EUROPEAN COMMISSION DIRECTORATE-GENERAL FOR AGRICULTURE AND RURAL DEVELOPMENT

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1 EUROPEAN COMMISSION DIRECTORATE-GENERAL FOR AGRICULTURE AND RURAL DEVELOPMENT Directorate H. General aspects of rural development and research H.5. Research and Innovation Ref. Ares(2014) /02/2014 Brussels, H5/EG Ares(2014) / SUMMARY REPORT OF THE 27 th MEETING OF THE COMMITTEE ON THE CONSERVATION, CHARACTERISATION, COLLECTION AND UTILISATION OF GENETIC RESOURCES IN AGRICULTURE 3 FEBRUARY 2014 Chairmen: Mr Rob PETERS, Head of Unit H.5 for the morning session Mr Iman BOOT, Deputy Head of Unit H.5 for the afternoon session All the delegations were present except Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Greece, Italy, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Portugal, Romania, and Sweden. 1. Welcome The Chairman welcomed the participants. He informed the members of the Committee about the recent reorganisation of DG Agriculture and Rural Development and presented the new Unit H.5 "Research and Innovation" which also took over the dossier on Genetic Resources. 2. Adoption of the agenda and of the minutes of the meeting of The Chairman presented the agenda. The Committee adopted the agenda and the minutes of the 26 th meeting. 3. Presentation of the Report from the Commission to the European Parliament, the Council and the European Economic and Social Committee "Agricultural Genetic Resources - from conservation to sustainable use" The representatives of DG AGRI presented the Report adopted by the Commission on 28 November Building on the experience of the Community Programme and on the recommendations made by the group of independent experts in charge of its evaluation, the Report intended to present Commission's strategic orientations for future activities on the theme of genetic resources (conservation, characterisation, evaluation and use) for the period post 2014 in the Union. In its introductive part, the Report set out the multiple roles (at environmental, economic and social level) genetic resources play in the productivity, adaptability and resilience of agro-systems, and presented the related challenges and needs. To enlarge the genetic basis used in agriculture by integrating the use of local breeds and crops beside mainstream ones, there is the need to make the use of these local, often 1

2 underutilised, breeds and crops economically viable via their introduction into the value chain. Considered as means to achieve this goal, priority areas of action, key players (included end-users), and available funding possibilities for the period post 2014 under Rural Development Policy and Research & Innovation Policy were presented in the Report. 4. Round tables discussion The Report was welcomed by the delegates. Delegates agree that the use of local breeds and crops as well as their introduction in the value chain will help maintaining and enlarging agricultural biodiversity and contributing to food security. Some delegates stressed the importance of continuing the efforts in conservation-related activities as conservation is essential to ensure that genetic resources remain available for future use as it cannot be expected that all genetic resources will become economically viable, or at least, not all in the present time. End-users involvement was also welcomed by delegates. During the discussion, delegates expressed their impressions that a more consistent approach toward genetic resources conservation is needed in the area of agriculture. While the approach seems clear and consistent in environmental area, the distribution of activities among the Directorate-Generals involved in genetic resources (SANCO, ENV, DEVCO, AGRI) 5. Presenting on-going and future activities on genetic resources Three presentations (Preparatory Action, Focus Group and Horizon 2020) were given to present the activities currently on-ongoing or already in the pipeline. A Preparatory Action titled "EU plant and animal genetic resources" has been tabled by the European Parliament with a budget of 1.5 million EUR. The Commission presented the Preparatory Action's themes, the tasks to be performed by the contractor and informed the Committee on the timeline of actions. The final report of the Preparatory Action is expected to be available in Delegates welcomed the initiative but, referring in particular to ECPGR, recalled the need to build on what already exists and works well without duplicating activities and structures. Delegates asked if a third Community Programme is foreseen. The Chairman replied that before launching new Community Programme, the Commission would prefer to wait for the report (and recommendations) of the Preparatory Action in order to address the topic with exhaustive knowledge of the state-of-the-art on genetic resources in the Union. However, work to launch a new programme could start at any time if requested. A Focus Group on "Genetic Resources: co-operation models" has been set up in the frame of the European Innovation Partnership (EIP). A member of the EIP Service Point (the EIP Service Point has a service contract with the Commission and animate the EIP Network) presented in broad terms the EIP, its network and the Service Point to the Delegates. The EIP representative presented the broad concept of Focus Groups and the work to be done with particular reference to the Focus Group on genetic resources. After a brief recall of projects funded in the context of FP7, the Commission presented the calls referring to as well as the opportunities and budget available for genetic resources in Research and Innovation Policy under Horizon 2020 in the Work Programme for 2014 and

