Sending ornamental plant material to GEVES? Remember the plant passport!
Are you sending plant material to GEVES? Let’s take a look at the checklist beforehand:
- Each plant is clearly and individually labelled with the minimum following information: species, breeder’s reference, the GEVES reference, the file number of the protection office (e.g. 2018/1233, TAG 4…).
- The plants are well wedged, and the package is sturdy enough to ensure safe transport of the plant material.
- The plant passport is attached
What happens if these conditions are not met?
If several varieties are sent together without clear and precise labelling on each plant, this can lead to the varieties being mixed up.
A package damaged during transport may lead to the total or partial destruction of the plant material, making it impossible to carry out the DUS examination.
Following the new EU Plant Protection Regulation 2016/2031 and the implementing regulation 2019/2072, in force since 14 December 2019, it is now compulsory to attach a plant passport to plant material of certain species when circulating in the EU. In particular, this concerns species where planting material circulates in the form of potted plants, bedding plants and plants in containers. Plant material requested for DUS studies on these species is also subject to the plant passport requirement.
In the absence of a plant passport with the received plant material, GEVES is currently sending a reminder. However, in the future, the absence of a plant passport upon receipt of the plant material will have consequences for your plant variety right application. This will result in the refusal of the plant material. This means that we will not be able to carry out the DUS tests or may have to delay them for one year.
By checking these 3 points, I make sure that the plant material can be received at GEVES under the right conditions.
