21.6.2008 Official Journal of the European Union L 16213 COMMISSION DIRECTIVE 2008/62/EC of 20 June 2008 providing for certain derogations for acceptance of agricultural landraces and varieties which are naturally adapted to the local and regional conditions and threatened by genetic erosion and for marketing of seed and seed potatoes of those landraces and varieties (Text with EEA relevance) THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES, Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community, Having regard to Council Directive 66/401/EEC of 14 June 1966 on the marketing of fodder plant seed ('), and in particular Article 22a(1)(b) thereof, Having regard to Council Directive 66/402/EEC of 14 June 1966 on the marketing of cereal seed (3, and in particular Article 22a(1)(b) thereof, Having regard to Council Directive 2002/53/EC of 13 June 2002 on the common catalogue of varieties of agricultural plant species (°), and in particular Article 4(6), Article 20(2) and Article 21 thereof, Having regard to Council Directive 2002/54/EC of 13 June 2002 on the marketing of beet seed (4), and in particular Article 30(1)(b) thereof, Having regard to Council Directive 2002/56/EC of 13 June 2002 on the marketing of seed potatoes (°), and in particular Article 10(1) and Article 27(1)(b) thereof, () OJ 125, 11.7.1966, p. 2298/66. Directive as last amended by Commission Directive 2007/72/EC (O] L 329, 14.12.2007, p. 37). (® O] 125, 11.7.1966, p. 2309/66. Directive as last amended by Commission Directive 2006/55/EC (O] L 159, 13.6.2006, p. 13). (}) OJ L 193, 20.7.2002, p. 1. Directive as last amended by Regulation (EC) No 1829/2003 of the European Parliament and of the Council (OJ L 268, 18.10.2003, p. 1). ( OJ L 193, 20.7.2002, p. 12. Directive as last amended by Directive 2004/117/EC (O] L 14, 18.1.2005, p. 18). () O] L 193, 20.7.2002, p. 60. Directive as last amended by Commission Decision 2005/908/EC (O] L 329, 16.12.2005, p. 37). Having regard to Council Directive 2002/57/EC of 13 June 2002 on the marketing of seed of oil and fibre plants (°), and in particular Article 27(1)(b) thereof, Whereas: (1) The questions of biodiversity and the conservation of plant genetic resources have grown in importance in recent years, as shown by different developments at inter- national and Community level. Examples include Council Decision 93/626/EEC of 25 October 1993 concerning the conclusion of the Convention on Biological Diversity (), ~Council Decision  2004/869/EC  of 24 TFebruary 2004 concerning the conclusion, on behalf of the European Community, of the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agri- culture (}), Council Regulation (EC) No 870/2004 of 24 April 2004 establishing a Community programme on the conservation, characterisation, collection and util- isation of genetic resources in agriculture and repealing Regulation (EC) No 1467/94 (°) and Council Regulation (EC) No 1698/2005 of 20 September 2005 on support for rural development by the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD) (19). Specific conditions should be established under the Community legislation governing the marketing of seed of agricultural plants, namely Directives 66/401/EEC, 66/402[EEC, 2002/53EC,  2002/54/EC,  2002/56/EC  and 2002/57[EC, in order to take account of these issues. (20  In order to ensure in situ conservation and the sustainable use of plant genetic resources, landraces and varieties which are naturally adapted to local and regional conditions and threatened by genetic erosion (conser- vation varieties) should be grown and marketed even where they do not comply with the general requirements as regards the acceptance of varieties and the marketing of seed and seed potatoes. In order to achieve that objective it is necessary to provide for derogations as regards the acceptance of conservation varieties, for inclusion in the national catalogues of varieties of agri- cultural plant species as well as for the production and marketing of seed and seed potatoes of those varieties. (%) OJ L 193, 20.7.2002, p. 74. Directive as last amended by Directive 2004/117EC. () O L 309, 13.12.1993, p. 1. (% O] L 378, 23.12.2004, p. 1. () O] L 162, 30.4.2004, p. 18. (1% OJ L 277, 21.10.2005, p. 1. Regulation as last amended by Regu- lation (EC) No 146/2008 (O] L 46, 21.2.2008, p. 1).