be  covered  from  the  total  appropriations  granted  for  the 
implementation  of  the  programme. 

The  Commission  Services  have  produced  a first  version  of  a  permanent 
inventory  (section  2.1.1)  which  has  recently been  updated  as a draft  second 
version  (section  2.1.2). 

Further  administrative  details  of  the  Inventory  are  to  be  found  in  the 

Appendix  (section  A.1,  page iii). 

2.1.1  Permanent  Inventory  Version  1 

In November  1994 the Commission completed  a first version of its Inventory 
of  Plant  Genetic  Resources  for  Agriculture  in  Europe.  The  printed  version 
of  the  Inventory  comprises  441  pages.  For  each  collection,  the  inventory 
provides  the  following  information: 
the  name  and  the  complete  address 
of  the  collection,  the  name  of  the  curator  or  person  responsible,  the  type 
of  the  Collection,  plus  information  on  work  in  progress, and  references  to 
published  results. 
•  The  inventory  comprises  information  on  plant  genetic resources.  It was 
assembled  from  a questionnaire  which was distributed  throughout the Mem 
ber  States,  to  which  was  added  information  provided  by  the  International 
Plant  Genetic  Resources  Institute  (Rome,  Italy),  and  information  from  a 
search  of on-line  databases  of  scientific  publications. 

This  first  version  of  the  inventory  was  distributed  to Member  States  (in 
both  printed  and  electronic  (database)  formats)  at  the  first  meeting  of  the 
Programme  Committee  (21  November  199-1).  Each  Member  State  was  re 
quested  to check  and  revise  the  data  as  relevant. 

ItegulaUon  1467/94 

' 

5 

lÊmmÊÊÊmmmmmM***** 

2  CURRENT POSITION 

2.1  The  Inventory 

2.1.2  Permanent  Inventory  Version  2 

Since  the  first  version  of  the  Inventory  was  produced  and  circulated  to  the 
Member  State  representatives,  large  volumes  of  "technical,  economic  and 
financial  information  on  specific  measures  for  the conservation,  character 
isation,  collection  and  utilization, of  generic  resources  in agriculture"  have 
begun  to  appear  on  the  "World  Wide  Web" (W.W.W.).  These  developments 
make  possible  a  second  version  of  the  inventory  which would  be  more  dy 
namic  and  potentially  more  useful  than  the  first  version. 

Accordingly,  the  Commission  services  have  made  a  preliminary  inven 
tory  of  sources  of  information  which  are  available  on  the  W.W.W..  To  this 
has  been  added  complementary  information  on  Regulation  1467/94.  Thus 
the second  version  of  the  inventory  comprises  the  following  chapters. 

1.  An  "inventory  of  sources"  of  information  available  over  the  internet. 
Each  paragraph  of  the  inventory  provides  the  reader  with  a  brief.de-
scription  of  the  source  in  question  (either  plant  or  animal  genetic  re 
sources  for  agriculture),  plus  a  link  over  the  internet  to  that  source. 
Thus  the  interested  reader  who seeks further  information  can "move" 
directly  to  the  source  itself.  So  far,  a total  of  some  200 such  "links" 
have  been  identified.  For  example,  the  inventory  section  on  "sugar-
beet"  provides  immediate  access  to  the "home  pages"  of: 

•  a computer  in  the  Netherlands  which  contains  information  on  a 
shared-cost  project  on  the generic resources  of  sugar-beet; " 

•  the  FAO database  "World  Information  and  Early Warning  System 
on  Plant  Genetic  Resources" (WIEWS) which  contains  some  infor 
mation  on  International  institutes,  their  holdings and  their activ 
ities. 

•  and  so  on. 

2.  1467/94  contact  points  in  the  Member States, 

3.  1467/94  texts  (all  languages)  of  the  Regulation  and  of  the  Work  Pro 

gramme, 

4.  information  on  each  of  the  projects  funded  by the  Programme, 

5.  a Preliminary  List  of  European  Union  Legislation  in  the .Area of  Plant 

Genetic  Resources  (see  page xxxii). 

It would  be  possible  to  add  also  the  first  version  of  the  inventory  dis 
tributed  to Member  States  in  1994; but  some of  the  information  in  the  first 
version  of  the  inventory  is already  available  over  the  W.W.W., and  thus  the 
first  version  of  the Commission's  inventor)' may  now be  redundant. 

The  "inventory  of  sources"  was  distributed  to  the. Programme  Commit 
tee on  16 October  1996  for  comments  and additions.  It comprises  approx 
imately  565  kbytes  on  diskette.  After  the  draft  has  been  corrected  it  is 
intended  that,  if  the  problem  of  lack  at  Commission  level  of  staff  charged 
with  the implementation  of  Regulation  1467/94  can be resolved, the  inven 
tory will be  made  available  in  printed  as well as  in electronic  form. 

j^faagHattMUMMBBM 

^ 

Regulation  1467/94 

2.2  Actions 

2  CURRENT POSITION 

2.2  Shared cost and concerted  actions 

Shared  cost  actions  comprise  new work for  the  conservation,  characteriza 
tion,  collection  and  utilization  of  genetic  resources  in  agriculture,  carried 
out by two or more unconnected  participants  established  in different  Mem 
ber  States. 

Concerted  measures  consist  of  work  undertaken  by  the  Community  to 
coordinate  individual  measures  for  the  conservation, characterization,  col 
lection  and  utilization  of genetic  resources  in  agriculture,  already  ongoing 
in the Member  States. 

Contracts  for  concerted  and  shared  cost  actions must,  as a general rule, 
be  concluded  following  an  official  selection  procedure  based  on  calls  for 
proposals  published  in  the  Official  Journal  of  the  European  Communities. 
It is expected that each project will produce its first  results in the short  term 
to  medium  term,  that  is  to  say  within  3 or  5 years.  The  results  are  to  be 
diffused  widely,  so  as  to  maximise  the  impact  of  this  initiative  across  the 
European  Union. 

There  have  been  two  calls  for  proposals,  the  first  published  on  the  23 
December  1994  and  the  second  on the  19 April  1996. Brief  information  on 
each project  selected is given below.  Full administrative  and legal details of 
the concerted action and shared cost project process (Legal basis and modal 
ities; Consultation  of the Committee; Evaluation; Summary of  the  Calendar) 
are provided  in  the Appendix  (section  A, page iii). 

2.2.1  Shared  Cost  and  Concerted  Actions; The  First  Call for  Proposals 

In  response  to  the  first  Call  for  Proposals,  72  proposals  were  submitted, 
and, following  an evaluation  of their  technical  and  scientific  merits by inde 
pendent  experts,  9  projects  were  selected  by  the  Commission  Services,  as 
a  function  of  the  Regulation's  priorities  of  technical  excellence  and  poten 
tial  contribution  to  the  needs  of  the  CAP. The  selection  was  submitted  to 
and given a favourable  opinion by, the Programme Committee.  The  selected 
projects  are as  follows: 

"Pig genetic resources"  ("European  gene  banking  project  for  pig  genetic 

resources"; Reference  number  012). 

"Rabbit genetic  resources"  ("Inventory,  characterization,  evaluation,  con 
servation  and utilization  of european rabbit genetic resources";  Refer 
ence number  060). 

"Allium  crops  and  wild  species"  ("Protecting  future  European  Community' 
crops:  a  programme  to  conserve,  characterise,  evaluate  and  collect 
Allium  crops  and  wild  species"; Reference  number  020). 

"Minor fruit  tree  species"  ("Conservation,  evaluation,  exploitation and col 

lection  of  minor  fruit  tree  species"; Reference  number  029). 

"Potatoes"  ("Genetic  Resources of Potato" including  'Conservation,  charac 
terization  and  utilization  of  secondary  potato  varieties  for  ecological 
production  systems  in Europe'  "; Reference  numbers  034  and  045). 

Regulation  1467/94 

2  CURRENT POSITION 

23  Accompanying  measures 

"European rice" ^"Constitution,  description  et gestion  dynamique  des  res 
sources  génétiques  riz  (Oryza  sativa) a vocation  européenne";  Refer 
ence number  037). 

"European beets"  ("Evaluation  and enhancement  of Beta collections for ex-

tensification  of agricultural* production"; Ref 042). 

"Roses"  ("European  network  for  characterisation  and  evaluation  of  genus 

Rosa germplasm"; Reference  number  052). 

"Prunus"  ("International  network  on Prunus genetic resources";  Reference 

number 061). 

Further  information  on  the objectives  of each of  the above  projects  is  pro 
vided  in the Appendix  (section A.2.6, page vi). 

2.2.2  The Second  call for  proposals 

In  response  to  the  second  call  for  Proposals,  28  proposals  were  submit 
ted,  and  following  an  evaluation  by  independent  experts,  5 projects  were 
selected  by  the  Commission  Services.  These  were  submitted  to  and  given 
a  favourable  opinion  by  the  Programme  Committee.  The  selected  projects 
are  as  follows: 

"Elms"  ("Coordination  for  conservation,  characterization,  collection  and 
utilization  of  genetic  resources  of  European  Elms"  ; Reference  num 
ber 078). 

"Grapevines"  ("European  network  for  grapevine  genetic  resources  conser 

vation  and  characterization"  ; Reference  number  081). 

"Maize"  ("Implementation  of the European Network for Evaluation,  conser 
vation and utilisation of European maize landraces genetic resources"; 
Reference  number  088). 

"Olives"  ("Conservation,  characterization,  collection and utilization  of Ge 

netic Resources  in Olive (Oka  europaea)"; Reference  number  097). 

"Animal Inventory"  ("A permanent  inventory of European  farm  animal ge 
netic resources and of activities on characterization,  conservation  and 
utilization  of  those resources"; Reference  number  083). 

Further  information  on the  objectives  of  each of  the above  projects  is pro 
vided  in the Appendix  (section A.2.7, page viii). 

2.3  Accompanying  measures 

The.  Regulation  1467/94  (Annex  1;  II  General  Provisions)  allows  for  the 
granting of Community financial contributions for Accompanying  measures. 
Accompanying measures are defined  as "the organisation of seminars,  tech 
nical conferences  and  workshops, internal  coordination  measures  through 
specialized  technical  groups,  training  and  mobility  schemes  for  specialist 
personnel,  the  promotion  of  the utilization  of results". 

^tttmOBÊBBSBSKBBaUHÊÊmak 

8 

Regulation  1467/94 

23  Accompanying  measures 

2  CURRENT POSITION 

2.3.1  Specialized technical  groups 

On 20 April  1994, during the discussion on the Draft  Regulation on the con 
servation, characterisation,  collection and utilization of genetic resources in 
agriculture,  the  Commission  made  a Statement  to  the  Parliament  that:  "At 
least once a year,  the Commission will organize  meetings  on the  conservation, 
the characterization,  the dollection and  the utilization  of genetic  resources  in 
agriculture.  Representatives  of all appropriate  competence  will be invited, in 
view  of an  exchange  of  information.  This will be done  in the  context  of  the 
programme's  accompanying  measures.  Having  in mind  the  important  role 
which  the informal  sector plays  in the conservation,  characterization,  collec 
tion and  utilization  of genetic  resources  in agriculture,  the  Commission  will 
ensure  in particular  that  representatives  of persons  working  in the  informal 
sector  are  invited  to  these  meetings,  according  to  the  subject  matter  of  the 
meeting". 

The first meeting in fulfilment  of the Commission's Statement to the Par 
liament was held on 14 April 1996. Member State representatives  on the Ge 
netic Resources Committee were asked to provide a list of  non-governmental 
organizations  active  in the  area  of genetic  resources  in agriculture  in  their 
country.  On the  basis  of  this  information,  44  non-governmental  organisa 
tions  were  invited  and  29 NGO representatives  came  to  the  meeting.  Rep 
resentatives  of the European Parliament  also attended.  There was a general 
exchange of views, covering many aspects of the implementation of  1467/94 
and  of  complementary  legislation. 

The meeting  decided  to recommend  the following  : 

•  information  on  the  modalities  of implementation  of  1467/94  should 

be diffused  as widely as  possible, 

•  a call for  proposals  for  training actions  should be  considered. 

It was  also  suggested  that  the  invitation  list  for  the  next  similar  meet 
ing  should  be  extended  to  representatives  of  the  formal  sector,  and  that 
projects  which propose work on the same species should be encouraged  to 
work  together. 

It is intended  to repeat  the meeting before  the end of  1997. 

2.3.2  The  organisation  of  seminars,  technical  conferences  and  work 

shops 

Apart from the meeting of non-governmental organisations, mentioned above, 
no other seminars, technical conferences or workshops have been organized 
up till now. This is due to the lack of staff.  Due to administrative  constraints 
it  has  not  been  possible  to  appoint  any  personnel  to  the  Programme  (see 
section  2.5 page  12 for  a discussion of the problem;  the impossibility of us 
ing  "mini-budgets"  for  financing  resources  within  the  Commission).  If  the 
staffing  situation is resolved quickly, and if credits are available, in 1997, the 
Commission  intends  to  organize  a series  of  conferences,  starting  in  1997, 
probably  including  the following  subjects  : 

Management  of  animal genetic resources  ; a  Conference  on  "Role  of  ani 
mal rescue  centres in conservation,  characterization  and utilisation of 
animal  genetic  resources", 

Regulation  1467/94 

9 

t^màéSÊÊaaÉÈÊÊÊimÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊmKtk 

2  CURRENT POSITION 

2.4  Community  Coordination 

Utilisation of  plant genetic resources  ; a Workshop  on  "In-situ  conserva 
tion of plant genetic diversity; crop mixtures  and control of plant dis 
ease", 

Cattle genetic resources  ; a Workshop  on  "Cattle  genetic  resources  - ero 

sion of rare breeds  and uniformisation  of  common breeds ", 

Standards for plant genetic resources  databases  ; a Workshop on good data 

base practice, for those beginning to construct a database of their gene 
banks. 

Putting databases on the internet  ; a Workshop  for  curators  who  already 
have  a database  and  who wish  to diffuse  their  database  by making it 
accessible  over  the  Internet. 

2.3.3  Training and mobility  schemes  for specialist  personnel 

Due to the lack of staff,  no actions have been made up till now to undertake 
this  accompanying  measure.  If this  situation  is resolved  quickly,  and if 
funds  are  available  in  1997, the  Commission  envisages  to  explore  in  1997 
the possibility  of  organizing: 

•  a 3 weeks  training  scheme for  specialists  in plant genetic  resources. 

The objective  would  be  to give an introduction  to  the basic  science  and re 
cent developments  in curating techniques for genetic resources  collections: 
seed  conservation,  in vitro  conservation,  , in vivo  conservation,  molecular 
methods of characterisation,  characterisation of agronomic value, questions 
of sample  size for  conservation,....  The students would be expected  to put 
their  studies  directly  into  practice. 

