Rules for selling seeds and plants and preserving plant varieties

Automatic summary, not yet reviewed

1. The law regulates the production and sale of seeds and nursery plants of all plant species, including fungi, and the conservation of plant genetic resources.
2. To sell seeds or plants of a variety, the variety must first be registered in the Registro de variedades comerciales (Register of Commercial Varieties). It must be shown to be distinct, homogeneous and stable, and in some cases to have enough agronomic value.
3. Registration lasts ten years and can be renewed for another ten. It is canceled if, for example, the variety stops being marketed, maintained, or distinct, stable and homogeneous.
4. Seeds must be sold in sealed and labeled packages, and labels must be in Spanish at least. If they contain genetically modified organisms, the label must say so.
5. Producers need authorization and registration in their Autonomous Community; traders must report their activity. All suppliers must cooperate with official controls and run their own self-checks.
6. Breaking the law is a minor, serious or very serious offense, with fines from €300 to €300,000. If there is danger to human or animal health or the environment, the fine goes up by 50 %.

Who it affects

• Farmers: They can only buy and sow seeds of registered varieties, which guarantees their quality.
• Seed producers and traders: They must be authorized or registered, seal and label their products, undergo controls, and risk fines if they break the rules.
• Final consumers: They benefit from the same quality guarantees as farmers.
• Plant breeders: They must register their varieties in the Register of Commercial Varieties to market them and pay the testing fees.
• Autonomous Communities: They authorize producers, carry out official controls, and can sanction offenses.

Words worth knowing

Plantas de vivero (nursery plants)

Whole plants or plant parts used to start new plantations or to reproduce other plants.

Recursos fitogenéticos (plant genetic resources)

Plant genetic material (including fungi) with real or potential value for agriculture and food.

Variedad o cultivar (variety or cultivar)

A group of plants of the same botanical type that differ by specific traits and can be propagated without changing.

Valor agronómico (agronomic value)

A clear improvement of a variety compared to others already admitted, in cultivation, productivity or use of its products.

Tasas (fees)

Money paid to the government for a specific service, such as processing a registration or running variety tests.

It summarizes the law as published in the BOE. It is written by artificial intelligence and may contain mistakes: the official text is what counts. Read the official text · How we make summaries