The European Union has laid down specific minimum quality requirements that propagating material traded within the EU has to comply with.
The inspection of the material is a legal requirement that is usually being carried out on instruction and under supervision of the Ministry of Agriculture.
In The Netherlands, for instance, the inspection task has been appointed to the Dutch Inspection Service for Horticulture (Naktuinbouw) and the Bloembollenkeuringsdienst (BKD). The two organisations implement the so-called Seeds and Planting Materials Act and European legislation relating to propagation material in the flower, fruit and vegetable sector. The European trade directives stipulate that propagation material in the member states of the European Union (EU) must comply with certain standards.
All relevant information can be found on the Naktuinbouw website (in English): www.naktuinbouw.nl
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