3 Delegates asked how topics are decided, who intervenes in the process and if and how they could interact. The Commission answered that the final version of the Work Programme is decided via Comitology procedure with the Programme Committee. The Programme Committee (composed by representatives of Member States either from Ministry of Research or sometimes from Ministry of Agriculture) is also in charge of channelling ideas from researchers in Members States. In that sense, the way to put forward specific research needs is to interact with the respective Programme Committee representative. The Commission informed the Delegates that the Work Programme for 2015 is not finalised yet (it will be finalised in July) and Delegates could provide Unit AGRI H.5 (which interacts with the Programme Committee) with suggestions for possible adjustments. The text of call SFS-7B is in Annex 1 and deadline for providing inputs is Friday 28 March Delegates asked few other clarifications on procedures for participation and on the possible duration of projects. 7. Rural Development: Support for Genetic Resources in next programming period The Commission presented the possibilities to support genetic resources in the context of next programming period under "Agro-environment-climate" measure. As in previous programming period, support will be maintained for farmers to rear local breeds in danger of being lost to farming and plant genetic resources under threat of genetic erosion as well as for "other beneficiaries" to conserve genetic resources in agriculture. A new measure concerns the conservation and promotion of forest genetic resources. Delegates asked some clarifications on the beneficiaries for forest genetic resources and on indicators to be used. The Commission replied that the scope of beneficiaries is quite large for genetic resources in agriculture and, by analogy, for forest. The Commission will also precise with more details what indicators should be used by Member States to define the "threat of genetic erosion". 8. State-of-the-art in International dossiers (FAO, ITPGRFA, ) The Commission presented the current situation about the above-mentioned dossiers as well as in the Commission on Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture (CGRFA) and informed the Delegates that next meetings of CGRFA will be held in July 2015 and animal, plant and forest expert groups will meet in the course of The German Delegate asked if the Commission, as Member of the Treaty, intends to produce its own report on sustainable use. The Commission replied that for the moment it is still unclear if a coordinated approach will be possible. 9. State-of-the art on the Access and Benefit Sharing and the Nagoya Protocol in the Union The Commission presented the latest update in the implementation of the Nagoya Protocol in the European Union. The Nagoya Protocol has two pillars, one of which dealing with "access" and another with "compliance". Only the "compliance" pillar requires harmonised legislation at the level of the Union. The "access" pillar creates no obligations and it is left to the policy decision of Member States, whether they introduce national legislation. The presentation dealt with the work to be done at Union and Member State level to comply with the obligations related to the "compliance" pillar. The Commission informed the Delegates that the Regulation on Access and Benefit 3

4 Sharing (ABS) will not have retroactive effect. It will not apply where specialized instruments, such as the ITPGRFA, exist. Delegates presented some questions on very specific and particular cases, asked if ABS Regulation will be implemented at sectoral level and in this case, if Member State could participate. The Commission replied that a guidance document will be prepared. The implementing acts will adopted following the normal Comitology procedure. 11. Any other business The UK representative remembered the process undertaken under ESPRI programme, on microbial genetic resources which is intended to create a research infrastructure in Europe and how they are trying to develop best practices to comply with future ABS Regulation. The Chairman thanked participants for their lively contributions to the discussion and closed the meeting. A date for the next Committee meeting is not yet foreseen. [signed] Rob PETERS Chairman Iman BOOT Chairman 4

5 27 th meeting of the Committee on the conservation, characterisation, collection and utilisation of Genetic Resources in Agriculture on 3 February List of Delegates Member State Institution No. of Delegates Austria Austrian Agency for Health and Nutrition Safety 1 GmbH Belgium Vlaams Overheid 1 Belgium Service Public de Wallonie 1 Bulgaria Executive Agency for Variety Testing, Field 1 Inspection and Seed Control, EAVTFISC Croatia Ministry of Agriculture 1 Cyprus 0 Czech Republic 0 Denmark 0 Estonia 0 Finland Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry 1 France Ministry of Agriculture and Food 1 Germany Federal Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Consumer 1 Protection Greece 0 Hungary Ministry of Rural Development 1 Ireland Ministry of Agriculture, Food & the Marines 1 Italy 0 Latvia Ministry of Agriculture 1 Lithuania Ministry of Agriculture 1 Luxembourg 0 Malta 0 Netherlands 0 Poland Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development 1 Portugal 0 Romania 0 Slovakia Nat. Agro Centre 1 Slovenia Ministry for Agriculture and Environment 1 Spain Ministry of Agriculture Food and Environment 1 Sweden 0 United Kingdom Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 1 5