2.3.4  The promotion  of  the utilization of  results 

Article  6.2  of  Regulation  (EC) 1467/94  charges  the  Commission  with  "pro 
moting the dissemination and exploitation of any results of work in the  field 
of  the  conservation,  characterization,  collection  and  utilization  of  genetic 
resources in agriculture which could contribute  to the achievement of  those 
aims". 

The  Inventory  (second version)  mentioned  above (section  2.1.2, page  6) 
will contain a description of each genetic resources project supported in this 
Programme, and the information  will be diffused  via the internet.  Results of 
each project will be included as they become available.  If the problem of lack 
of  staff  can be resolved,  this Guide will be made available  in printed  as well 
as  in electronic  form,  thereby  assisting  the dissemination  and  exploitation 
of  results  of  the work  done. 

2.4  Coordination  at Community  level 

Article  1 of 1467/94  stipulates  that  the  Commission  is required  to  "coor 
dinate  and  promote  at  Community  level work on  the  conservation,  charac 
terization,  collection  and utilization  of genetic resources undertaken  in  the 
Member States". 

« • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •A 

10 

Regulation 

1467/94 

2.4  Community  Coordination 

2  CURRENT POSITION 

2.4.1  International  Negotiations 

Coordination of the Community position as concerns plant genetic resources, 
has been done in  the context of the FAO Fourth International Technical Con 
ference on Plant Genetic Resources (Leipzig Germany  14-23 June 1996). The 
Commission  produced  a  List  of  European  Union  Legislation  in  the  area  of 
Plant  Genetic  Resources  (section  D.4,  page  xxxii\  and  each  Member  State 
prepared  an  extensive  survey  of  the  national  situation  regarding  plant  ge 
netic  resources,  their  conservation  and  utilisation.  For  further  details  see 
the Appendix  section  B.2.2, page xv below.  A draft  declaration  by the Euro 
pean Union at the International Conference was discussed with experts  from 
the  Programme  Committee  and  from  the  Seeds  Committee  on  15.01.96, 
21.03.96  and  on  28.03.96  and  approved  by  the  Council  Committee  Pro 
duits  de  base  (PROBA). The  draft  declaration  (see  Appendix  section  D.3, 
page xxxii) was  then  submitted  to FAO through  the usual  channels. 

2.4.2  Community  Programmes  of Research and Technological  Develop 

ment 

Regulation  1467/94  expressly  lays  down  that  ...the  following  actions  are 
specifically  not  eligible for  Community  financial support  in this  programme: 
theoretical studies,  studies  to test hypotheses,  studies to improve  tools or tech 
niques,  work  involving  untested  techniques  or "model" systems,  and  all  other 
research  activities 

In  fact,  Community  programmes  of  research  and  technological  devel 
opment  are  organised  in  the  Framework  Programme.  Some  of  these  pro 
grammes  involve  research  on  Genetic  Resources;  notably  the  BioTech,  the 
Environment  and  Climate,  and  the FAIR programmes.  Commission  services 
keep close  contact  with  these  programmes: 

The  Biotechnology  programme  is  developing  molecular  tools  to  acceler 
ate and  to deepen  the measurement  of biological diversity.  One of  the 
current  projects  is investigating  molecular  tools for ungulates  (cattle, 
sheep and goats); a second focusses on molecular  tools for forest  trees 
and a third focusses  on particular  generic elements ("transposable  ele 
ments") of major  crop plants.  In each case, the objective  is to measure 
biodiversity in a particular  class of organisms and to attempt  to under 
stand  its nature.  Thus animal breeds may differ  from  one another  at a 
few  points  in the chromosome  (loci), or  in a more generalised  fashion 
across  the  whole  genome,  studies  are  under  wray to  clarify  this; indi 
vidual  forest  trees  are  known  to be very  diverse, and  PCR  techniques 
need  to be  refined  accordingly;  transposable  elements  can be used  as 
markers  to  identify  and  measure  genetic  diversity  in crop  plants  and 
a systematic  effort  is being  made  in  this  area. 

The  Environment  and  Climate  programme  has established an ad hoc work 
ing group  on  Research  and  Biodiversity.  The aim is to produce  a com 
mon  research  agenda,  discussed  and  agreed  by several  concerned  ac 
tors  as researchers,  decision  makers,  international  bodies, NGOs, pri 
vate sectors, etc..  A first  indicative  draft  of a document  "Research  into 
Biological  Diversity",  as  well  as  a  questionnaire,  are  available  on  the 
World  Wide Web at  http://w\vw.oden.se./~  ewgrb. 

Regulation  1467/94 

11 

2  CURRENT POSITION 

2.5  The financial  situation 

The "AIR" and  "FAIR" Programmes  have a number of projects  on the eval 
uation of generic diversity and  its utilisation  for a sustainable  agricul 
ture;  notably  the  analysis  of  genetic  diversity  in  cattle,  a  "European 
observatory"  on  strawberry  varieties,  and  the  location  and  exploita 
tion  of genes  for  pest  and  disease  resistance  in Brassicas.. 

2.4.3  Other  Community  Regulations  and  Directives 

There are a number of other Community Regulations and Directives relevant 
to  the  conservation  and  sustainable  utilization  and  exploitation  of  genetic 
resources  in  agriculture.  Commission  services  are  in  frequent  correspon 
dence  and  consultation  with  the services  responsible  for,  notably: 

Regulation  (EC) 2078/92,  one of  the  "flanking  measures" of  the  reform  of 
the  Common  Agricultural  Policy, on agricultural  production  methods 
compatible  with  the  requirements  of  the  protection  of  the  environ-
ment  and  the  maintenance  of  the  countryside.  It provides,  inter  alia, 
for  the  payment  of  an annual  premium  to farmers  who raise  animals 
of endangered breeds, and also for  the cultivation  and propagation  of 
useful  plants  adapted  to  local  conditions  and  threatened  by  generic 
erosion. 

Regulation (EC) 2081/92,  on the protection of geographical indicarions  and 

designations  of  origin for  agricultural  products  and  foodstuffs;  and 

Regulation  (EC) 2082/92,  on  certificates  of  spécifie  character  for  agricul 
tural  products  and  foodstuffs.  These  two Regulations  assist  the  mar 
keting of  high  quality  products  and  foodstuffs  having  an  identifiable 
character  and  geographical  origin;  as  for  example,  those  foodstuffs 
based  on a local race  or variety. 

Criteria  and modalities  for  studbooks  and  herdbooks  as laid down by Coun 

cil Directive 77/504/EEC and Commission Decision 84/247/EEC (bovines); 
Council Directive 89/361 and Commission Decision 90/254(EEC) (sheep 
and  goats);  Council  Directive  90/42 7/EEC and  Commission  Decision 
92/353/EEC  (equidae). 

2.5  The Financial  Situation 

The  Regulation  specifies  a  first  programme  of  5 years,  with  an  estimated 
budget  of  20  Mecu,  including  the  cost  of  personnel  and  administration. 
An  indicative  breakdown  of  the  budget  is given  in annexe  II of  Regulation 
1467/94  and  reproduced  below.  Note in  particular  that  the  ratio  of  expen 
ditures  (plants:animals)  is indicated  to be 3:1. 

Permanent  Inventory 
Conservation,  characterisation,  collection  and 
Utilization  of Genetic  Resources: 

Program  Evaluation 
Total 

Plants  . 
Animals 

10% 

66% 
22% 
2% 
100% 

*&ÊËIÊËËÊÊÊÊÊÊÊKIÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊk 

!- 

Regulation 

1467/94 

2.5  The financial  situation 

2  CURRENT POSITION 

Note  that  the  definitive  yearly  amounts  are  determined  by  the  budgetary 
authority. 
The  indicative  multiannual  schedule  for  the  Programme  is given below: 

1994 
Engagements,  mecu  0.017 
Payments 

1995 
3.5 
0  0.051 

1997  1998 

1996 
2.5 
0 
1.1  1.915 

1999" 

In  1994, because  the work programme  was  not adopted  until  November 

1994,  it was  not  possible  to launch  a Call for  Proposals  that  year. 

In 1995, the first  Call for Proposals was launched and 3,500,000 ecu were 

committed  to fund  the  projects  selected. 

In 1996, 5 projects  have been selected under  the second Call for  propos 

als  and  2,500,000  ecu were  committed  before  the  end of  1996. 

In  the  1997  Avant  projet  of  the  General  Budget,  the  Commission  put 
"Pour mémoire" against  line B2-5170 in order  to attract  the attention  of  the 
Parliament  to  the  fact  that  the  Commission  services  have  been  obliged  to 
manage  1467/94 without  any additional  staff,  and  that  there was an  urgent 
need  to find  a solution  to  this  problem. 

This  situation  is due  to  the fact  that  Regulation  1467/94  was  conceived 
at  a  time  when  costs  of  manpower  could  be  defrayed  from  part  B2 of  the 
budget,  as in, for  example,  the  research  line  B6. While  Regulation  1467/94 
was being agreed by the Council and by the Parliament,  the above  procedure 
was  suspended.  So, in  spite  of  the  formal  text,  by  the  time  that  the  Regu 
lation  was  ready  to  be  implemented,  there  was  no  possibility  of  engaging 
funds  for  expenditure  or  manpower  costs. 

As  to  the  future,  there  is an  important  need  to balance  the  expenditure 
in  favour  of  animal  genetic  resources.  While  the  Regulation  establishes  an 
indicative  ratio of expenditures  (plants:animals)  of  3:1, for  the  14 proposals 
selected  in the first  and  second  calls for  proposals  the actual figure  is 4.3:1. 
In  order  to be  able  to  redress  the balance  (plants:animals)  towards  the 
indicative  figure  of  3:1,  the  funding  available  for  each  Call  for  Proposals 
needs  to be increased.  This is because projects  on animal genetic  resources 
tend  to be, by their  very nature,  substantially  more expensive  than  projects 
on  plant  genetic  resources. 

It  is  concluded  that,  subject  to  the  availability  of  funds  and  the  agree 
ment  of  the  Budgetary  Authority,  the  sum  available  per  Call  for  the  two 
remaining  years  (1998  and  1999) should  be  increased  to  ±5  mecu  so  as  to 
make  best  use  of  the  remaining  funds,  and  in  order  to be able  to  approach 
the  indicative  figure  of  3:1  balance  of  funds  between  plants  and  animal 
projects. 

Regulation  1467/94 

13 

2  CURRENT POSITION 

2.5  The financial situation 

HmiWHUiil 

14 

Regulation  1-167/94 

3  CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS 

3  Conclusions  and  recommendations 

The  following  conclusions  and  recommendations  regarding  managerial  as 
pects  of  the  programme  derive  from  the  analysis  presented  in secrion  2 of 
this  Report. 

A number  of conclusions  and  recommendations  regarding  scientific  and 
technical aspects, and which merit  managerial  attention,  are also  presented. 
These  derive  from  the  Survey  and  study  of  developments  of  actions  in  the 
Member  States  presented  in the  Appendix  (section  B.2, page xv). 

Further conclusions deriving from  the Study are presented  in section B.l, 

(page x). 

3.1  Managerial  aspects 

•  The Programme Committee  has emphasised  the importance of increas 
ing  expenditure  on  animal  genetic  resources,  in  conformity  with  the 
Regulation,  which  establishes  an  indicative  ratio  of  expenditures  be 
tween  plants  and  animals  as  3:1.  In  order  to  achieve  this  ratio,  the 
relative  expenditure  on  projects  on  animal  generic  resources  must  be 
increased.  Because projects  on animal  genetic resources  are  generally 
more  costly  than  projects  on  plant  generic resources,  this will  require 
larger  tranches  of  funding  for  each  of  the  remaining  Calls  for  Offers. 

•  In  view  of  the  ever-increasing  power  and  utility  of  the  internet  and 
of  the associated  World  Wide Web, for  storing  and  diffusing  informa 
tion,  a  special  effort  should  be  made  to  complete  the  Commission's 
"Inventory  of  Sources" so  that  it can  be  published  on  the  World  Wide 
Web. 

•  Particular  efforts  should be made in the context of accompanying  mea-
•  sures,  which  up  till  now  have  not  been  activated.  There  is  a  special 

need  for: 

-  Seminars, workshops  and  technical  conferences,  in particular  on 
aspects  of  the  sustainable  use  of  genetic  resources,  and  to com 
plement  the  subjects  covered  by  existing  shared-cost  and  con 
certed  actions; 

-  Training,  specifically  targetted  at  helping  NGOs who  are  manag 
ing  genetic  resources  in  their  day  to  day  work.  Also  seminars, 
workshops,  technical  conferences  to  help  NGOs  coordinate  and 
prepare  submissions  to a Call  for  Proposals. 

Regulation  1467/94 

15 

^ • ^ • W f f | ? ! W i ( W P ( P P ! W P R ?f 

3  CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS  3.2  Technical and  scientific 

3.2  Technical  and  scientific  aspects 

A survey  of  the  developments  of  actions  in  the  Member  States  and  an  ex 
ploratory  study  of desirable  developments  in the conservation,  characterisa 
tion, collection and  utilization  of genetic  resources in agriculture in the  Mem 
ber  States  is  provided  in  secrion  .B.2  of  the  Appendix,  page  xv.  Relevant 
conclusions  of  section  B.2 are  provided  below. 

•  The  Regulation:  Secrion  B.2.1,  page  xv:  Should  the  Council decide  to 
renew  the  five year  programme  (for the period  1999-2004), it may  be 
appropriate  to revise  the  warding  of  the Action Plan, to make  it  quite 
clear that  the Regulation  covers  not only "European" genetic  resources 
but also their  wild relatives. 

•  Plants  Secrion  B.2.2,  page  xv  to  xvii:  Member States  are agreed  that 
internationally  agreed and universally  implemented access  agreements 
are crucial to the effective  conservation  and durable utilisation of  plant 
genetic  resources  for  agriculture.  If a strong  European presence  is  not. 
maintained  in  all forums  where  international  access agreements  are 
negotiated,  there  is a real risk that  the genetic resources held in  Europe 
will lose their utility  not only to Europe but also to the world. 

•  Plants  Secrion  B.2.2,  page  xv:  in  order  to ensure  that  the  new  situa 
tion  established  by  the  Convention  on  Biological  Diversity is fully  co 
ordinated  in the Member  States,  it would seem  useful  that curators  of 
collections in the Member  States  should  meet  to consider together  how 
these  new  internationally-determined  priorities can best be met. 

. 

