EU Plant Reproductive Material Regulation – new rules for seeds

The European Union is preparing a fundamental revision of rules for placing plant reproductive material on the market. The new Plant Reproductive Material (PRM) Regulation will replace existing directives more than 50 years old and create a unified legal framework for seeds, seedlings, grafts and other reproductive material throughout the EU.

For gardeners, growers and seed sellers, this will bring concrete changes in varietal offerings, registration requirements and rules for seed exchange. In this article, we explain what the new regulation brings, how it will affect the Czech market, and what everyone who buys or sells seedlings and seeds should know.

Why the rules are changing

Current legislation for reproductive material in the EU dates from the 1960s and consists of more than ten directives focused on individual plant groups -- vegetables, cereals, fruit trees, grapevines, ornamental plants and others.

Problems with the current system

Fragmentation:
Each plant group is governed by its own directive with different rules. The result is a confusing legal maze that is difficult for manufacturers, sellers and control bodies to navigate. The situation is further complicated by inconsistent implementation in individual member states.

Obsolescence:
The directives do not respect modern breeding methods, the impacts of climate change, or the need to preserve the genetic diversity of crops. The registration system was designed for intensive agriculture with an emphasis on uniformity of varieties -- not for the needs of small growers, gardeners or keepers of traditional varieties.

Barriers to innovation:
Registering a new variety is a financially and time-consuming process that systematically disadvantages small breeders, farmers and non-profit organizations focused on preserving old varieties. A small breeder thus struggles to compete with multinational seed companies.

Insufficient biodiversity protection:
Many traditional and regional varieties have gradually disappeared from registers because their keepers lacked the resources and capacity to meet registration requirements. The result is an impoverishment of the genetic basis of European crops.

Goals of the new regulation

The new PRM regulation aims to:

1. Simplification: one legal act instead of dozens of interconnected directives
2. Modernization: taking into account new breeding technologies and challenges related to climate and biodiversity
3. Flexibility: graduated requirements according to the type of material and its intended use
4. Diversity protection: easier market access for traditional, regional and heterogeneous varieties
5. Harmonization: truly unified rules applicable in all member states

Key changes in the new regulation

Categories of reproductive material

The new regulation introduces clear categories with graduated requirements adapted to different types of material and users.

Certified material:
The highest category with thorough control of identity and quality. Mandatory for professional agriculture. Includes official DUS tests (distinctness, uniformity, stability) and, in the case of key crops, also tests of value for cultivation and use (VCU -- value for cultivation and use).

Standard material:
A category for material meeting basic quality requirements without full certification scope. Intended for less regulated crops and the hobby sector, where the costs of full certification are disproportionate to the scale of production.

Conservation varieties:
A simplified category for traditional and regional varieties. Lower uniformity requirements intentionally allow preservation of natural genetic variability. The volume placed on the market will be limited to prevent misuse of the category by commercial entities.

Heterogeneous material:
A completely new category for material that formally does not meet the definition of a variety -- for example, population mixtures with high genetic variability. In conditions of climate instability, such material can be more valuable than uniform varieties precisely because of its adaptability to changing conditions.

Variety registration

What is changing:
- Registration will be fully digitalized with access through a single online interface
- A common European variety catalogue will replace the current patchwork of national registers
- Simplified and cheaper registration process for conservation varieties
- Possibility of group registration by associations of small breeders

DUS tests:
Tests of distinctness, uniformity and stability remain the foundation of the registration process. New possibilities are opening up to use molecular methods -- DNA analysis -- as a complement or alternative to classic multi-year field tests, which will significantly speed up registration.

VCU tests:
Tests of cultivation value are expanded to include sustainability parameters: drought tolerance, nutrient efficiency or natural disease resistance without dependence on pesticides. This shift reflects the requirements of the European Green Deal and the Farm to Fork strategy.

Seed exchange among gardeners

Seed exchange is one of the most debated topics of the entire legislative process.

Current situation:
The exchange of unregistered seeds exists in a legal grey area. Placing unregistered material on the market is technically prohibited, but exchange between neighbors is not monitored or prosecuted in practice.

New approach:
The regulation should explicitly legalize the exchange of small quantities of seeds between natural persons for non-commercial purposes. The precise definition of "small quantity" and labeling obligations are still under negotiation.

What this means in practice:
- Seed exchange with neighbors and friends for personal gardens will be explicitly permitted
- Sales at markets and via the internet without variety registration will remain restricted
- Seed donation within community gardens and associations will have a clear legal basis

Impact on the Czech seed market

Situation in the Czech Republic

The Czech Republic has a strong gardening tradition and a vibrant community of keepers of old varieties. ÚKZÚZ (Central Control and Testing Institute for Agriculture) manages the national variety register and conducts registration tests for the domestic and European market.

Positive impacts

For gardeners:
- Wider variety of varieties thanks to a truly harmonized unified market
- Easier access to seeds of traditional and regional varieties
- Legal certainty when exchanging seeds with other growers
- Better and clearer information on variety characteristics through a common online catalogue

For sellers of seeds and seedlings:
- Easier cross-border trade within the EU without the need to meet different national requirements
- Reduced administrative burden through digitalization of registrations and documentation
- A legal category for heterogeneous material opens up a new market segment

For keepers of genetic resources:
- Simplified and cheaper registration of conservation varieties
- Institutional recognition of the importance of preserving agrobiodiversity
- Easier connection with national and European gene banks

Potential concerns

Registration costs:
Despite advertised simplifications, registering a variety remains financially demanding for small entities. It will be crucial whether the final regulation text introduces sufficiently generous exemptions and reduced fees for small growers and non-profit organizations.

