11 Conservation of genetic resources in
agriculture
| (25236)
5124/04
COM(03) 817
| Draft Council Regulation establishing a Community programme on the conservation, characterisation, collection and utilisation of genetic resources in agriculture
|
| Legal base | Article 37 EC; consultation; QMV
|
| Document originated | 22 December 2003
|
| Deposited in Parliament | 13 January 2004
|
| Department | Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
|
| Basis of consideration | EM of 5 March 2004
|
| Previous Committee Report | None, but see footnote
|
| To be discussed in Council | April 2004
|
| Committee's assessment | Politically important
|
| Committee's decision | Cleared
|
Background
11.1 Council Regulation 1467/94[23]
lays down the arrangements within the Community for conserving
genetic resources in agriculture, partly as a means of encouraging
biodiversity in its own right, and partly to ensure the availability
of as great a variety of plant species and animal breeds as possible
against any future needs, arising (for example) from climate change
or different land use requirements. This involves the co-ordination
of Member States' efforts in this area, exchanges of information,
and a number of specific projects funded by the Community budget.
The Regulation in question expired at the end of 1999, and, in
October 1999, the Commission proposed[24]
a new five-year programme, the aim of which was similar to that
in Regulation 1467/94, subject to seeking a better balance between
work on animals and plants and placing greater emphasis on in
situ conservation at farm level. Also, as the underlying
objectives were principally geared to agriculture, provision was
made for the cost (€50
million over the five-year period) to be met from the European
Agricultural Guidance and Guarantee Fund (EAGGF). Since the proposal
did not appear to raise any significant new issues, and was supported
by the UK, we decided on 12 December 2001 that it was not of sufficient
legal or political importance to warrant a substantive report
to the House.
The current document
11.2 As the Commission has explained in its introduction
to this document, opposition to its earlier proposal was expressed
both by Member States and the European Parliament, partly because
of the suggestion that funding should be met by the EAGGF, and
partly because of a feeling that the Commission's role in co-ordinating
and implementing the new programme should be strengthened. In
view of this, the Commission says that it has decided to withdraw
that proposal, and has instead now put forward this new proposal.
11.3 It says that the proposal would be based on
the main feature of Council Regulation 1467/94, adapted in the
light of the comments it has received on the operation of that
measure and on the proposal it put forward in 1999. The aim of
the new programme would be to:
- finance measures to promote
the conservation, characterisation, collection and utilisation
of genetic resources in agriculture which aim to support, complement
or co-ordinate at Community level work undertaken at local, regional
or Member State level;
- establish a decentralised permanent European
inventory of available genetic resources, together with their
origins and characteristics;
- promote the exchange of information and close
co-ordination between the Member States, and between them and
the Commission, regarding the conservation and sustainable use
of genetic resources in agriculture, in line with the requirements
of the Common Agricultural Policy; and
- facilitate co-ordination in the field of international
undertakings[25] on genetic
resources in agriculture.
The Commission also says that, since the conservation
and sustainable use of such resources are essential to the sustainable
development of agricultural production and of rural areas, the
appropriate legal basis for action is Article 37 of the Treaty.
11.4 More specifically, the Commission proposes that
the new programme should cover:
- the objectives, scope and type
of actions to be followed, as well as the essential provisions
to be followed in its implementation;
- its own role as regards programme co-ordination
and international representation in this area; and
- the setting up of a Management Committee on genetic
resources to assist the Commission in relation both to proposals
for action and other related questions.
The estimated cost of the programme for the period
2004-06
is €10
million, and it is envisaged that this would be financed through
"Heading 3" of the Financial Perspective. However,
support would not be given for commitments eligible under support
for rural development or under the Community's Framework Programmes
for research.
The Government's view
11.5 In his Explanatory Memorandum of 5 March 2004,
the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Farming, Foods and
Sustainable Energy) at the Department for Environment, Food and
Rural Affairs (Lord Whitty) points out that world agricultural
production is based on a relatively small number of crop and animal
species, and that, over generations, breeding techniques have
been used to optimise varieties to meet local production conditions
in response to consumers' needs. However, he adds that part of
the function of genetic resource conservation is based on the
rationale that it cannot be assumed that present provisions and
conditions will necessarily apply in the longer term, and that
the conservation of a significant amount of genetic variation
between and within species provides a valuable insurance policy
against possible changes in climate, prevalent pests and diseases,
and market and land use requirements. In addition, he suggests
that there is an important economic justification for seeking
to conserve genetic diversity, particularly in relation to the
exploitation of useful, and potentially useful, genetic resources
for agriculture.
11.6 The Minister further suggests that there are
"significant market failure arguments" in favour of
public funding in this area, including the positive externalities
associated with the use of genetic improvements (such as reductions
in pesticide use due to improved disease resistance), whereas
the benefits to an individual organisation are subject to a large
element of uncertainty which private enterprises are unlikely
to be able to bear. It therefore falls to Governments to put
in place means for supporting their policy aims and of meeting
international commitments. He observes that, given increasing
concern over environmental degradation and genetic erosion, conserving
biological diversity is a major international objective, which
the UK strongly supports, both at a national and international
level, and he believes that, in so far as the proposal is consistent
with the provisions of the Convention on Biological Diversity,
it should make a valuable contribution to their implementation
by the UK.
11.7 The Minister believes that international collaboration
is particularly appropriate in this area, since no one country
can hope to protect biodiversity alone or to conserve all the
resources it might need. Consequently, co-ordination of activity
helps to improve coverage in gene banks and other collections,
and to avoid unnecessary duplication. He says that the collections
currently maintained in the UK and the UK's scientific expertise
in this area are well placed to contribute to, and benefit from,
a Community programme on genetic resource conservation for agriculture,
and he adds that the UK successfully took part in a number of
projects funded under Council Regulation 1467/94. He also notes
that those consulted have strongly welcomed the continuation of
this work.
Conclusion
11.8 Although this document deals with an important
area, what is proposed follows in large measure the arrangements
under Council Regulation 1467/94, and the impact on the Community
budget would appear to be relatively modest. We are therefore
clearing the proposal, but, in doing so, we think it right to
draw it to the attention of the House.
23 OJ No. L 159, 28.6.94, p.1. Back
24
(22895) 13672/01; see HC-152-x (2001-02), para 15 (12 December
2001). Back
25
These include the Convention on Biological Diversity, the International
Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture, and
the FAO's Global Plan of Action for the Conservation and Sustainable
Utilisation of Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture. Back
|
