Programme

Opening, Welcome and Anti-Trust Guidelines and AI Policy  by Paul Devisme, Deputy General Manager for Europe at Limagrain and Chair of SMS Section

Minutes of the last meeting by Branislava Popov, Euroseeds Technical Manager Variety Registration and Seed Marketing

UK seed sector presentation Keynotes: Robin Wood, Deputy Chairman at Elsoms Seeds and Chairman at British Society of Plant Breeders (BSPB)

UK agriculture presentation Keynote: Robert Sheasby, Chief Executive at Agricultural Industries Confederation (AIC)

From Brexit to Reset – working for EU-UK (seed) alignment

Setting the scene: where are we today in the process and what’s next 

Keynote:

• Hugo Popplewell, EU Relations and SPS Agreement at Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs (Defra)

Panel debate:

• Annette Kliemann, Agricultural Counsellor at the Delegation of the European Union to the United Kingdom;
• Robin Wood, Deputy Chairman at Elsoms Seeds and Chairman at British Society of Plant Breeders (BSPB);
• Hugo Popplewell, Joint Head of EU SPS Agreement, EU & International Trade at Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs (Defra)
• Anthony Hopkins, Head of Policy at British Society of Plant Breeders (BSPB) and Chair of Market Access EU-UK Task Force (CWG STMA WG EU-UK)

Moderator: Jean-Paul Judson, Founder at NowMore

Market overviews: 

• Market overview Maize by Pierre Guillaumin, Market research and international development at the French National Federation for Maize and Sorghum Seed Production (FNPSMS)
• Market overview Sorghum by Martin Gomez, Development Manager at the French National Federation for Maize and Sorghum Seed Production (FNPSMS)

Summary of activities 2024/2025 and next steps by Branislava Popov, Technical Manager Variety Registration and Seed Marketing, Euroseeds

a.o.b. by Paul Devisme, Chair, Deputy General Manager for Europe at Limagrain and Chair of SMS Section

Closure and date of next meeting by Paul Devisme, Chair, Deputy General Manager for Europe at Limagrain and Chair of SMS Section

10:00-10:30 Nox Storage

10:30-11:00 BreedBio 

Opening, welcome, Anti-Trust Guidelines and AI Policy by Birger Eriksen, Managing Director at Sejet Planteforædling (Danish Breeders Association) and Chair of the SCP Section

Minutes from the last meeting by Francesca Garbato, Manager Intellectual Property and Legal Affairs, Euroseeds

Getting it right(s)! Improving Europe’s IP protection for the breeding sector

•  Background to the CPVR evaluation by COM by Sylvain Giraud, Head of Unit at European Commission Directorate-General for Health and Food Safety (DG SANTE)
•   Preparing the CPVR evaluation: introduction and survey results by Francesca Garbato, Manager Intellectual Property and Legal Affairs, Euroseeds
•   Horizon scanning by CPVO and UPOV by Francesco Mattina, President at Community Plant Variety Office (CPVO) & Martin Ekvad, Director of Legal Affairs at International Union for the Protection of New Varieties of Plants (UPOV)

What IP system do we need for the future ?

Panel debate by:

• Richard Wells, Senior Patent Attorney at Tropic;
• Aniek Verhaar, General Legal Counsel at Enza Zaden;
• Martin Ekvad ; Director of Legal Affairs at International Union for the Protection of New Varieties of Plants (UPOV)
• Francesco Mattina President at Community Plant Variety Office (CPVO)

Moderator: Marcel Bruins, Seed World Europe Editorial Director

WG Cereal Hybrid Crops (WG CHC)

Where are we on hybrid cereals? The Euroseeds input to OECD by Szabolcs Ruthner, Senior Market Acceptance Manager EMEA, BASF, & Chair of SWG Hybrid Cereals Section

Next steps by Csaba Gaspar, Head of Section, OECD Codes and Schemes. – Trade and Agriculture Directorate, Codes and Schemes

WG Aneuploids (WG AN) by Guillaume Bergon, Technical Manager of the Plant Improvement Division, Head of the Straw Cereals and Protein Crops Section at Union française des semenciers (USF)

Summary of activities in 2024/2025 and next steps by Francesca Garbato, Manager Intellectual Property and Legal Affairs, Euroseeds

a.o.b. by Birger Eriksen, Managing Director at Sejet Planteforædling (Danish Breeders Association) and Chair of the SCP Section

Closure and date of next meeting by Birger Eriksen, Managing Director at Sejet Planteforædling (Danish Breeders Association) and Chair of the SCP Section

13:00-13:30 phenoLytics

13:30-14:00 Polyfly

Opening, welcome and Anti-Trust Guidelines and AI policy by Etienne Bouquet, Associate Marketing Director – Europe Middle East Africa,
Soybean, Alfalfa, Cotton Portfolio Marketing Leader and Seed Licensing Manager Corteva agriscience™ and Chair of SOF Section

Minutes of the last meeting by Branislava Popov, Technical Manager Variety Registration and Seed Marketing, Euroseeds

A new seed law for the EU: where we are on PRM by Astrid Sofie Vestergaard Nielsen, Food Attaché at the Permanent Representation of Denmark to the EU Council

Euroseeds priorities on PRM (followed by Q&A) by Nigel Moore, Head of Food Ingredients for KWS Saat SE &Co. KGaA

SOF specific subjects: 

• Herbicide tolerant varieties (HTVs) by Szabolcz Ruthner, Senior Market Acceptance Manager EMEA, BASF

Market developments 

•  Oilseed Rape by Andrea Richter, Head Of SBU Oilseed Rape at KWS
•  Sunflower  by Nicolas Colliot, Seeds Sunflower & Corn Strategy and Portfolio Lead EAME at SYNGENTA
•  Soybean by Hansjörg Schlichtner, Head Of Sales at SAATBAU LINZ eGen
•  Cotton by Etienne Bouquet, Associate Marketing Director – Europe Middle East Africa,Soybean, Alfalfa, Cotton Portfolio Marketing Leader and Seed Licensing Manager Corteva agriscience™ and Chair of SOF Section

Euroseeds SOF WG Soybean by Etienne Bouquet, Associate Marketing Director – Europe Middle East Africa,
Soybean, Alfalfa, Cotton Portfolio Marketing Leader and Seed Licensing Manager Corteva agriscience™ and Chair of SOF Section

Summary of activities in 2024/2025 and next steps by Branislava Popov, Technical Manager Variety Registration and Seed Marketing, Euroseeds

a.o.b. by Etienne Bouquet, Associate Marketing Director – Europe Middle East Africa,Soybean, Alfalfa, Cotton Portfolio Marketing Leader and Seed Licensing Manager Corteva agriscience™ and Chair of SOF Section

Closure and date of next meeting by Etienne Bouquet, Associate Marketing Director – Europe Middle East Africa,Soybean, Alfalfa, Cotton Portfolio Marketing Leader and Seed Licensing Manager Corteva agriscience™ and Chair of SOF Section

15:30-16:00 Corvus Drones

16:00-16:30 Videometer 

Opening, welcome, Anti-Trust Guidelines and AI Policy by Nils Elmegaard, Secretary General at Danish Seed Association and Chair of SFG Section

Minutes of the last meeting by Branislava Popov, Technical Manager Variety Registration and Seed Marketing, Euroseeds

Plant Breeding Innovation

The European Commission proposal on plants obtained by certain new genomic techniques by Ilaria Ciabatti, Policy Officer at European Commission Directorate-General for Health and Food Safety (DG SANTE);

Welcome to England, precision breeding!!! by Janet Talling, Head of Genetic Technology and Farm Tenancy Policy in the Innovation, Productivity and Science Division at Departement for Environment Food and Rural Affairs (Defra)

Mind the gap! Commonalities and differences of the England’s PBAct and the EU NGT Regulation – and what to do about it? 

• Panel debate:  

– Duncan Ribbons, VP IP & Regulatory at Tropic;
– Ilaria Ciabatti, Policy Officer at European Commission Directorate-General for Health and Food Safety (DG SANTE);
– Janet Talling, Head of Genetic Technology and Farm Tenancy Policy in the Innovation, Productivity and Science Division at Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs (Defra);
– Nigel Moore, Head of Nutritional Food Ingredients at KWS Group

 

Moderation: Garlich von Essen, Secretary General & CEO, Euroseeds

SFG specific topics: 

• SFG specific points in the PRM discussion: certification; amateur market; off-types by Dieter Rücker, Head of the Fodder Plants and Oil and Protein Plants Departments at Bundesverband Deutscher Pflanzenzüchter e. V. (BDP)
• Losing it – and fast! The growing impact of lack of effective crop protection for grasses by Amalia Kafka, Technical Manager Sustainable Seed Technologies, Euroseeds
• The new CAP proposals on permanent grassland: from bad to worse for re-sowing? by Cesar Gonzalez, Manager Public Affairs, Euroseeds
• Illegal Seed Activities – still with us! by Corné van Beers, Director at Breeders Trust

Summary of activities 2024/2025 and next steps by Branislava Popov, Technical Manager Variety Registration and Seed Marketing, Euroseeds

a.o.b. by Nils Elmegaard, Secretary General at Danish Seed Association and Chair of SFG Section

Closure and date of next meeting by Nils Elmegaard, Secretary General at Danish Seed Association and Chair of SFG Section

Opening, welcome, Anti-Trust Guidelines and AI Policy by Hein Bemelmans, Chief Commercial Officer at Enza Zaden and Chair of the SVO Section

Minutes of the last meeting by Claudius Marondedze, Euroseeds Technical Manager Plant Health and Seed Trade

End of derogations for organic seed: Euroseeds Guidance by Cesar Gonzalez, Manager Public Affairs, Euroseeds

Confident decisions in uncertain times – how to come out on top with the power of Market Intelligence by Jeroen Lustig, CEO and Founder at A-INSIGHTS

ISTA overview by Sergio Pasquini, Vice President ISTA

SVO specific topics:

• Short update on status of key SVO issues in the PRM discussion by Hilde van Dyck, Senior Regional Regulatory Manager Seeds and Vegetables at Bayer