•  Plants  Section  B.2.2, page  xv:  In view  of the  importance of  the  Global 
Plan of Action, and  the engagements  undertaken  at Leipzig by the  Mem 
ber States,  it is appropriate  that  the  implementation  of the Plan in  the 
Member States should  be placed as a permanent  item on the agenda  of 
the  Committee  for  Genetic Resources  in Agriculture,  for  consideration 
and  discussion. 

•  Plants Secrion B.2.3, page xvii:  In view of the activities of European  ge 

netic  resources  experts  in ESCORENA,  EUFORGEN,  1etc,  it would  seem 
advisable  that  the  management  of  1467/94  should  maintain  regular 
contacts  with its homologues  in other  international programmes,  in or 
der  to achieve  the maximum  synergy  and added value. A special  effort 
should  be  made  to  launch  activities  under  1467/94  to cover  promis 
ing areas  that are currently  neglected  in other international fora,  such 
as  minor  crops, and  industrial  crops.  Coverage is also needed  for  ne 
glected  sectorial subjects,  such  as facilitating  dialogues between  cura 
tors of plant  collections and  users. 

•  Plants  Section  B.2.4,  page  xviii:  European coordination and  linking  is 
required,  in order  to enable  Member  States  ensure  that National  Pro 
grammes  make  best  use  of  the  available  financial  and  bureaucratic 
resources. 

• "Plants  Secrion  B.2.8,  page  xxi:  In order  to encourage  the  sustainable 
utilisation of genetic resources, and  to define market opportunities,  costs 

1 ESCORENA -  European System of Cooperative  Research Networks  in Agriculture; EUFOR 

GEN °  The  European  Forest  Genetic  Resources  Programme 

16 

Regulation 

1467/94 

3.2  Technical  and  scientific  3  CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS 

and  benefits,  the  economic  and  business  aspects  of genetic  resources 
need  to be  studied. 

Animals  Secrion  B.2.14,  page xxvii:  In  other  respects  than  2078/92,  in 
vivo conservation  of individual  local breeds  in individual  Member  States 
is considered  to be an  action  for  Member  States  alone. 

Animals  Secrion  B.2.1 S,  page  xxvii  It  may  be  appropriate  to keep  un 
der  review  the  activities  of  FAO and  other  international  bodies  in  the 
field of animal  genetic  resources.  In any  event,  as  the  work  of  the FAO 
Commission  progresses,  full  Community  coordination  will be  needed. 

Animals  Secrion  B.2.15,  page  xxvii  In  view  of  the  current  difficult  in 
ternational  discussions  on access  to and  ownership  of plant  genetic  re 
sources,  it would  be wise for  the  Union to establish  a unified position  on 
animal  genetic  resources,  pre-emptively. 

Animals  Section  B.2.18, page xxix:  It may  be appropriate  to make  par 
ticular  use  of the accompanying  measures  of 1467/94  to help NGOs to 
coordinate  in the preparation  of proposals  to  1467/94. 

Animals  Secrion  B.2.18,  page  xxix:  The  "steps"  laid down  in  the  Work 
Programme  of  1467/94  should  not  be changed  in any  future  revision, 
if this would  be to the  detriment  of good  project  management. 

Regulation  1467/94 

17 

JW 

3  . CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS  3.2  Technical  and  scientific 

18 

Rc-gulation  1467/94 

APPENDIX 

A  APPENDIX -  WORK PROGRAMME 

A  The Work  Programme 

These  appendices  provide  supporting  information  for  secrion  2, copies  of 
relevant  documents  that  are  already  published  by  the  Commission,  and  a 
Survey  and  study  of  developments  of actions  in  the  Member  States  (secrion 
B.2,  page xv).  A summary  of  the  conclusions  of  the  Survey  is presented  in 
secrion  B.l, page x, for  reference. 

A.l  The  Inventory 

' 

. 

» 

This  appendix  provides  supporting  aclministration  information  regarding 
the  Inventory 

A. 1.1  Legal  basis 

As  laid  down  in  Article  3.2  of  Regulation  1467/94,  the  Commission  is re 
quired  to  keep  "a  permanent  inventory  of  the  measures  and,  by means  of 
appropriate  measures,  encourage  exchanges  of  information  between  com 
petent  organizations  in  the  Member  States, ...". 

The  permanent  inventory  is  to consist  principally  in  the  establishment, 
regular  updating  and  regular  publication  of  the  state  and  nature  of  re 
sources  in  agriculture  collected  in  the  Community  and  the  listing  of  cur 
rent  work  on  the  conservation,  characterization,  collection  and  utilization 
of  those generic  resources.  As  laid  down  by Article  3.1, Member States  are 
required  to  "provide  the  Commission  on  a  regular  basis  and  at  least  once 
a  year, with  technical,  economic and  financial  information  on specific  mea 
sures  for  the  conservation,  characterization,  collection  and  utilization  of 
genetic  resources  in agriculture  carried  out  or  planned  under  their  author 
ity"/ 

The  aims  of  the  inventory  are  to support  the  programme  activities  and 
encourage  the  widest  possible  knowledge  and  use  of  preserved  material. 
The inventory should provide a guide to collections of conserved  germplasm 
and  associated  activities  in  the  European  Community. 
Two versions  have  been  produced,  as  follows: 

A.l.2  The  first  version  of  the  Inventory 

The  first  version  of  the  Inventory  was constructed  from  three sources: -

Commission  questionnaire  In  1992, the Commission  services  sent  a ques 

tionnaire  on  genetic  conservation  to  the  Member States. 

IBPGR Inventories  The  database  has  been  cross-checked  and  augmented 
with  information  taken  from  the  Directory  of  Germplasm  Collections 
(International  Plant  Genetic  Resources  Institute,  Rome). 

On-line databases  Complementary  information  particularly regarding work-
in-progress  were  obtained  by searching  on-line  databases  of  scientific 
authors  and  publications. 

Regulation  1467/94 

iii 

***"**ifili«rti 

A  APPENDIX -  WORK PROGRAMME A.2  Shared cost & concerted  actions 

The  first  version  of  the  inventory  was  distributed  to  Member States  (in 
both  printed  and  electronic  (database)  formats)  at  the  first  meeting  of  the 
Programme  Committee  (21  November  1994).  Each  Member  State  was  re 
quested  to check and  revise  the data  as  relevant. 

A.1.3  The  second  version  of  the  Inventory 

The preparation  of  the second version of the Inventory is discussed  on  page 
6 (section  2.1.2). 

A.2  Shared  cost  and  concerted  actions 

This  appendix  provides  supporting  administration  information  regarding 
the shared  cost  and  concerted  actions. 

A-2.1  Legal basis 

Regulation  1467/94  provides  for  a  first  programme  with  a  budget  of  20 
mecu  for  a duration  of  five  years. 

The biggest  portion  of  the budget  is foreseen  for  concerted  actions  and 

shared  cost  projects. 

Concerted Actions provide for the coordination of individual actions  that 
are  already  under  way in  the  Member  States.  Shared  Cost  projects  provide 
for  the  support  of  new actions.  • 

The  programme  of work  defines  the  detailed  objectives,  the  type  of  ac 
tions  to be applied and  the relevant  financial  provisions  to be adopted.  Pub 
lic calls  for  proposals are  published  on  the basis of  the programme  of  work 
(art.10 of  1467/94). 

The  work  programme  lays  down  that  each  Concerted  Action  and  each 
Shared  Cost  project  should  target  its  work,  notably  by concentrating  on  a 
specific  plant or animal group (for example, genus, species or subspecies,  as 
appropriate).  Each project  should  aim at a coverage of its particular  subject 
area  that  is significant  on  the Community  scale. 

As to modalities, the Regulation stipulates  that each project  will proceed 

by a series  of  six logical steps  as  follows: 

Step  1  Establish  the  workplan 

Step  2  Characterize  the  collections 

Step  3  Evaluation  v'Secondary  Characterization) 

Step  4  Sort  the  collections 

Step  5  Rationalize  the  collections 

Step  6  Acquire  (collect) genetic  resources 

Work  concerning  a later  step  is  not  eligible  for  funding  unless  there  is 
proof  that  the  preceding  steps  have  been  concluded  whether  in  this  pro 
gramme  or  previously.  In  particular  steps  1-5  must  be  performed  before 
step  6 (collecting)  may begin. 

n 

iv 

Regulation  1467/94 

A.2  Shared  cost  & concerted  actions  A  APPENDIX -  WORK PROGRAMME 

Regulation  1467/94  annexe  I chapter  III stipulates  that  priority is given, 

to concerted  action  and  shared  cost  projects  which  involve: 

•  contributions  from  two or  more  unconnected  participants  established 
in different  Member  States.  Any  natural  or  legal  person  who  is  a na 
tional of  a Member  State  and  established  in  the  Community  may  par 
ticipate  in  the  programme.  Priority  is  given  to  projects  assuring  as 
broad  as  possible  a  coverage  of  the  Union.  The  participation  of  na 
tionals  of  third  countries  and  the  Community  financial  contribution 
relating  to such  participation,  is examined  on  a case by case  basis. 

•  the participation  of ail  relevant  disciplines  (e.g.phvsiology,  taxonomy, 
pathology,  quantitative  genetics  and  molecular  biology).  Disciplines 
that  offer  to  improve  the  utilization  of  conserved  generic  resources 
are especially  encouraged  to  participate; 

•  particular  preference  to  the  use  of  genetic  resources  for  diversifica 
tion of  production,  improved  product  quality  and  better  care  for  the 
environment. 

A.2.2  Consultation  of  the  Committee 

The  Regulation establishes  a Committee  "on  the conservation,  characteriza 
tion, collection and utilization  of genetic resources  in agriculture,  composed 
of  representatives  of  the  Member  States  and  chaired  by a representative  of 
the  Commission"  (.Article  13 of  1467/94). 

On  29.11.95  and  as  stipulated  in  Article  9  of  Regulation  1467/94,  the 
Commission  duly consulted  the  Programme  Committee  on "the draft  work 
programme  and  on  the content  of  the  public  calls  for  proposals  for  action". 

A.2.3  First  Call 

The  First Call  for  Proposals  of  the  Programme  Genetic  Resources was  pub 
lished  on 23 December  1994, and  closed  on  31 May  1995 (OJ C368 p24). 

72  proposals  were  received.  28  proposals  concerned  genetic  resources 
of  farm  animals,  and  44  proposals  concerned  plant  genetic resources  (agri 
cultural,  horticultural  plants  and  forest  trees).  Some  400  organizations 
from  across  the  EU participated  in  the  first  Call  for  Proposals,  including 
genebanks  and  orchard  collections,  scientific  laboratories  and  associations 
of  animal  breeders,  universities  and  seed  companies  from  the  public  and 
the  private  sectors  (including  non-governmental  organisations). 

The members  of  the  Programme  Committee  furnished  names of  261 ex 
perts.  As a  function  of  expertise,  availability,  and  the  proposals  received, 
25  independent  experts  were  convoked  to  evaluate  the  proposals  (10  ex 
perts  on  farm  anirnal  generic  resources  and  15  experts  on  plant  generic 
resources).  They worked  in  Brussels  during  the  period  3-14 July  1995.  23 
projects  were  evaluated  as  technically  "B" (good) or  "A" (very good):  4 pro 
posals on animal genetic resources and  19 on plant  generic resources.  After 
consultation  of  the Commission  services, a shortlist  of  10 proposals  was se 
lected  for Community  support. 

A  APPENDIX -  WORK PROGRAMME A.2  Shared cost  & concerted  actions 

A2.4  Second  Call 

The  Second  Call  for  Proposals  of  the  Programme  Generic  Resources  was 
published  on  19 April  1996, and  closed  on 28 June  1996 (OJ CI 14 p21). 

28 proposals were received.  14 proposals concerned gene tic resources of 
farm  animals  and  14 proposals  concerned  plant generic resources  (agricul 
tural,  horticultural  plants  and  forest  trees).  Some 200  organizations  from 
across  the  EU participated  in  the first  call for  proposals. 

As  a  function  of  expertise,  availability,  and  the  proposals  received,  12 
independent  experts were convoked  to evaluate  the proposals  (6 experts  on 
farm  animal  genetic  resources  and  6  experts  on  plant  generic  resources). 
They  worked  in  Brussels  during  the  period  15-19 July  1996.  11  projects 
were  evaluated  as  technically  "B" (good)  or  "A" (very  good  ) comprising  4 
proposals  on  animal  generic  resources  and  7 on  plant  generic  resources. 
After  consultation  of  the  Commission  services,  a shortlist  of  5  proposals 
have  been  selected  for  Community  support  (3  on  the  main  list,  2 on  the 
reserve  list). This  shortlist  was  approved  by the Programme  Committee  on 
16.10.96. 

A.2.5  Summary 

Approved  by the  Committee 
Published  in OJ 
Closing date 
Postponement  published 
Postponed  date 
Proposals received 
Proposals  selected 
Proposals selected  approved  by Comrnittee 
ecu engaged 

1st Call 
21/J.1/94 
23/12/94 
31/03/95 
29/03/95 
31/05/95 
72 
10 
29/11/95 
3,400,000 

2nd Call 
06/02/96 
19/04/96 
28/06/96 

28 
5 
16/10/96 
2,411,000 

A.2.6  Detailed information  on  the nine projects  selected  in the First Call 

"Pig genetic resources"  ("European  gene  banking  project  for  pig  genetic 
resources"; Reference  Number 012). There are already  some 'produits 
du  terroir'  that  are  based  on  autochthonous  pig breeds.  This  project 
should  help  that  trend.  It  will  also  help  to  diversify  methods  of  pig 
production,  via  the  support  of  robust  outdoor-adapted  races. The ro 
bust  type of  pig will need  less  drugs. The  project  also aims  to  survey 
intramuscular  fat,  an  important  contributory  factor  to  meat  quality 
(e.g.  the Gascon x Meishan cross gives better  results  than Landrace  in 
the final hybrid  pig). Outdoor  pig production using robust  pigs should 
be less polluting  than  indoor  intensive  production 

"Rabbit  genetic resources"  ("Inventory,  characterization,  evaluation,  con 
servation and  utilization  of european  rabbit genetic resources";  Refer 
ence Number 060). The project will help more farmers  to raise rabbits, 
and  will help  the  diversity  of  rabbit  breeds  available.  The project  will 
also contribute  to production  of angora wool, and  fur  (and felt).  It will 
offer  possibility of  a bigger choice  of  rabbit  meat  products. 

« 

m 

VI 

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A.2  Shared  cost  & concerted  actions  A  APPENDIX -  WORK PROGRAMME 

The project aims to help protect  the most diverse representative  breeds 
among  the  100  breeds  thought  to  exist  in  the  Community  (and  for 
which  the  Community  is  responsible,  under  the  BioDiversity  conven 
tion). 