Strengthening of large companies:
Critics -- including European associations of organic farming -- point out that harmonization could further strengthen the dominant position of multinational seed companies at the expense of small local producers and breeders.

Administrative burden for the hobby sector:
Some gardening organizations fear that even "simplified" categories will bring disproportionate administration for the hobby sector. The result will depend on the specific implementation in the member states.

Biodiversity protection and old varieties

Improving the protection of crop genetic diversity is one of the main arguments for the overall legislative reform.

Why old varieties are important

• Genetic diversity: old varieties carry genes of natural resistance to diseases and pests that intensive breeding has pushed out of modern varieties
• Climate adaptation: regional varieties are adapted over generations to local soil and climatic conditions, which is valuable during climate instability
• Taste and culinary quality: many old vegetable and fruit varieties have exceptional organoleptic properties that uniform commercial varieties lack
• Cultural and historical value: varieties are part of local identity, gastronomic heritage and the agricultural history of regions

Gene banks and in situ protection

The regulation strengthens the role of gene banks and actively supports in situ protection -- that is, the live cultivation of old varieties directly in fields and gardens, rather than merely their passive preservation in freezers. Both approaches complement each other and are indispensable for long-term biodiversity preservation.

In the Czech Republic, the key role is played by the Research Institute for Plant Production in Prague-Ruzyně, which manages the national gene bank containing thousands of samples of agricultural crops.

Community seed initiatives

The new rules should significantly facilitate the activities of community seed initiatives that collect, propagate and distribute seeds of old varieties within their regions. These initiatives are irreplaceable for preserving biodiversity at the local level -- they can respond to specific local conditions in a way that state gene banks cannot.

Practical advice for gardeners

What to do now

1. Monitor legislative developments: regularly visit the websites of ÚKZÚZ and the Czech Ministry of Agriculture, where current information on the progress of negotiations is published
2. Preserve seeds of interesting varieties: if you grow unusual or regional varieties, regularly harvest and preserve seeds -- this way you preserve genetic material even if there is a failure in commercial supply
3. Buy from reputable sellers: quality seedlings and seeds with clear variety name and origin indication are the foundation of successful growing
4. Get involved in the community: gardening clubs and seed initiatives have a real voice in the consultation process -- the stronger and more organized the community, the greater the chance the hobby sector will push through favorable rules

What to watch out for when buying seeds

• Variety name: a registered variety with clearly indicated name is the basic guarantee of material identity
• Germination and packaging: the package should indicate germination percentage, packing date and minimum shelf life date
• Origin and adaptation: seeds produced in climatically similar conditions are usually better adapted to local requirements and achieve higher germination rates
• Certification: ÚKZÚZ certification or corresponding national certification of another EU member state guarantees compliance with legal quality requirements

Storage of your own seeds

Properly dried seeds will maintain germination throughout the warranty period and beyond. Key principles:

• Dry seeds thoroughly at room temperature in an airy place -- moisture is their greatest enemy
• Store in paper envelopes for short-term storage or in airtight glass jars with a silica gel packet for long-term storage
• Ideal storage temperature is below 15 degrees Celsius with relative air humidity below 50%
• Label each envelope or container with the variety name, harvest year and any other growing notes
• Approximate lifespan with proper storage: onions and leeks 1--2 years, tomatoes and peppers 3--4 years, pumpkins and cucumbers 4--5 years, beans and peas up to 5 years

Find a complete range of seeds and seedlings on the Pestik.cz website.

Timeline and current status

Legislative process

The draft new PRM regulation goes through the standard EU legislative process in three institutions:

1. Commission proposal: published in 2023 as part of the Farm to Fork strategy
2. Debate in Parliament and Council: ongoing, with a number of major amendments from various political groups
3. Trilogue: inter-institutional negotiations between the Commission, Parliament and Council on the final text
4. Adoption: expected during 2026
5. Transition period: approximately 3 years from adoption to full implementation in all member states

What to expect

The final form of the regulation may differ significantly from the original Commission proposal -- the legislative process brings compromises that can work both in favor and against small growers. The key contentious points remain:

• The scope of exemptions for the hobby sector and community seed initiatives
• Rules for patenting plants and breeder's rights in the context of new genomic techniques
• Financing of registration fees for conservation varieties
• The degree of bindingness of requirements on member states in the field of agrobiodiversity support

Frequently asked questions

Will I be able to continue to buy seeds of old varieties?
Yes, and conditions should improve. The new regulation introduces a category of conservation varieties with simplified and cheaper registration, which should expand the legal supply of traditional and regional varieties. The key will be for the final text to contain sufficient exemptions and appropriate fees even for small keepers.

Can I exchange seeds with neighbors without registration?
According to the current regulation proposal, the exchange of small quantities of seeds between natural persons for non-commercial purposes will be explicitly permitted. The precise conditions -- the definition of small quantity and possible labeling obligations -- will be clarified in the final text. Sales at markets or via the internet will continue to be subject to stricter rules.

How will the new regulation affect seed prices?
The impact on prices will depend on the final form of the regulation and its implementation method. Digitalization and harmonization should reduce administrative costs, while expanded competition in a unified market could push prices down. More stringent testing requirements for certified categories could, on the other hand, slightly increase prices. For the average gardener buying seedlings for their own needs, the overall impact should be minimal.

Does the regulation apply to ornamental plants and lawn seed mixtures?
Yes, the new PRM regulation covers all categories of plant reproductive material including ornamental plants, lawn and grass mixtures, forest trees and fruit species. Specific requirements are set for each group, taking into account its character, method of use and level of risk to agriculture and the environment.