Inputting the EU Revision on Seed Marketing

31 March 2022

In the European Union (EU) and the EU Member States, seed laws and regulations have been designed to cater to the needs of the agricultural industry, and the rights of peasants have been largely neglected.

As the EU is revising its legislation on seed marketing, the Geneva Academy is inputting this process. Our research team – Dr Christophe Golay and Dr Karine Peschard – provided a series of official submissions to the European Commission (EC) – in charge of organizing the public consultation around this revision – to ensure that the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Peasants (UNDROP) and its article 19 on the right to seeds are taken into account.

Ensuring Respect for the Right to Seeds and Peasants’ Rights

Our submissions consist of a background paper and answers to more than 150 questions. These build on a previous submission that we presented to the EC back in July 2021.

‘Our objective is that this revision will lead to the recognition of peasants’ right to save, use, exchange and sell farm-saved seeds, and their right to maintain, control, protect and develop their seeds and traditional knowledge’ explains Dr Christophe Golay, Senior Research Fellow and Strategic Adviser on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights at the Geneva Academy.

‘Ensuring that this new legislation on seed marketing is fully in line with UNDROP is key as it will be automatically transposed in the 27 EU member states' national seed marketing regimes. It is also key that the EU respects its international law’s obligations to ensure that human rights have precedence over other regimes like trade or intellectual property’ recalls Dr Karine Peschard, Associate Research Fellow at the Geneva Academy.

Following this EC consultation process, the EC will formally propose a regulation (with direct effect) or a directive (to be transposed in the EU Member States) that will then be negotiated by the European Council and the European Parliament for adoption in 2023.

Hands holding earth

In the coming months, the Geneva Academy will continue to accompany this process and push for the integration of the right to seeds in this revision process via targeted expertise, key events and the organization of exchanges between seeds networks and peasants’ organizations.

Part of our Project on the Right to Seeds in Europe

These submissions form part of our research project on the protection of peasants’ right to seeds in Europe.

Besides influencing the revision of the EU rules on seeds, it also aims at deepening collaboration between leading European peasant organizations and seed networks, empowering them in their advocacy and lobbying on the right to seeds, and facilitating the implementation of the right to seeds in the EU Member States.

MORE ON THIS THEMATIC AREA

News

New Working Paper Explores AI for Human Rights and SDG Monitoring

30 January 2025

A new working paper, 'AI Decoded: Key Concepts and Applications of Artificial Intelligence for Human Rights and SDG Monitoring', has been published by the Geneva Human Rights Platform.

Read more

neurotech image News

Human Rights Concerns in Neurotechnology Examined in New Research Brief

15 April 2025

Our research brief 'Neurotechnology - Integrating Human Rights in Regulation' examines the human rights challenges posed by the rapid development of neurotechnology.

Read more

Open dump Training

Protecting Human Rights and the Environment

15-19 September 2025

Participants in this training course will gain practical insights into UN human rights mechanisms and their role in environmental protection and learn about how to address the interplay between international human rights and environmental law, and explore environmental litigation paths.

Read more

A general view of participants during of the 33nd ordinary session of the Human Rights Council. Training

The Universal Periodic Review and the UN Human Rights System: Raising the Bar on Accountability

10-14 November 2025

This training course will explore the origin and evolution of the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) and its functioning in Geneva and will focus on the nature of implementation of the UPR recommendations at the national level.

Read more

A destroyed camp for internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Khor Abeche, South Darfur, Project

Understanding the Relationship between Conflict, Security and the Human Right to a Clean, Healthy and Sustainable Environment

Started in May 2023

This project will develop guidance to inform security, human rights and environmental debates on the linkages between environmental rights and conflict, and how their better management can serve as a tool in conflict prevention, resilience and early warning.

Read more

Un plate with Rapporteur Spécial written on it Project

Support to UN Special Procedures

Started in June 2020

Read more

Cover of the publication Publication

Briefing N° 25: Localizing Multilateralism

published on March 2025

Domenico Zipoli, Ludovica Chiussi Curzi, Kamelia Kemileva

Read more

Cover page of the working paper Publication

AI Decoded: Key Concepts and Applications of Artificial Intelligence for Human Rights and SDG Monitoring

published on January 2025

Milica Mirkovic, Jennifer Victoria Scurrell

Read more