"Allium  crops  and  wild species"  ("Protecting  future  European Community 
crops:  a programme  to conserve, characterise,  evaluate and  collect Al 
lium crops and wild species"; Reference  Number 020). The project will 
offer  forgotten  varieties  of  chives  (ciboulette),  leeks  (poireaux),  shal 
lots  (echalottes)  to  growers,  and  in  the  long  term,  it  would  also  help 
breeders  to  increase  quality  characteristics  such  as  high  dry  matter, 
which  is  important  for  the  industry.  It will offer  material  to  breeders 
developing  varieties  that  are naturally  resistant  to pests and  diseases, 
and  hence  not needing chemical pesticides  (i.e.  less inputs, less inten 
sive production).  The project  will also  provide  short  term results  such 
as  the  diffusion  of virus-free,  and  hence  higher-yielding, garlic. 

"Minor  fruit  tree  species"  ("Conservation,  evaluation,  exploitation and col 
lection  of  minor  fruit  tree  species";  Reference  Number  029).-The mi 
nor  fruit  tree  in  question  are  the  following  species  of  the  Mediter 
ranean  basin; Fig, Pomegranate, Japanese  Persimmon, Loquat, Prickly-
• pear, Quince for fruit  production,  sweet Chestnut,  Pistachio, Mulberry, 
Carob,  Azerole,  Medlar,  Madrona,  Cornelian  sherry, Jujube  and  Sorb. 
The  project  aims  to  help  promote  these  underutilised  fruit. 
It  will 
evaluate  commercial  traits  such  as  post  harvest  characteristics,  pro 
duction  of juices  and  extracts.  The  information  will  be  passed  on  to 
extension services and growers organisations.  A further  objective is to 
identify  and  eliminate  'doubles' from  the collections.  This will greatly 
improve  the  quality  and  liability  of  material  offered  for  sale.  Some 
of  these  fruit  are  particularly  suited  to  marginal  areas,  and  hence  to 
environmental  protection. 

"Potatoes"  ("Generic  Resources of Potato" including  'Conservation, charac 
terization  and  utilization  of  secondary  potato  varieties  for  ecological 
production systems in Europe' "; Reference  Number 034 and 045). This 
project  will  provide  for  the  diversification  of  the  range  of  potato  va 
rieties  available  to  the  consumer.  Some  shops  and  supermarkets  are 
now  actively  seeking  a wider  range  of  material;  this  project  will  help 
expand  knowledge  and  use  of  minor  varieties  of  potato.  There  is  a 
special-emphasis  on  eliminating  virus  from  the  stocks,  thus  increas 
ing  their  quality  as  seed.  Old  varieties  will  also  be  characterised  for 
taste, cooking qualities, storage  performance.  The resistance  to virus, 
scab, blight (Phytopthera)  and weevil will be assessed.  Efficiency of use 
of  fertiliser  will also be assessed.  This  is a particularly  important  step 
forward  towards  an eventual  extenslfication  of  potato  production. 

"European  rice"  ("Constitution,  description  et  gestion  dynamique  des res 
sources  génétiques  riz  (Oryza  satrva)  a vocation  européenne";  Refer 
ence Number 037). The Community has some 350,000 ha of rice  fields, 
producing  1.2  million  tonnes  of  soft  rice  Qaponica).  This  project  will 
eventually  benefit  breeders  who  seek  to  improve  resistance  to  pests 
and  diseases  and  environmental  stress  (in  particular  'pyralc',  'pyricu-
lariose',  'helminthosporiose',  salinity,  low  temperature),  and,  help  to 
spare  the  environment  of  chemical  sprays. 

Regulation  1467/94 

vii 

A  APPENDIX -  WORK PROGRAMME A.2  Shared cost  & concerted  actions 

"European beets"  ("Evaluation  and enhancement of Beta collections  for ex-
tensificarion  of  agricultural  production";  Ref 042).  Though  vegetable 
beets  were  known  to  the  Assyrians,  sugar  beet  has  a  narrow  genetic 
base  (Silesian  beet);  the  modern  sugarbeet  is  relatively  homogenous, 
and  vulnerable  to  disease.  Resistance  to diseases  will  eventually  en 
able  reduction  in  pesticides.  Drought  resistance  will  also  be  sought, 
and  the project  will also  eventually have some positive effects  on  beet 
quality. 

"Roses"  ("European  network  for  characterisation  and  evaluation  of  genus 
Rosa germplasm";  Reference Number 052). This concerted action  puts 
together a partnership who are working to help diversification  into  this 
most  important  flower  crop,  to  improve  quality,  and  to  find  and  use 
sources of  resistance  to diseases  and  pests. 

"Prunus"  ("International  network  on Prunus genetic resources";  Reference 
Number 061). This project  aims  to characterise  resistance  of almonds, 
cherries, plums, peaches, nectarines  to important diseases  (Pseudomonas, 
Monilinia), and  viruses,  and  pests  (aphids).  The  information  will  be 
made  available  to  breeders  in order  to reduce  need  for  chemical  pes 
ticides.  The  aim  is  to  provide  material  future  breeding  programmes, 
for varietal improvement; disease resistance and also, e.g., longer crop 
ping  season.  Some  attention  is  also  paid  to  Prunus  as  a  noble  hard 
wood  and  landscape  tree. 

A.2.7  Detailed  information  on  the  five  projects  selected  in  the  Second 

Call 

"Elms"  ("Coordination  for  conservation,  characterization,  collection  and 
• utilization  of  genetic  resources  of  European  Elms" ; Reference  Num 
ber  078).  The  Elm  is an  important  hedgerow  and  landscape  tree, giv 
ing  a useful  timber,  but  now  severely  threatened  by  the  "Dutch  Elm 
Disease".  This  project  aims  to coordinate  the  existing  European  col 
lections of Elms, to characterise  the holdings in a coordinated  fashion, 
and  to organise  the  evaluation  of  natural  resistances  to diseases,  no: 
tably  to the  "Dutch  Elm Disease". 

"Grapevines"  ("European  network  for  grapevine generic  resources  conser 
vation  and  characterization"  ;  Reference  Number  081).  This  project 
will  coordinate  all  the  major  collections  of  grapevines  in  the  Union, 
and  by a series of  steps, will achieve a better coordination  and  utilisa 
tion, notably by identifying  both double entries, and material which  is 
under-represented. 

"Maize"  ("Implementation  of  the European  Network for  Evaluation,  conser 
vation and utilisation  of European maize landraces genetic  resources"; 
Reference  Number  0S8).  The  maize  plant  was  brought  from  Amer 
ica  to Europe  by  the  first  explorers.  Since then  it has  diversified  into 
a  number  of  landraces,  some  of  which  prove  to  have  valuable  agro 
nomic  characters  (such  as  resistance  to cold).  Many other  landraces 
have  been  collected,  but  not  yet  evaluated.  The  project  will  charac 
terise  and  evaluate  the  European  patrimony  of  this  important  crop, 
and  make  the  material  and  the  information  widely  available. 

vui 

Regulation  1467/94 

A.2  Shared  cost  & concerted  actions  A  APPENDIX -  WORK PROGRAMME 

"Olives"  ("Conservation,  characterization,  collection  and  utilization  of Ge 
netic  Resources  in  Olive  (Olea  europaea)";  Reference  Number  097). 
The  cultivated  Olive  is  native  to  the  area  of  the  Mediterranean  basin. 
Curators  of the European collections  of Olive already meet together on 
an  occasional  and  Informal  basis.  By this  project,  the  collections will 
work  together  in  a coordinated  and  consolidated  fashion,  putting  the 
emphasis  on  the coordinated  characterisation  of Olive plants  for qual 
ity characteristics,  and  for  natural  resistance  to  pests  and  diseases. 

"Ajoimal Inventory"  ("A permanent  inventory  of  European  farm  animal ge 
netic resources  and of activities  on characterization,  conservation  and 
utilization  of  those  resources";  Reference  Number  0S3).  Animal  ge 
neric  resources  have  been  well  documented  on  a  local  basis,  notably 
by  herdbook  societies,  but  until  recently  there  has  been  remarkably 
little  work  on  a European  scale.  This  project  aims  to provide  the  first 
steps  towards  an  enriched  database  of  European  farm  animal  genetic 
resources.  The  database  will help, notably,  workers wishing  to survey 
for  endangered  breeds;  quantify  the  cultural  and  genetic  importance 
of  a breed;  identify  the  appropriate  management  techniques  for  long 
.  term preservation  of a particular  breeds; find  information  on  the spe 

cific utilisation  characteristics  of  a given  breed. 

Regulation 

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i* 

IX 

B  APPENDIX -  THE STUD Y 

B  Study of Desirable  Developments 

B.l  Conclusions  of  the Study 

This  Section  presents,  for  reference,  the  conclusions  of  the  exploratory 
Study  on desirable developments  in the conservation, characterization, collec 
tion and  utilization  of genetic  resources  in agriculmre  in the Member  States. 
The  full  text of  the  survey is  to be  found  below (secrion  B.2, page xv). 
Conclusions  on  "desirable  developments"  which  are  relevant  mostly  at 
the  level  of  individual  genebanks  are  presented  in  secrion  6.1.3,  page xii. 
Conclusions  which  are  more  relevant  at  the  national  level  are  presented  in 
secrion B.1.2, page xi, and conclusions regarding the operation of Regulation 
1467/94  at Community  level  are  presented  in section  B.l.I.  Those  conclu 
sions which  concern  the  management  of  Regulation  1467/94  are  presented 
above  in secrion  3.2  of  the  Report  (page  16). 

B.l.l  Community  level 

•  Plants  Section  B.2.2,  page  xv:  In  the  context  of defining,  rationalizing 
and  consolidating  national  collections in the Member States,  it is time to 
consider  whether  the  information  technology developed  for  the World 
Wide Web, could  be  used  to  achieve  a  comprehensive  system  of  dis 
tributed,  public-domain  databases  of plant genetic resources  in Europe. 
The  chief  issues  in realising  this potential  are the development  of  data 
standards,  and  the  establishment  of quality control  procedures 

«  Plants  Section  B.2.5,  page  XLX:  More help  is  required  to  ensure  that 
expertise of agricultural  museums  and  other  in situ  conservationists  is 
incorporated  in  1467/94  projects.  . 

•  Plants Section  B.2.7,  page xxi:  Because all databases  used  in  1467/94 
projects  need  to  be able  to exchange  data,  in the  interests  of European 
solidarity, work  may  be needed  on data standards  for plant  and  animal 
databases,  in line  with  established  international  guidelines. 

•  Plants  Section  B.2.7,  page  xxi:  There  is a  need  to  increase  the  use  of 
rapid  and  cheap  evaluation  tools,  using  biochemical  and  molecular 
techniques  for  germplasn)  characterization.  Training  in these  modern 
techniques  may  need  to be developed  and offered. 

•  Plants  Section  B.2.8,  page  xxi:  In  order  to encourage  the  sustainable 
utilisation of genetic  resources, and to define market  opportunities, costs 
and  benefits,  the  economic  and  business  aspects  of  genetic  resources 
need  to be  studied. 

•  Animals  Section  B.2.11,  page  xxiv:  It would seem  useful  to  encourage 
the  persons  responsible  for  the  maintenance  of  "animal" databases  in 
the  Member States  to meet  together  from  time  to  time. 

•  Animals  Section  B.2.11,  page  xxiv:  It would be useful  for  experts  who 
have  some  experience  with  the  FAO and  EAAP  databanks  to  meet  to 
gether  as a  community  of  database-users  from  all  Member  States,  to 
consider experience  and  recommendations  for  enhancing  the. value  of 
tlie database  to  end-users. 

N 

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1467/94 

B.l  Conclusions 

. 

B  APPENDIX -  THE  STUDY 

Animals  Section  B.2.11,  page  xxiv  It  may  be  appropriate  and  timely 
to launch  a European  Expert Consultation  on  the  Management  of  Ani 
mal  Genetic Resources, based on the  needs  of  the  Common  Agricultural 
Policy, and  considering  also  the  recommendations  of the FÀO experts. 
The  results  of the  consultation  should  be  forwarded  to the  Programme 
Committee  for  Genetic Resources  in  Agriculture. 

Animals  Section  B.2.12,  page  xxvi:  In  the  general  context  of  Animal 
team  of  1467/94  should  maintain 
genetic  resources,  the management 
regular  contacts  with the other  international 
fora,  both formal  and  in 
formal. 

Animals Section B.2.12, page xxvi:  It might  be appropriate  to  considéra 
special  action under  1467/94  "accompanying  measures"  for  exchanges 
between  breeders of the same  or closely similar  breeds in  differentcoun-
tries,  with  the  objective  of developing  joint  programmes  of  conserva 
tion. 

Animals  Section  B.2.13,  page  xxvi:  We  have  already  noted  that  the 
Genetic Resources committee  may  need  to keep  under  review the activr 
ities of  international  bodies in the  field  of animal  genetic resources; the 
committee  should  also receive reports  from  time  to time of activities  at 
national  level on animal genetic  resources. 

Animals  Section  B.2.13,  page  xxvi:  The  Committee  should  consider 
international  exchanges 
whether  there  would be value  in encouraging 
between  national  breed societies. 

Animals  Section  B.2.16, page  xxviii:  It may  be  appropriate  to  consider 
supporting  under  the Framework  Programme,  research  to test anecdo 
tal reports  of adaptability  (etc)  of particular  rare  breeds. 

Animals  Section  B.2.16, page xxviii:  Community 
inventories  supported 
under  1467/94  do not need  to incorporate  the  data  that are  available 
on genetic  values,  but  they  do  need  to provide  pointers  to where  such 
results  can  be found. 

Animals  Section  B.2.16, page xxviii:  There  is no  need  to incorporate  the 
results  of  work  on genome  mapping  into  Community  inventories  sup 
ported  under  1467/94,  but it is important  that  these databases  provide 
pointers  to where such results can  be  found. 

Animals  Secrion  B.2.18, page  xxix:  it may  next  be appropriate  to con 
vene  a discussion  meeting  on  trans-border  aspects  of the  management 
of animal  genetic  resources for agriculm  re (obserwtions  requested  from 
Member  States  at  the last meeting,  16  October  1996). 

B.1.2  National  level 

•  Plants  Section  B.2.2,  page  xv;  in  order  to  ensure  that  the  new  situa 
tion  established  by  the  Convention  on  Biological  Diversity is fully  co 
ordinated  in tlie Member States,  it  would  seem  useful  that  curators  of 
collections  in (he Member States  should  meet  to consider  together  how 
these  new  internationally-determined  priorities  can  best be  met. 

Reaulatinn 

I Afi7/QA 

TO 
^ 

, ; l' 

7 l W ,' - °" 

B  APPENDIX -  THE STUDY 

B.l  Conclusions 

Plants  Section  B.2.4,  page  xviii:  European coordination  and  linking  is 
required,  in  order  to enable  Member  States  ensure  that  National  Pro 
grammes  make  best  use  of  the  available  financial  and  bureaucratic 
resources. 

Animals  Section  B.2.14, page xxvii:  In other respects than  2078/92,  in 
vivo conservation  of individual  local breeds in individual Member  States 
is considered  to be an action for  Member States alone. 

Animals  Section  B.2.14,  page  xxvii:  It may  be appropriate  to  consider 
whether  activities such as forming  a gene pool for the most  endangered 
breeds should, and  can, be organized  at European  level. 

Animals  Section  B.2.15,  page  xxvii:  In  other respects, in  vitro  conser 
vation  of local breeds is considered  to be an action for Member  States 
themselves  to undertake  in the first place. 

B.l.3  Project  level 

•  Plants  Section  B.2.4, page xviii:  Collaboration between  the  genebanks 
and  their  potential  users  should  be  further  improved,  so  as  to  profit 
from  the  diverse  contributions  available  from  scientists,  farmer  and 
consumers. 

• -Plants Section  B.2.5, page xLx: In order to respond effectively  to  public, 
and  market,  interest, old, and  new, cultivars, need to be evaluated  in or 
der to test the claimed adaptedness  of old varieties. Activities may  then 
be required  to exploit and  thereby  conserve landraces and old  cultivars 
in situ  on-farm. 

•  Plants Section  B.2.6, page xix:  Rationalisation and safety  duplication  is 
a matter  of priority.  (It is, moreover,  a key requirement  which is placed 
on all relevant  projects under  1467/94). 

•  Plants Section  B.2.6, page xix:y4 more  coordinated  approach  is  needed 
in the conservation  of breeders  material  (it is part  of the  requirements 
in every project  under  1467/94). 

•  Plants  Section  B.2.6,  page  xix:/n  order  to confirm  that  the  apparent 
"gaps" in collections are real, and  important,  better tests of  provenance 
and  relatedness  are  required.  It is important  to note that all collecting 
must  respect  the  international  obligations  imposed  by  the  Convention 
on  Biodiversity.  This is particularly  important  where  the collected  ge 
netic resources may  leave the country  of origin. 

•  Plants Section  B.2.6, page xix:Experience in the Member States  suggests 
that  methodologies  for  regeneration  of germplasm  respecting  the  ge 
netic integrity  of the accessions still need to be improved, especially  for 
outcrossing species. 

•  Plants  Section  B.2.8,  page  xxi:  In  any  collaboration between  Member 
States,  quarantine  rules for  the  safe  movement  of germplasm  need  to 
be scrupulously obeyed. 

•  Plants  Section  B.2.8, page  xxi:  Genebank  managers  need  to be  helped 

to collect data  from  f/ie  users  of  their collections. 

XU 

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1467/94 

B.l  Conclusions 

B  APPENDIX -  THE STUDY 

•  Plants  Section  B.2.8,  page  xxi:  The  characteristics  required  by  con 
sumers  may  be  found  in  germplasm  collections;  the  need  is  to  make 
the  search  as quick  and  efficient  as  possible. 

•  Plants Section  B.2.8, page xxi:  The practical  pros and cons of the  "core" 
collection  approach  need  to  be  evaluated.  Training  in  the  approach 
may  need  to be  developed. 

•  Animals Secrion B.2.15, page xxvii: Actions  on "European" breeds should 
take  into consideration,  as appropriate,  the  results of genetic distancing 
work  on  related  work  on  related  breeds  in  other  countries. 

•  Animals  Section  B.2.16,  page  xxviii:  Genetic  distance  mapping  is an 
important  activity,  to  follow  on  the  primary  characterisation  of  each 
animal  breed.  The  resulting  data  need  to  be  made  available  in  the 
databases. 

•  Animals  Section  B.2.17, page  xxix:  There  may  be a need to collect,  test 
and  diffuse  anecdotal  information  on agriculturally  useful characteris 
tics of  rare  breeds,  and  to encourage  formal  tests of such claims: 

Regulation 

14'~7/[)'< 

Xlil 

B  APPENDIX-THE STUDY 

B.l  Conclusions 

xiv 

Regulation  1467/94 

B.2  Full text 

B  APPENDIX -  THE STUDY 

B.2  Survey and study of developments  of actions in the Mem 

ber  States 

This section provides a survey of the developments of actions in the Member 
States  and  an exploratory  study of  desirable  developments  in the  conserva 
tion, characterisation,  collection and  utilization  of genetic resources in agri 
culture  in  the  Member  States  and  the  coordination  of  work  in  that  sphere 
at Community  level in  the light of  the aims  of  the  common agricultural  pol 
icy and  of  the results  already  achieved  under  the  present  programme.  The 
desirable  developments  are printed  in italics, 

B.2.1  The  Regulation  1467/94 

Annex  1 of  Regulation  1467/94  ("Detailed  rules  for  the  implementation  of 
the  Action  Programme; Scope  - Eligible  activities")  reads 

...This  programme  concerns  the  conservation,  characterization,  evalu 
ation  and  utilisation  of  generic  resources,  plant  and  animal,  which  occur 
within  the  territory  of  the  European  Community  and  which are  likely  to be 
lost  if  special  measures  are not  taken 

The  above  sentence  could  be  interpreted  as  excluding  any work on  ma 
terial which  is potentially  useful  to  European  agriculture  but  is only  found 
outside  Europe (e.g.  the  ancestors  of  most  crops  and  farm  animals). 

When the next five year programme  (1999-2004)  is being prepared  It may 
be appropriate  to revise the wording  of the Action  Plan, to make  it quite clear 
that  the  Regulation  covers  not  only  "European"  genetic  resources  but  also' 
their  wild  relatives. 

B.2.2  Plant  genetic  resources; The  international  context 

The  development  of  actions  on  plant  and  animal  genetic  resources  in  the 
Member States during  the period under  review  has been largely  conditioned 
by  the  preparations  for  the  FAO World  Technical  Conference  on  Plant ge 
netic  Resources  for  Food  and  Agriculture  (Leipzig, June  1996;  preparatory 
meeting  of  the  European  Region  Nitra,  Slovakia,  September  1995).  For  the 
Nitra  meeting  each-Member  State  prepared  an  extensive  survey  of  the  na 
tional  situation  regarding  plant  genetic  resources,  their  conservation  and 
utilisation.  The  Commission  produced  and  distributed  a List of  European 
Union  Legislation  in  the  Area  of  Plant  Genetic  Resources.  The  following 
account  is  drawn  heavily.from  those  surveys,  and  from  the  summary  pre 
pared  for  Nitra  by  the  services  of  the  International  Board  of  Plant  Genetic 
Resources. 

Two  international  meetings  at  the  end  of  the  period  under  review  also 
conditioned  national  thinking.  These  meetings  were  the  third  Conference 
of  the  Parries  to  the  Convention  on  Biodiversity,  which  discussed  agricul 
tural biodiversity (Buenos Aires, November  1996) and  the meeting "L'Europe 
rurale  en  l'an  2000;  le  development  rural  intègre,  enjeu  politique  majeur" 
(Cork,  November  1996),  which  announced  a  ten  point  rural  development 
programme  for  the  European  Union, including,  inter  alia, (Point 4) "Policies 
should  promote  rural  development  which  sustains  the quality  and  amenity 
of  Europe's  rural  landscapes  (natural  resources,  biodiversity  and  cultural 
identity)". 

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B  APPENDIX -  THE STUDY 

B.2  Full  text 

However,  the  general  background  to  all  the  above  is  set  by  the  United 
Narions Conference  on Environment  and  Development (UNCED), which  took 
place  in Rio de Janeiro  in June  1992. 

The  "Earth  Summit"  produced  two  binding  Conventions  (The  Conven 
tion  on  Biological  Diversity,  the  Convention  on Climate  Change), and  three 
further  documents  (Agenda  21,  the  Rio  Declaration  on  Environment  and 
Development,  and  the Agreement  on  forest  principles). 

The  signatory  parries  to  the  Convention  on  Biological  Diversity  (which 
include  all  Member States,  and  the Commission) bound  themselves  to con 
serve  their  indigenous  genetic  resources,  in situ and  ex situ, to  meet  broad 
development  needs.  This  requires  the  identification  of  in situ  conservation 
sites  and,  in  the  case of  existing  ex situ  collections,  their  consolidation  and 
rationalization  into collections  representative  of available  indigenous diver 
sity and  inclusive  of other  diversity  of  potential  importance  to  the country. 
For  many  collecrions,  particularly  those  at  breeding  institutes  in  the 
Member  States,  this  means  that  they  have  to  set  priorities  for  long-term 
conservation,  and  consider  conservation  of  plant  genetic  resources  in  situ, 
both  in  the wild  in natural  habitats  and  through cultivation  on-farm  and  in 
gardens  and  orchards.  This  is  added  to  the  traditional  objective  of  such 
collecrions, which  is  to  support  breeding  objectives.  Therefore,  in order  to 
ensure  that  the new situation  established  by the Convention on Biological Di 
versity  is fully  coordinated  in  the  Member  States, it would seem  useful  that 
curators  of collections in the Member States should meet to consider  together 
how  these  new  internationally-determined  priorities.can  best be  met. 

The FAO Fourth  International  Technical Conference  on Plant Genetic Re 
sources  (Leipzig  Germany  14-23 June  1996)  produced  a "Leipzig  Declara 
tion",  it  agreed  to  the  publication  of  a  "Report  on  the  State  of  the  World's 
Plant Generic Resources for Food and Agriculture", and it approved  a "Global 
Plan  of  Action  on  Plant  Genetic  Resources  for  Food  and  Agriculture".  The 
Plan comprises  a series of recommendations  for priority activities,  arranged 
in  four  sections: 

•  In situ  conservation  and  development 

•  Ex situ  conservation 

•  Utilization  of  plant  genetic  resources 

•  Institutions  and  capacity  building 

The  Plan is to be implemented  by individual  Member States.  As will be seen 
below, the  Member States  are  actively  engaged  in all the  above  activities.  In 
view  of  the  importance  of  the  Global Plan of Action, and  the  engagements 
undertaken  at Leipzig by the Member  States,  it is appropriate  that  the  imple 
mentation  of the Plan in the Member  States should be placed as a  permanent 
item  on  the  agenda  of  the  Committee  for  Genetic Resources in  Agriculture, 
for  consideration  and  discussion. 

One  of  the  first  steps  in  order  to  meet  international  obligations  under 
the  Biodiversity  Convention  and  the  Global  Plan of Action  is  the  process  of 
defining,  rationalizing  and  consolidating  national  collections.  This  is  cur 
rently  underway  in  several  Member  States.  There  is still  a lack  of  national 
inventories  of  the  generic  diversity,  either  that  which  exists  in  the  coun 
try  (in  situ)  and  that  which  exists  in  national  collections  (e.v  situ).  Such 

xvi 

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B  APPENDIX -  THE STUDY 

inventories  are  helpful  for  conservation  programmes  that are effective  and 
economic,  and  are  among  the  obligations  to  the  Convention  and  Agenda 
21.  A decentralised  or  distributed  database  offers  universal  access  with 
decentralised  maintenance,  and  it enables  solutions  to the traditional  prob 
lems  of  centralised  databases  (compilation  costs,  risk  of duplication  of  ef 
fort).  Therefore,  in  the  context  of  defining,  rationalizing  and  consolidating 
national  collections  in  the  Member  States,  it  is time  to consider whether  the 
information  technology  developed  for  the  World  Wide Web,  could be used  to 
achieve  a comprehensive  system  of  distributed,  public-domain  databases  of 
plant  genetic  resources  in  Europe.  The  chief  issues  in realising  this  poten 
tial are  (he development  of data  standards,  and  the establishment  of  quality 
control  procedures 

The  Biodiversity  Convention  has  necessitated  the  revision  of  the  agree 
ment  regarding  access  to  genetic  resources.  Negotiations  are  currently 
underway  in  the  FAO  Commission  on  Genetic  Resources.  Member  States 
are  agreed  that  internationally  agreed  and  universally  implemented  access 
agreements  are  crucial  to  the  effective  conservation  and  durable  utilisation 
of  plant  genetic  resources  for  agriculture.  If a strong  European presence  is 
not  maintained  in all forums  where  international  access agreements  are  ne 
gotiated,  there  is a real  risk that  the genetic  resources  held in Europe will lose 
their  utility not  only  to Europe but  also to the  world. 

B.2.3  PlaDt genetic  resources:  International  partnerships  • 

Before  the  Regulation  1467/94  was  adopted,  many  of  the  plant  genetic  re 
sources  experts  in  the  Member  State  were  accustomed  to  collaborate  to 
gether  bilaterally,  and  in  international  fora  such  as  the  Nordic  Gene  Bank, 
ESCORENA, EUFOR-GEN, WANA-NET, and  ECP/GR. 

During  the  1980's  the  Commission  worked  with  ECP/GR (European  Co 
operative  Programme  for  Crop  Genetic  Resources  Networks)  to  facilitate 
regional  collaboration  of  experts  in  plant  genetic  resources.  This  resulted 
in a number  of joint  Commission  /  IBPGR publications  on plant  descriptors. 
The  IBPGR  "networking"  has  continued  in  a  series  of  collaborative  initia 
tives  in  the  period  under  review.  In  1994,  ECP/GR  entered  its  fifth  5 year 
phase.  Seven  working  groups  are  active  (Allium,  Avena,  Barley,  Brassica, 
Forages,  Prunus  and  Grain  Legumes).  The  initiation  of  further  groups  is 
under  discussion  (namely  concerning  wheat,  and  Malus).  The  ECP/GR  ac 
tivates  correspond  to  Commission  "concerted  actions",  and  funds  are  not 
available  from  ECP/GR for  new work.  But actions which have developed  un 
der  ECP/GR have  resulted  in successful  submissions  from  EC partnerships 
for  funding  of  conservation  activities  under  1467/94  (Allium, Prunus)  and 
also for funding  of  research activities  under  the FAIR programme (Brassicas, 
Grain  Legumes) 

The  European  System  of  Cooperative  Research  Networks  in  Agriculture 
(ESCORENA) was established  by FAO in  1974  on  the  recommendation  of  the 
European  Commission  on  Agriculture  (1972).  Within  this  programme  10 
crop-specific  networks  and  three ad  hoc research  groups are currently  oper 
ational, dealing  to a varying  degree  with  the  problems  of genetic  resources. 
A project  on olive  genetic  resources  was developed  by an  ESCORENA  part 
nership, and  subsequently  submitted  to and  selected  in the Second  call  for 
Proposals  (see  section  A.2.7 above,  page ix). 