Summary of activities 2024/2025 and next steps by Claudius Marondedze, Technical Manager Plant Health and Seed Trade, Euroseeds

a.o.b. by Hein Bemelmans, Chair, Chief Commercial Officer at Enza Zaden and Chair of the SVO Section

Closure and date of next meeting by Hein Bemelmans, Chair, Chief Commercial Officer at Enza Zaden and Chair of the SVO Section

09:30-10:00 Cgrain

10:00-10:30 Crover

Opening, welcome, Anti-Trust Guidelines and AI Policy by Jörg Renatus, Managing Director at EUROPLANT Pflanzenzucht and Chair of SPO Section

Minutes of the last meeting by Amalia Kafka, Technical Manager Sustainable Seed Technologies, Euroseeds

ITPGRFA & the Future of Access and Benefit-Sharing: A European Industry Dialogue

• State of Play: ITPGRFA EFMLS Negotiations and Outlook to GB11 by Andrea Mertens, Lead of Expert Hub Legal, Global Legal and IP at KWS and Vice Chair of CPGR Committee

Message from the Chair of the ITPGRFA GB11 by Alwin Kopše, Chair of the GB 11 at the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture (ITPGRFA) and Head of the International Affairs & Food Systems of the Swiss Federal Office for Agriculture (FOAG)  

Navigating the Future: What Will A new EFMLS Mean for the European seed sector?

Panel debate:

• Michael Keller, Secretary General at International Seed Federation (ISF);
• Kent Nnadozie, Secretary of the FAO International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture (FAO);
• Mery Ciacci, International Policy Officer at the European Commission Directorate-General for the Environment (DG Environment);
• Imke Thormann, Senior Officer Plant Genetic Resources at the German Federal Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Regional Identity (BMLEH);                                                      

Moderator: Ludovic Paris, Regulatory Affairs Officer at Limagrain and Chair of CPGR Committee

ProGrace: how to preserve PGRs – and make them valuable? « Strengthening European research cooperation on plant genetic resources conservation and use » by Federico Pisani, Euroseeds Manager Development Cooperation and Genetic Resources

Summary of activities 2024/2025 and next steps by Amalia Kafka, Technical Manager Sustainable Seed Technologies, Euroseeds

a.o.b. by Jörg Renatus, Chair, Managing Director at EUROPLANT Pflanzenzucht and Chair of SPO Section

Closure and date of next meeting by Jörg Renatus, Chair, Managing Director at EUROPLANT Pflanzenzucht and Chair of SPO Section

Opening, welcome, Anti-Trust Guidelines and AI Policy by Søren Halbye, Group CEO at DLF and Euroseeds President

Tanks, Trump and Tariffs – what future for international cooperation and trade in the new world order? by Jan Friedrich Kallmorgen, Partner at EY-Parthenon, EY Strategy & Transactions GmbH (Ernst and Young)

Panel with UK MP, EU COM, US?, agri-food stakeholder(s)

Panel debate:

• Jan Friedrich Kallmorgen, Partner at EY-Parthenon, EY Strategy & Transactions GmbH (Ernst and Young)
• Christiane Hullmann, Counsul General at Federal Foreign Office Germany in the UK;
• Annette Kliemann, Agricultural Counsellor at the Delegation of the European Union to the United Kingdom
• Søren Halbye, Group CEO at DLF and Euroseeds President

Moderation by Garlich von Essen, Secretary General & CEO, Euroseeds

Summarizing conclusions by Garlich von Essen, Secretary General & CEO, Euroseeds

Closure by Søren Halbye, Group CEO at DLF and Euroseeds President

Moderator: Shawn Brook, President Seed World Group

Short keynote: Jan Friedrich Kallmorgen, Partner at EY-Parthenon, EY Strategy & Transactions GmbH (Ernst and Young)

Presentation of InnovActor participants and winners

Panel with InnovActor2025 and runner-ups, E&Y

Speakers: winner and runners-up

Closure by Garlich von Essen, Secretary General & CEO, Euroseeds

Opening Remarks, by von Essen Garlich, Secretary General and CEO of Euroseeds

Speakers;

• Marco van Leeuwen, Managing Director of Rijk Zwaan and Vice-President of Euroseeds
• Nigel Moore, Head of Food Ingredients for KWS Saat SE &Co. KGaA
• César Gonzalez, Manager Public Affairs, Euroseeds
• Germán Vighi, Executive Manager, Plants for the Future, Plant ETP

Moderator: Jean-Paul Judson, Executive Manager, Founder at NOWMORE

Student Voices & First Reactions

• Moderated interaction between the panel and the audience

Roundtable Dialogue: Future Skills, Needs & Aspirations

Moderated open discussion

Speakers;

• Yasmine Ambrogio, Manager Research Policy and Project Coordination, Euroseeds
• Amelie Detterbeck, Manager Research Projects and Innovation Transfer, Euroseeds
• Darya Chernokova, Manager Project Communications and Team Support, Euroseeds 
  

Closing Remarks by von Essen Garlich, Secretary General and CEO of Euroseeds