Changes from plenary report to adopted text

AddedREQUIREMENTS FOR THE APPROVAL OF BASIC MATERIAL INTENDED FOR THE PRODUCTION OF FRM OF THE ‘TESTED’ CATEGORY

Added1. REQUIREMENTS FOR ALL TESTS

Added(a) General

AddedIf the basic material is a stand, it shall satisfy the appropriate requirements set out in Annex III. If the basic material is a seed orchard(s), parents of family(ies), clones or clonal mixture(s), it shall satisfy the appropriate requirements set out in Annex IV. The competent authority shall determine the selection criteria based on the intended purpose for which the FRM will be used.

AddedThe professional operators shall prepare, lay out and conductreport the material, methods and results of tests set upto the competent authority responsible for the approval of the basic material. They shall interpret The results of those testspresented shall be analysed in accordance with the internationally recognised procedures. ForIn comparative tests, the professional operator shall compare the FRM under test with one or preferably several approved or pre-chosen standards as described in point 3(b) shall be used. [Am. 93]

Added(aa) A minimum number of test areas of a minimum size per tree species listed in Annex I shall be fulfilled. [Am. 94]

Added(b) Characteristics to be examined

Added(i) The professional operatortests shall design testsbe designed to assess the relevant characteristics specified in point (ii) and shall indicate these, for each test in the test records these shall be indicated. [Am. 95]

Added(ii) Weight shall be given to adaptation, growth, biotic and abiotic factors of importance. In addition, other characteristics, considered important in view of the intended specific purpose, shall be evaluated in relation to the ecological conditions of the region in which the test is carried out including current and future projected climatic conditions.

Added(c) Documentation

AddedThe professional operator shall keep records describing the test sitesprovide all information necessary for the evaluation of test results, including the location, climate, soil, past use, establishment, management and any damage due to abiotic/biotic factors. HeThe professional operator shall make those records available to the competent authority upon request. The competent authority shall record the age of the basic material and the FRM and the results at the time of the evaluation. [Am. 96]

Added(d) Setting up the tests

Added(i) The professional operator shall raise, plant and manage Each sample of FRM shall be raised, planted and managed in an identical way as far as the types of plant material permit. [Am. 97]

Added(ii) The professional operator shall establish Each experiment shall be established in a valid statistical design with a sufficient number of trees, in order that the individual characteristics of each component under examination can be evaluated. [Am. 98]

Added(e) Analysis and validity of results

Added(i) The professional operator shall analyse The data from the experiments shall be analysed using internationally recognised statistical methods and shall present the results shall be presented for each characteristic examined. [Am. 99]

Added(ii) The methodology used for the test and the detailed results obtained shall be made freely available.

Added(iii) The competent authority of the Member State in which the test was carried out shall designate the suggested deployment area, and shall inform about any characteristics of the FRM, which might limit its usefulness.

Added(iv) If during tests it is proved that the FRM does not possess at least the characteristics of the basic material from which that FRM was produced, including in particular the resistance/tolerance to plant pests of economic importance, then such FRM shall not be certified as tested material.

Added2. REQUIREMENTS FOR GENETIC EVALUATION OF THE COMPONENTS OF BASIC MATERIAL

Added(a) The components of the following basic material may be genetically evaluated: seed orchards, parents of family(ies), clones and clonal mixtures.

Added(b) Documentation

AddedThe following additional documentation shall be required for approval of the basic material providing information about:

Added(i) the identity, origin and pedigree of the evaluated components;

Added(ii) the crossing design used to produce the FRM used in the evaluation tests.

Added(c) Test procedures

AddedThe following requirements shall be met:

Added(i) The genetic value of each component shall be estimated in two or more evaluation test-sites, at least one of which shall be in an environment relevant for the intended deployment area of the FRM.

Added(ii) The test period shall be of sufficient duration for the tested characteristics to be expressed.

Added(iii) The estimated superiority of the FRM to be marketed shall be calculated on the basis of these genetic values and the specific crossing design.

Added(iv) Evaluation tests and genetic calculations shall be approved by the competent authority.

Added(d) Interpretation

Added(i) The estimated superiority of the FRM shall be calculated against a reference population for a characteristic or set of characteristics. The professional operator shall define the reference population in the breeding program and describe this reference populationshall be defined and described in the test reports. [Am. 100]

Added(ii) It shall be stated whether the estimated genetic value of the FRM is inferior to the reference population for any important characteristic.

Added3. REQUIREMENTS FOR COMPARATIVE TESTING OF FRM

Added(a) Sampling of the FRM

Added(i) The sample of the FRM for comparative testing shall be truly representative of the FRM derived from the basic material to be approved.

Added(ii) Sexually produced FRM for comparative testing shall be:

Added- harvested in years of good flowering and good fruit/seed production, and

Added- harvested by methods that ensure that the samples obtained are representative.

AddedArtificial pollination may be utilised for the production of such FRM.

Added(b) Standards

Added(i) The performance of standards used for comparative purposes in the tests shall, if possible, be known over a sufficiently long period in the region in which the test is to be carried out. The standards represent, in principle, basic material that has been shown to be useful for the intended purpose for forestry at the time that the test starts, and in ecological conditions for which it is proposed to certify the FRM. The standards used for comparative purposes in the tests shall be, as far as possible:

Added- stands selected according to the criteria in Annex III; or

Added- basic material officially approved for the production of FRM of the tested category.

Added(ii) For comparative testing of artificial hybrids, both parent tree species shall, if possible, be included among the standards.

Added(iii) Several standards shall be used whenever possible. When justified, standards may be replaced by the most suitable of the FRM under test or the mean of the components of the test.

Added(iv) The same standards shall be used in all tests over as wide a range of site conditions as possible.

Added(c) Interpretation

Added(i) A statistically significant superiority as compared with the standards shall be demonstrated for at least one important characteristic.

Added(ii) The professional operatorIt shall reportbe reported if there are any characteristics of economic or environmental importance which show significantly inferior results to the standards, and their effects shall be compensated for by favourable characteristics. [Am. 101]

Added4. PROVISIONAL APPROVAL

AddedPreliminary assessment of young trials may be the basis for provisional approval. Claims of superiority based on an early assessment shall be re-examined at a maximum interval of ten years.

Added5. EARLY TESTS

AddedNursery, greenhouse and laboratory tests may be accepted by the competent authority for provisional approval or for final approval, if it can be shown that there is a close correlation between the measured characteristic and the characteristics normally assessed in forest stage tests. Other characteristics to be tested shall meet the requirements set out in point 3.

AddedAnnex VI

AddedCATEGORIES UNDER WHICH FRM FROM THE DIFFERENT TYPES OF BASIC MATERIAL MAY BE MARKETED

AddedAnnex VII

AddedAmendment of Annex VII to Regulation (EU) 2016/2031

AddedIn Annex VII to Regulation (EU) 2016/2031, the following parts are added: