Plant Heritage is urging people to lobby their MEP* and ensure they are made aware of the danger that this proposed change to the legislation poses and ask that the wording is amended to ensure the survival of small nurseries and National Collection Holders.
They are asking people to write requesting that the regulation is not applied to ornamental plants, as well as stressing the risk the current wording poses to the industry and plant conservation. We would also request that the definition of ‘organisations’ in the documentation involved in conservation is broadened to include commercial operators, thus protecting National Plant Collections and nurseries.
September 2013
Dear .....
Re. Proposed EU legislation of a Proposal for a Regulation on the Production and Making Available on the Market of Plant Material [Plant Reproductive Material law]
I understand that you are aware of the above proposal but fear you may be oblivious to the impact
It will have across the horticultural industry if it is passed in its current form.
The long term effect on many plant species and their conservation will be highly detrimental.
There are over seventy five thousand plant cultivars that would require registration if you allow this legislation through.
I would be grateful if you could answer the following points for myself and the readers of The Gardening Times.com
- What is the horticultural purpose / benefit of the proposed legislation?
- How long would the registration process take and what would be ‘allowed’ to happen to plant cultivars during / prior to their individual registration?
- What would happen to plant cultivars not registered, would your proposal allow them to become extinct?
- How will unregistered plants be monitored and what action will be taken with them, will there then be another law passed to destroy them because they do not comply with the new legislation?
- Where will the registration fees be paid and what will this money be used for?
- Which horticultural groups / organisations have been consulted with during the drafting of this proposed legislation?
- How do you think this will help economic activity in ornamental horticulture by restricting sales so much?
- How can this possibly help the stated aims of the EU and Government to maintain and enhance bio-security?
If you allow this piece of EU legislation to be passed in its current form, covering ornamental plants, your actions or lack of action will be directly responsible for the demise of many plant cultivars, along with those small businesses that will be unable to conform to it. With conservation and small business development high on the political agendas I can only hope that common sense will result in the modification of this proposed regulation.
This letter is being published in The Gardening Times.com with a list of its recipients, followed hopefully by their positive responses.
I await your early response to the questions above.
Yours sincerely
Chris Allen
Editor
www.thegardeningtimes.com
info@thegardeningtimes.co.uk
The Gardening Times believes it very important that we all do our bit to inform our politicians of the unintended consequences of this legislation.
*MEP’s to be lobbied are: Stuart Agnew (UKIP), Julie Girling (Con), George Lyon (Lib Dem), Richard Ashworth (Con), John Bufton (UKIP), Jill Evans (Plaid Cymru), Anthea McIntyre(Con), Brian Simpson (Lab), and Robert Sturdy (Con), who all sit on the AGRI Committee.