6 Annex 1 Text of the call SFS SFS /2015: Genetic resources and agricultural diversity for food security, productivity and resilience Specific challenge: Genetic diversity in agriculture and forestry - both within and between species - is commonly recognised as a pre-requisite to ensure food security, productivity as well as resilience of crops, forests and animals vis-à-vis biotic and abiotic threats in changing environments. Widening the genetic basis of crops, forest trees and animals as well as diversifying production is therefore essential. This requires coordinated efforts to enhance conservation, access and use of a wide range of genetic resources conserved in ex-situ and in-situ/on-farm conditions. Local livestock breeds, forest plants and crops are a particularly important source of genetic variation as they are associated with a number of favourable characters such as robustness, adaptation to local often marginal conditions or organoleptic and health attributes. They also provide the basis for products with a regional identity for which there is increased consumer interest. Despite these benefits their use has been decreasing partly because of lower productivity as compared to modern, high yielding and more uniform breeds and varieties. The improvement of local breeds and crops provides opportunities for diversification in agriculture along with new openings for regional, high quality products and for economic development. Scope: Proposals should address one of the following issues (A) or (B), and should clearly indicate to which one they refer. B. [2015] Management and sustainable use of genetic resources Proposals should implement comprehensive actions to improve the status and use of (in particular European) ex-situ and in-situ genetic collections. More specifically, they should support acquisition, conservation, characterisation/evaluation and especially the use of specific genetic resources in breeding, farming and forestry activities. Furthermore, proposals should undertake broader dissemination and awareness raising activities. In doing so, they should closely liaise with relevant on-going initiatives e.g. seeking to harmonise, rationalise and improve management of existing collections and databases 31. In line with the objectives of the EU strategy for international cooperation in research and innovation, proposals are encouraged to include participants established in third countries 32. This action allows for the provision of financial support to third parties in line with conditions set out in Part K of the General Annexes. Proposals should address crop, forest and/or livestock genetic resources. The Commission considers that proposals requesting a contribution from the EU in the range of EUR 3 4 million for (A) and EUR 5 7 million for (B) would allow this specific challenge to be addressed appropriately. Nonetheless, this does not preclude submission and selection of proposals requesting other amounts. Expected impact: Proposals should show how some, or all, of the following impacts will be achieved: improved in-situ/on-farm management and evaluation of genetic resources by the farming sector productivity and economic gains in specialised farming systems from the conventional and organic sectors promotion of traditional and/or underutilised crops (and their wild relatives as relevant) and breeds increased availability of diverse, high quality products, e.g. with enhanced health benefits for consumers 6

7 i economic benefits for farmers, other types of SMEs and regional economies through the expansion or creation of new products and markets broader adaption of livestock and cultivated plants (crops, forest trees for agriculture/agroforestry) to limiting or changing agro-climatic conditions, e.g. by enhancing robustness through the use of adaptive traits from landraces and local breeds enhanced quality and scope of European ex-situ collections and in-situ collections/on-farm management enhanced methodologies for management, conservation, characterisation and evaluation of genetic resources increased transfer of genetic material into breeding programmes, farming or forest practices, i.e. identification of useful traits (variation) in collections increased awareness on the value of genetic resources, engagement of end-users and contribution to implementation of international commitments in the area (e.g. International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture, ITPGRFA) more extensive use of genetic resources in agriculture and forestry overall contribution to food security by supporting innovations in breeding and farming Type of action: Research and innovation actions The conditions related to this topic are provided at the end of this call and in the General Annexes. 30 See definition of 'multi-actor approach' in footnote 1 in the introduction of this Work Programme part. 31 See for example Horizon 2020 call INFRAIA /2015: Integrating and opening existing national and regional research infrastructures of pan-european interest 32 This is without prejudice to the general rules on the funding of legal entities from third-countries, as set in part A of the annex to the work programme. 7