The European Potato Trade Association (Europatat) is calling for a review of the draft report on plant reproductive material (PRM), which will be voted on at the plenary meeting of the European Parliament this week. The report, prepared by the Parliamentary Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development (AGRI Committee), has raised concerns in the farming community, particularly regarding proposed amendments that could significantly impact the EU PRM market.
According to Peter Ton, Chairman of the Europatat Seed Potato Commission, the differences between the different types of PRM, such as seed potatoes and conventional seeds, require different handling procedures due to their different characteristics. In particular, seed potatoes pose a higher risk of spreading plant diseases, especially when transported over long distances. Tone stressed the urgent need for Parliament to recognize these differences to prevent the detrimental consequences resulting from the uncontrolled movement of seed potatoes across the EU.
A coalition of stakeholders representing the PRM sector and its users in the EU, including Copa-Cogeca, Euroseeds, Coceral and others, jointly raised concerns about the AGRI committee report. They argue that the proposed exemptions could allow PRM to enter the market unchecked, undermining efforts to improve sustainability and food security. The coalition stresses the importance of maintaining the balance achieved in the European Commission’s original proposal to prevent potential crises in the future.
Europatat and its allies emphasize the importance of sound regulations to protect plant health, agricultural sustainability and food security in Europe. They call on the European Parliament plenary to reconsider the amendments and return to the Commission’s original proposal to mitigate potential risks and ensure the integrity of the PRM market.
