The list of varieties is based on § 65 Seed Act 1997, BGBl. I No. 72/1997 zgd BGBl. I No. 83/2004. The list of varieties is of declarative (informative) importance, the entry of a variety in the list of varieties cannot replace the acceptance of a variety. The only decisive factor in terms of content is the acceptance of the variety.

All authorised varieties of agricultural and vegetable species (seeds) shall be entered in the list of varieties. Similarly, varieties of vegetables which have been accepted under the provisions of Part 4 of the SaatG 1997, in accordance with the Pflanzgutgesetz, BGBl. I No. 73/1997 zgd BGBl. I No. 86/2009, shall be entered in the list of varieties. These species may only be marketed as propagating material and are marked with a special note in the list of varieties.

The list of varieties consists of a public and a non-public part. Information on commercial or industrial secrets shall be entered in the non-public part of the list of varieties.

The public part of the list of varieties, which can be consulted by anyone, is divided into 5 sections:

I. Agricultural species (authorised varieties)II. Vegetables (authorised varieties) III. End of variety authorisation and extension period (agricultural species) IV. End of variety authorisation and extension period (vegetables) V. Adress directory

Within the species or subdivisions of species, varieties are listed in alphabetical order.

With the exception of the millet and buckwheat varieties, all entries were made in the Common Catalogues of varieties of the European Union (Common Catalogue of Varieties of Agricultural Plant Species, Common Catalogue of Varieties of Vegetables).

As of January 15, 2024, the "Austrian Variety List 2024" contains a total of 1238 approved varieties.

Of these, the following are included:

1. agricultural species:

2. vegetables:

As of January 15, 2024, the extension period pursuant to § 59 (3) Seed Act 1997 has not yet expired for 207 deleted varieties.

Of these, the following are accounted for:

1. agricultural species:

2. vegetables:

With a view to improving the possibility of conserving plant genetic resources in agricultural environments (in situ), Directive 2008/62/EC was adopted by the European Commission on 20 June 2008. It provides for derogations for the acceptance of landraces and other varieties adapted to natural local and regional conditions and threatened by genetic erosion and for the marketing of seed and seed potatoes of those varieties.

These conservation varieties may be accepted without official value and register testing. The applicant must provide an adequate botanical description. In the approval procedure, the results of unofficial tests and findings gained from practical experience during cultivation, propagation and use shall be taken into account (§ 56 (5) Seed Act). Furthermore, the names of conservation varieties known before 25 May 2000 may derogate from the provisions of Regulation (EC) No 930/2000. For each conservation variety of a plant species, a maximum quantity (for 0.3%, 0.5% or 100 hectares) and for all conservation varieties of the species concerned a total quantity (maximum 10% of the seed used annually for the plant species concerned) for the marketing of seed or seed potatoes shall be fixed. The seed or seed potatoes shall be placed on the market in a region of origin specified by the Federal Office for Food Safety.

As of 15 January 2024, 40 conservation varieties of agricultural plant species have been registered in Austria. For the species concerned, they are identified by a footnote.

On November 26, 2009, the European Commission issued Directive 2009/145/EC. It contains derogations for the registration of vegetable landraces and other varieties traditionally grown in particular places and regions and threatened by genetic erosion (conservation varieties), as well as vegetable varieties which are of no commercial value in themselves but are bred for cultivation under particular conditions (also known as garden or amateur varieties), and for the marketing of seed of these landraces and other varieties. As with agricultural plant species, this is a simplified registration procedure. Provided that the applicant submits a sufficient description and supplementary information with the application for registration, an official examination is not required. The names of conservation varieties and garden or amateur varieties may deviate from the provisions of Regulation (EC) No. 930/2000 if they were known before May 25, 2000.

Seed of conservation varieties can only be marketed in the specified region of origin, but no such vegetable variety is currently registered. In the case of vegetable varieties bred for cultivation under special conditions, there are no territorial restrictions, but the seed must be marketed in small packages.

As of January 15, 2024, 139 vegetable varieties bred for cultivation under special conditions are registered in Austria.

Status: 23.02.2024
Responsible for the content: AGES: DI K. Mechtler