ISPM 38: Reflection on the international movement of seeds
In the framework of the International Standard for Phytosanitary Measures n°38 “ISPM 38 “International movement of seeds”, the IPPC (International Plant Protection Convention) has set up a working group to draft an annex on the development and use of systemic approaches for the plant health certification of seeds. A group of IPPC representatives and experts from 7 member countries, including for France the Director of the GEVES Phytopathology Laboratory, met remotely in October. They defined the key elements of collaboration between the seed industry and National Plant Protection Organizations (NPPOs). These are based on a harmonised framework for taking into account industry practices to contribute to the reduction of the risk linked to seed-borne pests, and the recognition and verification of these systems by national organisations (NPPOs) to provide an alternative to the current system.