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(,!,•  2-J.sVnvrO  ,,.„.. 

,  . 

B  APPENDIX  -  THE STUDY 

B2 

Full  text 

The  European  Forest  Genetic  Resources  Programme  (EUFORGEN) was  es 
tablished  in  1994  following  the  recommendation  of  the  Ministerial  Confer 
ence  on  the  Protection  of  Forests  in  Europe  in  Helsinki  (1993).  The  main 
tasks  of  EUFORGEN  are  to  coordinate  and  promote  the  in situ  and  ex  situ 
conservation  of  forest  genetic  resources  in  Europe  and  the  exchange  of  ex 
pertise  and  information.  The  Programme  is  coordinated  by  IPGRJ  in  close 
collaboration  with  the  Forestry  Department  of  FAO.  Pilot'networks  have 
been  established  for  Norway  spruce  (Picea  abies),  cork  oak  (Qiiercus  suber), 
black  poplar  (Populus  nigra)  and  noble  hardwoods. 

in  order  to  achieve 

In view  of the  activities  of European  genetic  resources  experts  in  ESCORENA, 
' 

that  the  management  of  1467/94 
in other 

EUFORGEN, etc,  it  would  seem  advisable 
should  maintain  regular  contacts  with  its homologues 
international 
the  maximum  synergy  and  added  value. 
programmes, 
A  special  effort  should  be  made  to  launch  activities  under  1467/94  to  cover 
promising  areas  that  are  currently  neglected  in other  international  fora,  such 
as  minor  crops,  and  industrial  crops.  Coverage  is also  needed  for  neglected 
sectorial  subjects,  such  as  facilitating  dialogues  between  curators  of  plant 
collections  and  users. 

B.2.4  Plant  genetic  resources:  National  partnerships 

The  Biodiversity  Convention  requires  countries  to  put  into  place  the  nec 
essary  legislation  and  policy  for  the  conservation,  sustainable  use  and  ac 
cessibility  of  plant  genetic  resources  at  national  and  international  levels. 
In  the  Leipzig  Declaration  Uune,  1992),  Member  States  engaged  themselves 
to establish  National  Programmes  for  plant  genetic  resources  in  agriculture. 
Such  programmes  will  include  all  relevant  partners  from  various  competent 
ministries,  research  institutes,  universities,  private  partners  and  NGOs.  Na 
tional  programmes  may  need  an  adequate  legal  basis  and  an  appropriate 
framework  and  mechanism  of  coordination  in order  to avoid  duplication  of 
efforts,  to  make  best  use  of  the  available  resources,  and  to  facilitate  par 
ticipation  in  international  collaborative  work.  European  coordination  and 
in  order  to  enable  Member  States  ensure  (hat  National 
linking  is  required, 
Programmes  make  best  use  of  the  available 
re 
sources. 

financial  and  bureaucratic 

Many  non-governmental  organizations  (NGOs)  are  actively  involved  in 

conservation  and  sustainable  use  of  plant  genetic  resources.  There  is an  in 
creasing  tendency  to  link  government  departments  and  institutions  in  part 
nerships  with  NGOs  in  national  programmes.  The  informal  sector,  includ 
ing NGOs. farmers  associations  and  various  other  types  of associations,  may 
also  play  an  important,  and  often  a complementary,  role  in  the  conservation 
and  sustainable  use  of  PGR. Links  between  the  formal  and  informal  sectors 
need  to be  encouraged.  Plant  breeders,  plant  physiologists  and  biochemists, 
and  other  users.of  germplasm  play  an  important  role  in  the  process  of  con 
servation,  as  well  as  utilisation  of  plant  genetic  resources.  Collaboration 
improved, 
between  the  genebanks  and  (heir  potential  users  should  be further 
so as to profit  from  the  diverse  contributions  available  from  scientists, 
farmer 
and  consumers. 

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B  APPENDIX -  THE STUDY 

B.2.5  Plant  genetic  resources:  In  situ  conservation 

All  Member  States  have  measures  in  place  to  protect  specific  habitats  and 
specific  species.  This  enables  conservation  of  ecosystem  and  species.  All 
Member  States  have  areas  of  forest,  other  natural  vegetation  and  specific 
habitats,  protected  under  legislation.  Most  Member  States  have  surveyed 
and  identified  endangered  native  species,  drawn  up  'red  lists'  and  put  in 
place  measures  to  protect  these  species  and  the  habitats  where  they grow. 
The  forest  species  relatively  well  protected  in  this  way.  Less  attention 
has been paid  to in situ  and on-farm  conservation  of plant genetic resources 
for  food  and  agriculture  (PGRFÀ).  Only'a  lew  countries  have  specifically 
surveyed  the  status  of  wild  species  related  to  crops2. 

A foreseeable  development  is  that  countries  may  decide  to  designate 
protected  areas  simply  to  conserve  plant  genetic  resources  for  food  and 
agriculture  in situ.  Methodologies  appropriate  for  in situ  conservation, doc-
u mentation  and  utilization  of agricultural  plant  species need to be developed, 
so that full advantage  can  be taken  of the move  towards  in situ  conservation. 
In the  period  under  review  there  has  been  an  increase  in public  interest 
in  the "greening" of  agriculture  through  the use of  more  traditional  organic, 
and  integrated  farming  systems.  It  is  often  claimed  that  agricultural  lan 
draces  and  old  varieties  are  better  adapted  to  low  input,  sustainable  and 
environmentally  friendly  farming.  In  order  to  respond  effectively  to public, 
and  market,  interest,  old, and riew, cultivars,  need  to be evaluated  in order to 
test the claimed  adaptedness  of old varieties.  Measures  may then be required 
to exploit and  thereby  conserve  landraces  and  old cultivars  in situ  on-farm. 
Non-governmental  organizations  are particularly  active in promoting  the 
conservation  and  use of  local crops  and  varieties.  In several  Member States, 
agricultural  folk  museums  are  prominent  in  maintaining  and  making avail 
able  the  landraces  and  old  cultivars.  More  help  is required  to ensure  that 
expertise of agricultural  museums  and  other  in situ  conservationist  is incor 
porated  in  1467/94  projects. 

B.2.6  Plant  genetic  resources:  Ex  situ  conservation 

Ex-situ conservation  is usually  the  best,  and  often  the  only, way of  assuring 
long term survival  of  particular  germplasm, There  is no doubt  that  many old 
varieties  are  disappearing  from  farms.  Italy,  for  example,  reported  to  the 
Nitra Conference,  that  out of 41 farms  growing  landraces  of forage  legumes 
in  the  1970s,  only  one  now  carries  through  this  activity.  Among  species 
reportedly  under  threat  of  erosion  are  both  cultivated  (e.g.  lentils,  chick 
peas)  and  naturally  occurring  crops  (e.g.  Artemisia  granatensis,  Satureja 
spp.,  Thymus  spp.,  Beta  maritima.  Siderids  spp.,  Origanum  spp..  Nepeta 
cataria,  Digitalis  lanata,  Astragalus  dasynlhus,  Calamintha  nepeta).  Most 
of  the seed  material  that  has  disappeared  from  farms  has been collected  in 
ex-situ collections.  Attention  needs  to be paid  to the safety  of stored  material 
over  the long  term. 

The  following  is  a  list  of  ex  situ  base  collections  of  seed  crops  located 
in  Europe  for  which  agreements  were  made  with  IPGRl (then  IBPGR) for  the 
long-term  conservation  of  crop  gencpools: 

2sce  "A catalogue  of  the  ^nld  relatives  of  cultivated  p l a n ts  native  to  Europe",  by  Vernon  H 
Heyvvood  and  Daniel  Zohary.  published  in  flora  Meditcrranea.  volume  5,  pages  3 75  to  «11 5 • 

Regulation  1467/94 

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B  APPENDIX -  THE STUDY 

B.2  Full  text 

Belgium  Jardin  Botanic  National  de  Belgique,  Meise; Wild  Phaseolus spp., 

Wild  Vigna spp. 

France  INRA - CIRAD, Corsica;  Citrus  and  related  species  Regional:  Africa 

+ Mediterranean  (field  genebank) 

France  CIRAD-CA, Montpellier;  Gossypium  spp. 

Germany  Institut  fuer  Pflanzen-zuechtung  und  Kultur-pfianzenforshung, 

Gatersleben;  Lycopersicon spp.  Lupinus spp. 

Germany  Institut fuer  Pflanzenbati (FAL), Braunschweig - Voelkenode; A vena 
spp.  Beta spp.  Brassica  carinata,  B.campestris,  B.juncea,  B.napus,-
Sinapis  spp., Phaseolus spp. 

Greece  Greek Gene Bank. Thessaloniki;  Brassica,  Nicotiana, Beta spp. 

Italy  Germplasm  Institute  (CNR). Bari; Wheats 

The Netherlands  Centre for Genetic Resources, (CGN); Wageningen Lettuce, 
Allium  cepa, A.ampeloprasum,  Wild Allium spp., Capsicum spp.,  Bras 
sica oleracea, Solanum  melongena 

Portugal  Portuguese Gene  Bank, Braga; Maize 

Spain  Universidad  Politecnica, Madrid;  Wild relatives  of cruciferous  crops 

Spain  INIA, Madrid;  Citrus and wild  species  Cucun)is spp., Citrullus spp. 

* 

Sweden  Nordic Gene Bank (NGB), Alnarp; Pisum spp., Hordeum spp.,  Avena 

spp..  Secale spp., Beta spp. 

United  Kingdom  Royal Botanic Garden (RBG), Kew; Tn'/b/i'um spp.  Cenchrus 

spp.,  Digitaria spp.,  Lotononis spp". 

United  Kingdom  Horticulture  Research  International  (HRI), Wellesbourne; 
Carrot,  Brassica oleracea,  B.campestris,  B.juncea, B.napus,  Raphanus 
spp., Allium  spp., Beta spp. 

In  general,  the  level  of  safety  duplication  of  collections  in  Europe  is 
difficult  to judge.  Much  of  the  material,  particularly  in  some  of  the  east 
ern  European collections, is advanced  cultivars which are common  to  many 
genebanks.  However, only a few programmes  have, as yet, identified  unique 
holdings  and  ensured  their  safety  duplication.  This  means  that  important 
accessions  are at some risk.  Rationalisation  and safety  duplication is a  mat 
ter  of  priority.  (It is, moreover,  a  key  requirement  which  is placed  on  all > 
relevant  projects under  1467/94). 

There  is some concern  over  the  fate  of germplasm  material  which  is  no 
longer of  direct  interest  to breeders:  it  is suggested  that  there  is a risk  that 
material  which  finds  no  immediate  may  be  neglected  by  conservationists. 
A more  coordinated approach  in this area  is needed; it is part of the  require 
ments  in every project under  1467/94. 

Material which is readily  available  elsewhere does not need  to "be held  at 
all.  Methodologies and agreements  need  to be developed  and  implemented, 
to  identify  and  eliminate  duplicate,  accessions.  Some curators  have  identi 
fied significant  gaps  in  their collections  and  indicate'that  collecting  has  to 

XX 

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B.2  Full text 

B  APPENDIX -  THE STUDY 

be carried  out.  But good  management  requires  that  before  engaging  in  fur 
ther collecting,  the  material  already  collected  should first be inventoried.  In 
order  to confirm  that  the apparent  "gaps" in collections are real, and  impor 
tant,  better  tests  of provenance  and  relatedness  are required.  It is  important 
to note  (hat  all collecting  must  respect  the  international  obligations imposed 
by  the  Convention  on  Biodiversity.  This  is particularly  important  where  (he 
collected genetic  resources  may  leave  the country  of origin. 

Many Member  States  are  recognizing  the  need  to  restrict  the  size  of  na 
tional collections; either  by concentrating  on a "core" collection, or by limit 
ing  the collection  to germplasm  originating  jn  the country and  of  particular 
value  to  it. 

Some preserved  germplasm  may be at risk  through  low viability.  Regula 
tion  1467/94  allows  the  regeneration  of  material  as an eleigible  expense  in 
shared  cost  actions.  Experience  in the  Member  States  suggests that  method 
ologies for regeneration  of germplasm  respecting  the genetic integrity  of the 
accessions still need  to be improved,  especially  for  outcrossing species. 

B.2.7  Plant  genetic  resources:  Characterisation 

Characterization  and  evaluation  are  essential  to  make  the  resources  more 
immediately  useful.  These  tasks  require  substantial  inputs.  There is a need 
to  increase  the  use  of  rapid  and  cheap  evaluation  tools, using  biochemical 
and  molecular  techniques  for germplasm  characterization,  Training in these 
modern  techniques  may  need  to be developed  and offered. 

Potential  users of germ  plasm collections  need  to be able to find  the data 
they are  looking  for.  At present,  only a few collections  have a complete  and 
convivial  documentation  system,  but  with  the  development  of  technology 
for  the  internet  /  World  Wide Web,  the  necessary  tools  are becoming  avail 
able. 

It seems  that  almost  each  germ  plasm  collection  has  its own system  for 
storing  the  results  of  characterisatation.  Some  argue  for  the  centralised 
harmonization  of documentation  systems  at both  national  and  Community 
level.  However,  as  noted  above,  it  seems  more  cost  effective  to  adopt  a 
distributed,  decentralised  model, which  offers  universal  access with  decen 
tralised  maintenance,  and  less  duplication  of  effort).  The  chief  issues  in 
realising  this  potential  arc  the  development  of  data  standards,  and  the  es 
tablishment  of  quality  control  procedures.  Because  all databases  used  in 
1467/94  projects  need  to be able  to exchange  data,  in the interests  of Euro 
pean  solidarity,  work  may  be needed  on data  standards. 

B.2.S  Plant  genetic  resources:  Utilisation 

No  country  is  self-sufficient  in  PGR  nor  can  all  countries  accumulate  re 
sources  which  would  satisfy  all  their  needs.  This  means  that  Member  State . 
experts  need  to collaborate  at local, regional  and  international  levels.  In any 
collaboration  bet^veen  Member  States,  quarantine  rules  for  the  safe  move 
ment  of germplasm  need  to be scrupulously  obeyed. 

The  level  of  utilization  of  PGR  stored  in  genebanks  is  difficult  to  as 
sess.  There  is  a general  lack  of  feedback  documentation  on  the  final  use of 
to  collect 
t he  d i s t r i b u t ed  m a t e r i a l.  Cancbank  managers 

to  be  helped 

need 

Reaulation  1467/94 

>CX_i 
wi 

111,'  ?4K6v,>rO  »..» .. 

.  .. 

