WRITTEN QUESTION No. 1264/98 by Ernesto CACCAVALE to the Commission. Recovery and protection of remaining Italian varieties of hemp
Date: 1998-04-29
Institutions: CACCAVALE, European Parliament
Subjects: Italy, action programme, agricultural situation, biotechnology, exploitation of resources, hemp, management of resources

C 31/28

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

5.2.1999

(1999/C 31/034)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1264/98

by Ernesto Caccavale (UPE) to the Commission

(29 April 1998)

Subject: Recovery and protection of remaining Italian varieties of hemp

It emerged from the conference organized by Assocanapa (Italian hemp growing coordination body) on 27 and
28 February 1998 in Carmagnola on the recovery of hemp-growing in Italy that most Italian varieties of fibre
hemp (Carmagnola, Eletta Campana, Fibranova and many others) have been lost forever or are in danger of being
lost because Italian research institutes have ceased to produce them for decades.

Italian varieties, which were the result of centuries of selection, were considered the best in the world, with fibre
yields of up to 60 % more than other varieties.

The availability of Italian hemp varieties is considered an essential requirement for a return to a form of hemp
growing that is not dependent on Community subsidies and would eventually become economically independent.

The loss of Italian hemp varieties is economically damaging to the countries concerned by this important crop and
irreversibly harmful to biodiversity and the environment.

An uncertified hemp seed has been identified among Piemontese farmers, which is certainly derived from ancient
local crops.

Will the Commission indicate what measures should be adopted to step up research and guarantee the protection
of remaining Italian hemp varieties?

Answer given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission

(29 May 1998)

As regards measures for stimulating research and guaranteeing the conservation of Italian and European varieties
of hemp, Council Regulation (EC) 1467/94 of 20 June 1994 on the conservation, characterisation, collection and
utilisation of genetic resources in agriculture (1), adopted a first Community programme for the conservation,
characterisation and utilisation of genetic resources in agriculture.

The objectives are to help ensure and improve the conservation, characterisation, documentation, evaluation and
utilisation of potentially valuable plant and animal genetic resources in the Community.

Council Regulation (EC) 1467/94 provides for concerted measures and for shared-cost projects. Concerted
measures coordinate individual measures for the conservation, characterisation and utilisation of those genetic
resources in agriculture carried out in the Member States.

Shared-cost projects for the conservation, characterisation and utilisation of genetic resources in agriculture,
must, as a general rule, be carried out by participants established within the Community. Priority is to be given to
projects providing for the participation of two or more unconnected participants established in different Member
States.

Projects must, as a general rule, be concluded following an official selection procedure based on calls for
proposals published in the Official journal.

(1) OJ L 159, 28.6.1994.