This area includes two activities:

• The most important new development is the FAO International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture, signed by the European Community and its Member States on 6 June 2002. It provides a legally binding global framework for access to genetic resources and the sharing of benefits from their use. On 24 February 2004 the European Council decided to ratify the International Treaty and to deposit the instrument of ratification jointly with the deposit of instruments by the EU Member States.



• Council Directive 98/95/EC amends the seed marketing Directives and allows seed of traditional (old) varieties or species threatened by extinction to be excluded from the usual strict testing before marketing. Guidelines for specific conditions for this kind of material have been developed.