The draft report on Plant Reproductive Material (PRM), which is scheduled for a vote in the European Parliament’s Plenary during the week of April 22, is causing anxiety for the European Potato Trade Association (Europatat).

The report authored by the AGRI Committee of the Parliament contains modifications that may have adverse effects on the PRM market within the EU.

A significant portion of PRM material will be able to travel throughout the EU under the proposed modifications without any oversight from the Competent Authorities and without the necessary plant health checks.

“There’s a critical difference between various types of PRM. Seed potatoes and regular seeds have distinct characteristics and require different handling procedures. Seed potatoes carry a higher risk of spreading plant diseases, especially when transported over long distances. The Parliament’s position needs to acknowledge these differences. Uncontrolled movement of seed potatoes across the EU would be detrimental and have serious consequences,” Peter Ton, Chair of the Europatat Seed Potato Commission, mentioned.

A broad coalition of stakeholders, including Copa-Cogeca, Euroseeds, Europatat, Coceral, the European Beet Growers (CIBE), and CEPM Maiz’Europe, co-signed a joint declaration to address these and other concerns regarding the PRM sector and its users in the EU.

The co-signing organizations stress how crucial it is to preserve the equilibrium that was established in the European Commission’s (EC) initial proposal. They contend that by adding exemptions that would let unrestrained PRM enter the market without the necessary guarantees or traceability, the AGRI Committee report upsets this delicate equilibrium.

“This, in all likelihood, would lead to the establishment of a parallel, uncontrolled market that undermines the efforts of plant breeders and farmers to increase sustainability while ensuring food security in Europe,” the statement warns. “We urge the European Parliament’s Plenary to reconsider the amendments and revert to the Commission’s original proposal to avoid future crisis,” Peter Ton, Chair of the Europatat Seed Potato Commission, concluded.