Plants and seeds

PVS: UK National Lists

Field of cropsNational Listing is a legal requirement for new varieties of the main agricultural species which seeks to ensure that no new variety can be marketed unless it genuinely new and an improvement on varieties already being sold.

A general information guide to National Listing is available. However, for full compliance with National List procedures you should always refer to the appropriate Regulations (see guide for details).

UK National Lists are lists of varieties of the main agricultural and vegetable species which are eligible for certification and marketing in the UK. To be added to a National List, a variety must be distinct, sufficiently uniform and stable (DUS) and, for agricultural crops, have satisfactory value for cultivation and use (VCU). Additional criteria are required for genetically modified varieties and material intended for use as a food or food ingredient and you should refer to the above guide for more information.

DUS tests and VCU trials are carried out by various National Test Centres on behalf of National Authorities over, on average, a two year period. Results are forwarded to the National List and Seeds Committee (NLSC) for recommendation.

Review of National List and Plant Breeders’ Rights testing services

A post implementation assessment of the National List and Plant Breeders’ Rights testing services was carried out in June 2007. 


Marketing of Heritage Vegetable Varieties

Defra understands the concerns expressed about the impact of EU legislation on the marketing of older vegetable varieties sometimes known as 'heritage varieties'. Although the seeds law was put in place to protect consumers, which it has done, it is now clearly impinging on people who want to grow the older types in a way that wasn't intended. Defra has been working to improve things in two ways;

  • we called for a fundamental review of EU seeds legislation during the UK's presidency in 2005, which was supported by all Member States,
  • we have been active in Brussels, to develop less stringent EU legislation for older varieties of all crops and for vegetables intended for amateur gardeners.  This new legislation should come through later this year.

The Agricultural Departments in the UK publish the definitive UK National Lists of Varieties of Vegetable Plant Species.  The section dealing with the marketing of the older varieties is known as the Vegetable 'B' list.  This list is the subject of a review in respect of the details relating to UK maintainership.  Applications for new maintainers are currently under consideration and an addendum to the Vegetable 'B' List will be published when the decisions of those applications have been completed.  Marketing of such varieties is not affected while this process is ongoing.


Variety Denominations under the UPOV Convention

In October 2006, UPOV adopted changes to certain naming classes The key change means that species such as Wheat and Barley which were originally in the same naming class have now been allocated their own naming class.  In effect this means that a Barley and a Wheat can now have the same name; thus making it easier to propose and approve variety names.

The document entitled Explanatory Notes on Variety Denominations under the UPOV Convention – reference UPOV/INF/12/1 – adopted by the Council on 19 October 2006 refers.

See also

Portable Document Format (PDF)  - a copy of the Adobe Acrobat Reader is available free of charge.

 

Page last modified: 6 May, 2008

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs