Contents
THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION,Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union,Having regard to Council Directive 2002/53/EC of 13 June 2002 on the common catalogue of varieties of agricultural plant speciesnote, and in particular Article 7(2), points (a) and (b), thereof,Having regard to Council Directive 2002/55/EC of 13 June 2002 on the marketing of vegetable seednote, and in particular Article 7(2), points (a) and (b), thereof,Whereas:
(1)Commission Directives 2003/90/ECnote and 2003/91/ECnote aim to ensure that the varieties of agricultural plant species and vegetable species that Member States include in their national catalogues comply with the protocols established by the Community Plant Variety Office (‘CPVO’). In particular, those Directives aim to ensure compliance with the rules concerning the characteristics to be covered as a minimum by the examination and the minimum conditions for examining certain varieties of agricultural plant and vegetable species. For the species not covered by the CPVO protocols, those Directives aim to ensure compliance with the guidelines of the International Union for Protection of New Varieties of Plants (‘UPOV’).
(2)The CPVO has established further protocols and has updated existing ones, in particular as regards red clover, swede rape, turnip rape, asparagus, chilli or pepper, industrial chicory, melon, cucumber and gherkin, marrow or courgette, and lettuce. Those updates should be reflected in Union law.
(3)Directives 2003/90/EC and 2003/91/EC should therefore be amended accordingly.
(4)The new rules should apply from 1 January 2026. However, in order not to disrupt official examinations, for varieties that are not yet accepted for inclusion in the Common Catalogue of varieties of agricultural plant or vegetable species, official examinations started but not finalised before 1 January 2026 should continue to be made in accordance with Directive 2003/90/EC or Directive 2003/91/EC as they stood before being amended by this Directive.
(5)The measures provided for in this Directive are in accordance with the opinion of the Standing Committee on Plants, Animals, Food and Feed,
HAS ADOPTED THIS DIRECTIVE:
Article 1Amendments to Directive 2003/90/EC#
Annexes I and II to Directive 2003/90/EC are replaced by the text set out in Part A of the Annex to this Directive.
Article 2Amendments to Directive 2003/91/EC#
Annexes I and II to Directive 2003/91/EC are replaced by the text set out in Part B of the Annex to this Directive.
Article 3Transposition#
1.Member States shall adopt and publish, by 31 December 2025 at the latest, the laws, regulations and administrative provisions necessary to comply with this Directive. They shall forthwith communicate to the Commission the text of those provisions.They shall apply those provisions from 1 January 2026.When Member States adopt those provisions, they shall contain a reference to this Directive or be accompanied by such a reference on the occasion of their official publication. Member States shall determine how such reference is to be made.
2.Member States shall communicate to the Commission the text of the main provisions of national law, which they adopt in the field covered by this Directive.
Article 4Transitional measures#
For official examinations of varieties started but not finalised before 1 January 2026, Directives 2003/90/EC and 2003/91/EC shall apply as they stood before being amended by this Directive.
Article 5Entry into force#
This Directive shall enter into force on the twentieth day following that of its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union.
Annex I
| Scientific name | Common name | CPVO protocol |
|---|---|---|
| Allium cepa L. (Cepa group) | Onion and Echalion | TP 46/2 of 1.4.2009 |
| Allium cepa L. (Aggregatum group) | Shallot | TP 46/2 of 1.4.2009 |
| Allium fistulosum L. | Japanese bunching onion or Welsh onion | TP 161/1 of 11.3.2010 |
| Allium porrum L. | Leek | TP 85/2 of 1.4.2009 |
| Allium sativum L. | Garlic | TP 162/2 of 30.5.2023 |
| Allium schoenoprasum L. | Chives | TP 198/2 of 11.3.2015 |
| Apium graveolens L. | Celery | TP 82/1 of 13.3.2008 |
| Apium graveolens L. | Celeriac | TP 74/1 of 13.3.2008 |
| Asparagus officinalis L. | Asparagus | TP 130/2 Rev. of 3.1.2025 |
| Beta vulgaris L. | Beetroot including Cheltenham beet | TP 60/1 of 1.4.2009 |
| Beta vulgaris L. | Spinach beet or Chard | TP 106/2 of 14.4.2021 |
| Brassica oleracea L. | Curly kale | TP 90/1 of 16.2.2011 |
| Brassica oleracea L. | Cauliflower | TP 45/2 Rev. 3 of 11.4.2024 |
| Brassica oleracea L. | Sprouting broccoli or Calabrese | TP 151/2 Rev. 3 Corr. of 11.4.2024 |
| Brassica oleracea L. | Brussels sprouts | TP 54/2 Rev. 2 of 11.4.2024 |
| Brassica oleracea L. | Kohlrabi | TP 65/2 rev. of 11.4.2024 |
| Brassica oleracea L. | Savoy cabbage, White cabbage and Red cabbage | TP 48/3 Rev. 3 of 11.4.2024 |
| Brassica rapa L. | Chinese cabbage | TP 105/1 of 13.3.2008 |
| Capsicum annuum L. | Chilli or Pepper | TP 76/3 of 31.3.2025 |
| Cichorium endivia L. | Curled-leaved endive and Plain-leaved endive | TP 118/3 of 19.3.2014 |
| Cichorium intybus L. | Industrial chicory | TP 172/2 Rev. of 28.1.2025 |
| Cichorium intybus L. | Leaf chicory | TP 154/2 Rev. of 31.3.2023 |
| Cichorium intybus L. | Witloof chicory | TP 173/2 of 21.3.2018 |
| Citrullus lanatus (Thunb.) Matsum. et Nakai | Watermelon | TP 142/2 Rev. 3 of 29.2.2024 |
| Cucumis melo L. | Melon | TP 104/2 Rev. 3 of 31.3.2025 |
| Cucumis sativus L. | Cucumber and Gherkin | TP 61/2 Rev. 3 of 3.1.2025 |
| Cucurbita maxima Duchesne | Gourd | TP 155/1 of 11.3.2015 |
| Cucurbita pepo L. | Marrow or Courgette | TP 119/1 Rev. 2 of 31.3.2025 |
| Cynara cardunculus L. | Globe artichoke and Cardoon | TP 184/2 Rev. of 6.3.2020 |
| Daucus carota L. | Carrot and Fodder carrot | TP 49/3 Corr. of 13.3.2008 |
| Foeniculum vulgare Mill. | Fennel | TP 183/2 of 14.4.2021 |
| Lactuca sativa L. | Lettuce | TP 13/6 Rev. 5 of 3.1.2025 |
| Solanum lycopersicum L. | Tomato | TP 44/4 Rev. 5 of 14.4.2021 |
| Petroselinum crispum (Mill.) Nyman ex A. W. Hill | Parsley | TP 136/1 Corr. of 21.3.2007 |
| Phaseolus coccineus L. | Runner bean | TP 9/1 of 21.3.2007 |
| Phaseolus vulgaris L. | Dwarf French bean and Climbing French bean | TP 12/4 of 27.2.2013 |
| Pisum sativum L. (partim) | Wrinkled pea, Round pea and Sugar pea | TP 7/2 Rev. 3 Corr. of 6.3.2020 |
| Raphanus sativus L. | Radish, Black radish | TP 64/2 Rev. 2 of 29.2.2024 |
| Rheum rhabarbarum L | Rhubarb | TP 62/1 of 19.4.2016 |
| Scorzonera hispanica L. | Scorzonera or Black salsify | TP 116/1 of 11.3.2015 |
| Solanum melongena L. | Aubergine or Egg plant | TP 117/1 of 13.3.2008 |
| Spinacia oleracea L. | Spinach | TP 55/5 Rev. 4 of 27.4.2022 |
| Valerianella locusta (L.) Laterr. | Corn salad or Lamb’s lettuce | TP 75/2 rev. of 29.2.2024 |
| Vicia faba L. (partim) | Broad bean | TP 206/1 of 25.3.2004 |
| Zea mays L. (partim) | Sweet corn and Pop corn | TP 2/3 of 11.3.2010 |
| Solanum habrochaites S. Knapp & D.M. Spooner; Solanum lycopersicum L. x Solanum habrochaites S. Knapp & D.M. Spooner; Solanum lycopersicum L. x Solanum peruvianum (L.) Mill.; Solanum pimpinellifolium L. x Solanum habrochaites S. Knapp & D.M. Spooner | Tomato rootstocks | TP 294/1 Rev. 6 of 29.2.2024 |
| Cucurbita maxima Duchesne x Cucurbita moschata Duchesne | Interspecific hybrids of Cucurbita maxima Duchesne x Cucurbita moschata Duchesne for use as rootstocks | TP 311/1 of 15.3.2017 |
Annex II
| Scientific name | Common name | UPOV guideline |
|---|---|---|
| Brassica rapa L | Ternip | TG/37/11 of 23.9.2022 |
Part a
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Part b
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