, 

--.-

B  APPENDIX -  THE STUDY 

B.2  Full  text 

data  from  the  users  of  their  collections.  This is an  eligible  cost  in  1467/94 
projects. 

In  order  to  produce  crops  less  dependent  on  chemical  products,  plant 
breeders  are  searching  for  resistance  to abiotic  stress  (e.g.  drought,  cold), 
resistance  to  biotic  stress  (e.g.  diseases,  pests),'quality  traits,  and  better 
use  of  inputs  without  detriment  to  income. There is a growing demand  for 
a wider  choice  and  variety  of  horticultural  crops and  agricultural  products, 
for which diversity  in taste, colour,  nutritional values and  earliness/lateness 
is  highly  valued  by  the  market.  The  characteristics required  by  consumers 
may  be found  in germplasm  collections;  the need  is to make  the search  as 
quick  and  efficient  as  possible. 

Recent  years  have  seen  the  development  of  rapid  chemical  methods  to 
measure  genetic  characteristics,  and  of  biométrie  methods  of  handling  the 
resulting  data  sets.  The  resulting  calculation  of  the  "genetic distance"  be 
tween  accessions  can  be  used  to  identify  a  small  subset  or  "core"  which 
contains  a large  proportion  of  the  total variability of all the accessions.  It is 
then  possible  to characterization  and  evaluate  the "core" collection,  know 
ing  that  most  of  the  variability  has  been  sampled.  The  establishment  of 
core  collections  is  one  means  of  simplifying  access  to  the  wider  diversity 
in  collections.  This  cost-effective  approach  to documenting  collections  is 
being  pursued  in  a  number  of  centres.  The practical pros and  cons  of  the 
"core" collection approach  need  to  be evaluated.  Training  in (he  approach 
may*need  to be  developed. 

Public  interest  in  underutilized  crops  seems  to.be  increasing.  However 
it  is  unclear  just  how  large,  and  just  how  stable,  is  the  market  for  any  of 
these new products  from  minor crops.  In order to encourage the  sustainable 
utilisation of genetic  resources,  and  to define market opportunities, costs  and 
benefits,  the  economic  and  business  aspects of genetic resources need  to  be 
studied. 

B.2.9  Animal  genetic  resources  for  agriculture:  Background 

Evidence  from  a range  of  recent  studies  shows  that  animals  are  inherently 
less diverse  than plants.  Conservation  operations for animals are both  more 
time consuming  than  they are for  plants. The resources of domestic  animals 
have  tended  to  receive  less  attention  from  conservators  than  the  resources 
of  agricultural  plants.  Thus  management  aspects  of  animal,  and  of  plant,, 
genetic  resources  are  significantly  different,  and  is sometimes  argued  that 
animals  are  relatively  "disadvantaged". 

B.2.10  Animal genetic  resources:  International  context 

The United Nations Conference  on  Environment and Development, at  Rio de 
Janeiro  in June  1992.  adopted  a  number  of documents  including  "Agenda 
21".  Chapter  14 of  Agenda  21. entitled  "promoting  sustainable  agriculture 
and  rural development"  notes that  animal genetic resources are under  threat 
and  recommends  that  vocal  animal  breeds  with  their  specific  adaptations 
and  disease  resistances  should  be  preserved.  It goes on  to  state  that  a  10 
year  programme  of  action  is  needed  for  the  description  of  all  breeds  of 
livestock  and  it calls  for  programmes  to  be established  to preserve  breeds 

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B  APPENDIX -  THE STUDY 

at  risk  and  to  develop  measures  for  the  survival  and  development  of  in 
digenous  animal  breeds.  Endangered  animal  species  should  be  identified, 
it  suggests. 

Agenda  21  created  the  United  Nations  Commission  on  Sustainable  De 
velopment  but  the  Agenda  itself  is  not  a  legal  agreement  or  instrument. 
Governments  and  other  agencies  are  free  to  pursue  its  recommendations, 
or not.  Some Member State governments  and  non governmental  bodies were 
already  pursuing  the  above  objectives  before  the  Rio meering; others  have 
begun  to implement  some  measures  more  recently.  At a concerted  level  the 
most significant  event  has been  the publicatjon  of  the "Hannover" database, 
also  known  as  the  EAAP Animal  Genetic'Data  Bank (FAAP: European  Asso 
ciation  of  Animal  Production).  This  database  corresponds  to  some  of  the 
objectives  established  by Agenda  21.  In particular  it  monitors  information 
on cattle,  sheep,  goats,  pigs  and  horses,  in  the  15 Member States  and  in  18 
other  non  member  European  countries  as  well. 

The aim  is  to watch  over  developments  and  risks, and  to encourage  use 
and  conservation  of  the genetic diversity  of  farm  animals  in Europe.  It con 
tains  information  on  a  total  of 877  breeds  of  farm  animals. 

The same  data  have been  provided  to the  Global  Databank  for  Farm An 
imal  Genetic  Resources,  being  develop  and  maintained  by  the  FAO. This 
enables  the  European  situation  to be  put  into global  perspective. 

The Member  States  are  registered  on  the  Hannover  data habeas  holding 
586 races of  farm  animals  (172  races  of cattle,  229 sheep. 52 goats, 68 pigs, 
65 horses).  The data  for  Europe  are  provided  in  the  recent  FAO publication 
"World  Watch  List  for  Domestic  Animal  Diversity"  (FAO.  19953).  Both  the 
'Hannover'  database  and  the  'FAO' database  are  now available  on  the  inter 
net,  making  available  information  from  the  Member  States.  The  FAO data 
base provides  information  by country,  by species group, by risk status  and 
in alphabetical  order  by name. 

According  to FAO, Europe possesses around  two-thirds of earth's  animal 
genetic resources  for  the chicken, duck and  goose species, half of  the cattle, 
horses and  turkeys, and  one-third  of  its goat,  pig and  quail breeds. 

In  the  Member  States,  the  estimated  numbers  of  races  are  defined  .as 
critical, endangered,  critical-maintained,  endangered-maintained  are as  fol 
lows: 

cattle 

« 13  critical 

goat 

•  15  endangered 
•  23  critical-maintained 
•  21  endangered-maintained 

•  7 critical 
•  11  endangered 
•  0  critical-maintained 
•  6  endangered-maintained 

horse/ass 

•  13 critical 
•  23  endangered 

3!SBN92-S-10  37  29-9 

X X \ V\ 

B  APPENDIX -  THE STUD Y 

• 

5.2  Full  text 

sheep 

•  6 critical-maintained 
•  10  endangered-maintained 

- 15  critical 
•  19 endangered 
•  5 critical-maintained 
•  19  endangered-maintained 

pig 

*  5 critical 

poultry 

•  4  endangered 
•  7 critical-maintained 
•  3  endangered-maintained 

•  47  critical 
•  57  endangered 
•  0  critical-maintained 
•  0  endangered-maintained 

B.2.11  Ajoimal genetic  resources:  International  developments 

Although  domestic  animal diversity  was  recognised  as  an  important  com 
ponent  of  global  biodiversity  by  the  United  Nations  Conference  on  Envi 
ronment  and  Development  (Rio de  Janeiro June  1992),  by  the  Biodiversity 
Convention  and  by  Agenda  21,  formal  international  activities  on  the  con 
servation  of  animal  genetic  resources  for  agriculture  are  still  very  sparse 
compared  with  those  on  plant  generic  resources.  This  is  not  to  neglect 
the  informal  activities  of  workers  on  animal  genetic  resources,  who  have 
worked  together  across  national  boundaries  for  many year. These  contacts 
have intensified  recently with  the development,  for example, of  cooperative 
international  repositories  for  genetic  information  on  the  pig,  bovine  and 
poultry  genomes. 

At  the  formal  level,  in January  1992,  the  Commission  convened  an  ad 
hoc  group  of  experts.  Their  recommendations  ate  mentioned  at.various 
places  in  this  document.  In April  1992  FAO convened  an  International  Ex 
pert  Consultation  on  animal  genetic  resources.  The  FAO group  made  rec 
ommendations  in  four  areas; 

•  international  structures, 

•  monitoring  animal  genetic  resources  and criteria  for  prioritization  of 

threatened  breeds, 

«  breed  development  and  conservation  programmes. 

•  biotechnology 

These  recommendations  are  to  be  implemented  by FAO under  the  aegis 
of  the  Genetic  Resources  Commission.  The  Commission,  and  the  Member 
States, are full members of the Commission.  Little has been discussed as yet. 
It may  be appropriate  and  timely  to launch  a European Expert Consultation 
on  (he Management  of Animal  Genetic  Resources, based  on the needs  of  the 

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B  APPENDIX -  THE STUDY 

Common  Agricultural  Policy,  and  considering  also  the recommendations  of 
the  FAO experts.  The  results  of  the  consultation  should  be forwarded  to  the 
Programme  Committee  for  Genetic  Resources  in  Agriculture. 

It has  already  been  suggested  that  the  Committee  should  keep  under  re 
view  (he implementation  of the FAO Global Plan for Plant Genetic Resources. 
It  may  also  be  appropriate  to  keep  under  review  the  activities of  FAO and 
other  international  bodies in the  field  of animal  genetic  resources. 

In  any  event,  as  the  work  of  the  FAO Commission  progresses,  full  Com 

munity  coordination  will be  needed. 

In  technical  terms,  the  most  notable  event  during  the  period  under  re 
view  has  been  the  appearance  of  a  World  Watch  List  for  Domestic  Animal 
Diversity.  This  was  published  by  the  FAO  with  the  support  of  UNEP. The 
contents  of  the  database  owe considerably  to  European  work; in  particular 
the  "World  Dictionary  of  Livestock  Breeds, Types  and  Varieties", which  was 
originally  an  in-house document  of  the Commonwealth  Agricultural  Bureau 
(UK), and. later  published  by  them,  and  the  database  "Dat?bank  on  Animal 
Genetic  Diversity  in Europe", maintained  at  Hannover,  Germany,  funded  by 
the  Deutsche  Forschungsgemeinschaft,  and  organised  under  the  aegis  of 
the  European  Association  on Animal  Production  (EAAP). The EAAP has  had 
support  from  the  European  Union  for  a number  of  years.  It may be  appro 
priate  to support  actions  to enhance  the  quantity  and  quality of  the data  in 
the  EAAP database.  In fact,  a project  on  this  subject  is has been selected  in 
the  context  of  the Second  Call  for  Offers  (see  A.2.7, page  ix above). 

Member  State  governments  and  others  can  now  consult  the  FAO  and 
EAAP  databases  over  the  internet.  Because  they  are  mostly  conserved  in 
vivo,  animal  genetic  resources  are  very  much  more  evanescent  than  plant 
genetic  resources.  The databases  therefore  require  regular  monitoring  and 
reporting.  It would  seem  useful  to encourage  the persons  responsible for  the 
maintenance  of  "animal" databases  in  the  Member  States  to meet  together 
from  time  to  time. 

Member  State  governments  can  also  obtain  a copy  of  the  databank  en 
tries  for  the  animal  genetic  resources  located  in  their  territory.  It  is  some 
times  argued  that  the  endangered  status  and  concern  for  any  particular 
breed  is  already  well  known  in  the  country  concerned,  and  that  effort  on 
databanking  is misplaced.  Others  point  out  that  databanks  are  particularly 
useful  for  four  types  of  management  enquiry; 

•  what  is  the  utilisation  potential  of  any  particular  breed ? 

•  what  is  the  risk  of genetic  erosion  for  any  particular  breed ? 

•  what  is  the  urgency  of  conserving  any  particular  endangered  breeds 
(what  are its specific genetic qualifications,  its cultural  importance,  do 
similar  breeds  exist  in other  countries.  ...)  ? 

•  which  conservation  management  should  be  performed  (change  risk 

factors,  what  type  of  cryoconservation.  ...)? 

It would be useful  for experts who have  some  experience  with the FAO and 
EAAP databanks  to meet  together  as a community  of da(abase-users from  all 
Member  S(a(es,  (o consider experience  and  recommendations  for  enhancing 
tlie  value  of  (lie database  to  end-users. 

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B.2  Full  text 

B.2.12  Animal  genetic  resources:  International  partnerships 

As noted  above,  the  European  Association  on Animal  Production  (EAAP)  is 
one  of  the  very  few  international  fora  or  programmes  in which  experts  on 
animal  genetic  resources  have  become used  to working  together.  The  NGO 
sector  is  represented  by  organisations  such  as  SAVE (Safeguard  for  Agri 
cultural  Varieties  in  Europe),  and  Rare  Breeds  International.  The  Danube 
countries  collaborate  in  DAGENE (Germany and Austria  with  Czech  Repub 
lic, Slovenia. Slovakia,  Croatia,  Hungary,  Romania) 

In the general  context  of Animal  genetic resources, (he management 

of  1467/94  should  maintain  regular  contacts  with  the  other 
fora,  both  formal  and  informal. 

team 
international 

Little  cooperation  exists between  breeders  of  the same  breed  across  na 
tional  frontiers  (the  exemplary collaboration  between Austria  and  Italy  and 
also Romania,  Hungary,  Slovakia,  for  breeders  of  the  Lipizzan,  is an  excep 
tion).  Such  collaboration  is not  established  overnight.  It might  be  appropri 
ate to consider a special action under  1467/94  "accompanying measures"  for 
exchanges  between  breeders  of (he same  or closely similar breeds in  different 
countries,  with the objective of developing joint programmes  of  conservation. 

B.2.13  Ariimal genetic  resources:  National  partnerships 

Under  the  Biodiversity Convention,  "States  have sovereignty over  their  own 
biological  resources",  and  are  responsible  for  "conserving  their  biological 
diversity  and  for  using  their  biological  diversity  in a sustainable  manner". 
Thus, both  under  the  Biodiversity  Convention, and  under  Community  rules 
of  subsidiarity,  the conservation  and  use  of animal  genetic  resources  must 
first be organised  at  local and  national  level.  We have already  noted  that  the 
Genetic Resources  committee  may  need  to keep under  review  the  activities 
of international  bodies in the field of animal genetic resources;the  committee 
should  also receive  reports from  time  to time of activities at national  level  on 
animal  genetic  resources. 

Although  some  countries  (e.g.  France, Spain) have  passed  laws  making 
conservation  fall  under  national  regulation,  and  though  several  countries 
give state  support  for  genetic  resources  preservation  (subsidies  to  owners 
of  rare  breeds,  support  of  cryopreservation  programmes,  coordinationbf 
work  at  a  national  level),  there  is  still  relatively  little  work  coordinated  at 
the  national  level  on  the  conservation,  sustainable  use  and  accessibility  of 
animal  genetic  resources  for  agriculture. 

On  the  other  hand  national  activities  in  animal  genetic  resources  are 
well  developed  in  one  domain  in  particular;  that  is,  the  work  of  the  herd-
book  societies.  Herdbook  societies  can  be  regarded  as  industry  oriented 
organisations.  Many societies  possess  uniquely detailed  information  on  the 
genealogies  of every animal  in  the country which belongs  to their  particular 
race.  Major  breeds  tend  to rely  on  national  societies, minor  breeds  tend  to 
be supported  on  a more  local  scale. 

In  recent  years  other  NGO's.  interested  in  the  conservation  and  use  of 
animal  genetic  resources,  have  sprung  up.  and  (as  noted  below)  much  of 
the practical  work on  in situ conservation  of  the rarer animal  breeds  is  done 
by NGO's. Often  this work  is local  in character.  The Committee  should  con 
sider  whether  tliere  would be value  in encouraging  international  exchanges 

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B  APPENDIX -  THE STUDY 

between  national  breed  societies. 

B.2.14  Ajiimal  genetic  resources:  In  vivo  conservation 

Breeds  at  risk  of  extinction,  orgenes  of  a  particular  animal,  may  be  con 
served  in  the  form  of  live animals  in  their  original  location  [in situ,  in vivo), 
as  live animals  in zoo  parks  or  rescue  stations  (ex situ,  in vivo),  or as  frozen 
sperms,  oocytes  or  embryos  (in  vitro). 

In vivo conservation  satisfies  cultural  and  historical  interests, it ebnables 
gene-combinarions  to  be  preserved,  and  regeneration  time  is  the  shortest 
possible.  On  the other  hand,  in vivo conservation  is expensive,  the  material 
is  at  risk  of  inbreeding  depression  and  mutation,  and  of  fiscal  accidents. 
Some  but  not  all  countries  invoke  Regulation  2078/92,  which  is one  of  the 
Accompanying  Measures  of  the  Reform  of  the  Common  Agricultural  Policy, 
and  which  enables  payment  of  a  subsidy  to  owners  of  rare  breeds,  on  a 
headage  basis.  (It  is  appropriate  to  note  here  that  in September  1994  the 
Council discussed  some  technical aspects  of  Regulation  2078/92,  regarding 
alternative  criteria  of  rarity,  and  alternative  modalities  of  payment.)  Since 
animals  of  the same  (or very  similar)  rare  breed  may  be found  in more  than 
one  Member  State  Member  States  which  maintain  breeds  that  are  similar 
may  need  to  be  helped  to  coordinate  their  actions  at  a European  level.  For 
example,  in  the  case  where  it  is  impossible  to  conserve  all  of  a  group  of 
endangered  breeds,  their  genes  may  be  preserved  by  forming  a gene  pool 
with  random  mating  (in  botanic  terms,  a  polycross).  It may  be  appropri 
ate  to consider  whether  activities  such  as  forming  a gene  pool for  the  most 
endangered  breeds  should,  and  can,  be organized  at  European level. 

The  activities  under  2078/92  are  considered  an  important  contribution 
to in vivo conservation.  In other  respects  than  207S/92,  in vivo  conservation 
of  individual  local breeds  in individual  Member  States  is considered  to be an 
action  for  Member  States  alone. 

B.2.15  Animal  genetic  resources:  7/7 vitro  conservation 

In  vitro  conservation  enables  a  high  proportion  of  genetic  diversity  to  be 
preserved  indefinitely;  it facilitates  managed  breeding programmes, it main 
tains genepools against  introgression  (cross-breeding) and genetic drift,  and 
it  maintains  the  potential  for  applying  new  technologies.  Some  insist  on 
the  need  for  the  conservation  of  oocytes,  or  embryos,  or  for  conservation 
in  situ.  But  it  is  generally  agreed  that  the  collection  and  storage  of  semen 
from  a  number  of  sires  is  the  simplest,  least  expensive  and  most  effective 
method  of  genetic  conservation  for  animal  genetic  resources.  It provides  a 
safeguard  against  genetic  erosion; both  in minor  and  in  the most  numerous 
breeds. 

The  latest  figures  for  in vitro conservation  of  rare  or endangered  breeds 

in  Europe  are  as  follows  (data  from  the  EAAP databank): 

Cattle  Total  of  232  breeds  noted  in  the  Member  States,  semen  stored  for 

65% of  71 breeds  regarded  as  endangered 

Sheep  Total  of  2S3  breeds  noted  in  the  Member  States,  semen  stored  for 

11% of  5 1 breeds  regarded  as  endangered 

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Pigs  Total  of  73 breeds  noted  in  the  Member States,  semen  stored  for 23% 

of  30 breeds  regarded  as  endangered 

In  many  cases,  only  a  few  males  have  been  sampled.  Only  for  5% of  all 
breeds have samples been obtained  from  more than 25 males; 25 is regarded 
by  many  experts  as  an  absolute  minum.  It  is  to  be  noted,  moreover,  that 
geographical  Europe  comes  first  in  the World  tables  for  numbers  of  breeds 
of  cattle,  goat,  horse  and  sheep.  (The  EAAP database  notes  76  breeds  of 
goat,  110 breeds  of  horse,  in  the  Member States). 

This suggests that  there is urgent need for action in Europe to ensure  that 
semen  has been stored  from  a signficant  number (more than  20) of distantly-
related  males of each endangered  and distinct breed of cattel. sheep and  pig. 
It is not necessary  to conserve sperm from  every male, nor yet from  every 
breed;  to be a candidate  for conservation,  a breed  needs  to be considered  as 
genetically  unique.  Member  States  which  maintain  breeds  that  are  similar 
may  need  to  be  helped  to  coordinate  their  actions  at  a  European  level.  In 
other  respects,  in  vitro  conservation  of  local breeds  is considered  to  be  an 
action  for Member  States  themselves  to undertake  in the first place. 

Many  of  the  animal  breeds  currently  found  overseas  are  European  in 
origin.  For example,  the  cattle  that  settlers  took  to Latin America  had  their 
origin  in  the  Iberian  peninsula.  Actions  on  "European" breeds should  take 
into consideration,  as appropriate,  the results of genetic  distancing  work  on 
related  work on related  breeds  in other  countries. 

Ex situ conservation  raises  some questions, as yet unresolved,  regarding 
rights  of  access,  ownership  of  offspring,  and  legititmate  rights  and  owner 
ship  of  intellectual  property  incorporated  in any given  genome.  In view  of 
the current  difficult  international  discussions on access to and  ownership  of 
plant  genetic  resources,  it would  be  wise for  (he Union to establish a  unified 
position  on animal  genetic  resources,  pre-emplively. 

B.2.16  Animal  genetic  resources:  Characterisation 

In  January  1992,  the  Commission  convened  an  ad-hoc  group  of  experts. 
They  identified  in  particular  the  need  for  research  on  genetic  distancing 
and  mapping.  During  the  period  under  review  the  technologies  have  be 
come  considerably  more  effective.  The  long  term  goal, so  far  as  Conserva 
tion is concerned,  is to investigate  the extent  to which  two breeds  may share 
a  common  DNA heritage.  The  characterising  of genetic  distance  sharpens 
the scientific  rigour of choosing  which breeds  should  be preserved.  Genetic 
distance  mapping  is an  important  activity,  to follow on  the primary  charac 
terisation of each animal  breed.  The resulting data need to be made  available 
in the  databases. 

Some  of  the  rare  breeds  are  claimed  to  be  uniquely  adapted  to  their 
particular  environment,  or  to  have  a  general  "hardiness".  The  databases 
should  contain  such  information,  but  it  is important  to indicate  the  degree 
of  fiabilily,  from  anecdotal,  via  farmer-tested  experience,  to  replicated  tri 
als,  including  on-farm  trials.  While  characterising  is  an  important  activity 
under  1467/94. research  work  to  test  some  particular  hypothesis  is not  el 
igible.  It may  be appropriate  to consider  supporting  under  the  Framework 
Programme,  research  to test anecdotal  reports of adaptability  (etc) of  partic 
ular  rare  breeds. 

xxviu 

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B  APPENDIX  -  THE  STUDY 

Council  Directive  77/504/EEC  of  25 July  1977 (OJ No L 206,  12. 8.  1977 
p.  8)  (as  modified  by  Commission  Decision  of  27 July  1994,  OJ  L 207/30 
10.8.94, and  earlier)  lays down  performance  monitoring  methods and  meth 
ods for assessing cattle's generic value for pure-bred  breeding animals of the 
bovine species.  The data are to be collected  and  published by approved  bod 
ies in each  Member State.  Community  inventories  supported  under  1467/94 
do  not  need  to incorporate  the data  that  are  available  on genetic  values,  but 
they  do  need  to provide  pointers  to where  such  results  can be  found. 

Genome  mapping  may eventually  lead  to the  isolation  of DNA sequences 
that  code  for  particular  traits  that  constitute  "hardiness", such as  tolerance 
to  parasites.  Indeed,  work  is  already, under  way  in  these  areas.  There  is 
no  need  to  incorporate  the  results  of  work  on  genome  mapping  into  Com 
munity  inventories  supported  under  1467/94  , but  it is important  that  these 
* 
databases  provide  pointers  to where  such  results  can  be found. 

B.2.17  Animal genetic resources:  Utilisation 

All  Member  States  have  already  undertaken,  as  signatories  of  the  Conven 
tion on Biological diversity (June 1992), to developnational  strategies,  plans 
or programmes  for  the conservation  and sustainable  use of biological diver» 
sity,  including  agricultural  biodiversity.  Regulation  1467/94  is  part  of  this 
planning  in  the  European  Union, covering  animal  genetic  resources  as  well 
as  plant  genetic  resources. 

It  is convenient  to classify  the  utilisation  of  animal  genetic .resources in 

an  ascending  scale  of  economic  worthiness; 

•  Culture  in  the  broadest  sense  (e.g.  farm  park  and  touristic  activities) 

•  Environmental  preservation  (e.g.  animals  as  grazer-maintainers  of 

firebreaks  in  forests) 

•'  Quality of product  (e.g.  Reggiana cattle  for  the production  of  Parmesan 

cheese) 

•  Diversity of product (e.g.  the recent appearance  in supermarkets of  the 
meat of game animals, and of exotic animals such as ostrich,  crocodile) 

•  Production  in  particular  environments  (e.g.  North  Ronaldsay  sheep, 
adapted  to  life  on  the  shoreline  and  a diet  of  seaweed).  Minor  breeds 
may be  used  either  in  their  own  rights,  or  in  a breeding  scheme,  pro 
viding  one  half  or  one  quarter  of  the  genome  of  the  final  productive 
animal. 

While  the  animal's  owner  is well aware  of  the  particular  characteristics  and 
utilisation  potential  of  that  breed,  the  information  is  not  always  diffused 
and  classified  in the  standard  literature.  There  may  be a need to collect, test 
and  diffuse  anecdotal  information  on agriculturally  useful characteristics  of 
rare  breeds,  and  to encourage  formal  tests of such  claims. 

B.2.18  Special  characteristics  of  animal  genetic  resources 

There  has  been  some  criticism,  in  the  case  of  animal  projects,  of  the  step 
wise  procession  of  the  work  in  1-167/9-1  through  6  obligatory  steps;  it  is 

Reaulation  1467/94 

XXvXs 
xxix 

HuÈÊÊÉÈÊÈÊÈÊÊUtÊÊtUmÊm 

B  APPENDIX -  THE STUDY 

B.2  Full  text 

argued  that  these  are  not  appropriate  in animal  work.  When  the  point  was 
discussed  in  the  Programme  Committee  it was  pointed  out  that  the  objec 
tive of the Council Regulation  in imposing the "steps" is to ensure  that  every 
project  should  proceed  in a coordinated  and  coherent  fashion.  The  "steps" 
laid down  in the  Work Programme  of 1467/94 should  not  be changed  in  any 
future  revision, if this would be to the detriment of good project  management. 
The  committee  has  also  discussed  the observation  that.  In  the  member 
states,  the work  of  NGOs is very important  for Genetic  Resource  conserva 
tion.  This position was contrasted  with the low level of NGO participation  in 
this Programme.  It may  be appropriate  to make particular  use of the  accom 
panying  measures  of 1467/94  to help NGOs to coordinate  in the  preparation 
of proposals  to 1-467/94. 

The  Committee  has  also  debated  the  the  needs,  and  the  difficulties,  of 
management of genetic resources across national borders.  Clearly, trans na 
tional  cooperation  is much  easier  on endangered  varieties  of  plants  than'it 
is on endangered  races of farm  animals.  The creation  and  updating of an in 
ventory of animal  races in Europe, with full details of  the current  number of 
breeding males and  females, should be a useful first step (see A.2.7, page ix); 
it may  next  be appropriate  to convene  a discussion meeting  on  trans-border 
aspects  of the  management  of animal  genetic resources'for  agriculture  (ob 
servations  requested  from  Member  States  at  the  last  meetinq,  16  October 
1996). 

XXX 

Regulation 

1467/94 

C  APPENDIX - PUBLICATIONS 

C  Publications in the Official  Journal 

C.l  Regulation  1467/94  (OJ L159  pi  of  28.06.94) 

The  text  of  the  Regulation  is attached  in annex  C.I. 

C.2  Work Programme and additional information  for  proposers 

of  concerted  action and  shared  cost  action 

The  text  of  the  Information  Package  is attached  in annex C.2. 

C.3  First  CaU for  Proposals  (OJ C36S  p24  of  23.12.94) 

The  text  of  the Official  Journal  is attached  in  annex C.3. 

C.4  Second  Call for  Proposals  (OJ C114  p21  of  19.04.96) 

The  text  of  the Official  Journal  is attached  in  annex  C.4. 

Regulation  1467/94 

xxxi 

D  APPENDIX -  DECLARATIONS BY EU. 

D  Declarations by the European Union 

D. 1  Declaration of the European Corrimunity at the FAO prepara 

tory  meeting  of  the  European  Region,  Nitra.  Slovakia 
(Sept.  1995) 

The  text  is attached  in annex  D.i. 

D.2  Declaration  of  the  European  Community  at  the  Second 
extraordinary  meeting  of  the  FAO  Corrtmission  on  Ge 
netic  Resources,  Rome  (March  1996) 

The text is attached in annex D.2. 

D.3  Declaration of the European Community at Leipzig  (June 

1996) 

The  text  is attached  in annex D.3. 

D.4  A preliminary  List  of  European  Union  Legislation  in  the 

area  of  Plant  Genetic  Resources 

The text is attached in annex D.4. 

m 

xxxii 

Regulation  1467/94 

ISSN 0254-1475 

COM(97) 327  final 

DOCUMENTS 

EN 

03  15 

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ISBN  92-78-21751-4 

Office  for  Official  Publications of the European  Communities 

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