Venezuelan Seed Law No. 6.207 of 2015

On December 23, 2015, the Venezuelan Congress passed a new Legislation on Seeds, (Venezuelan Seed Law No. 6.207) repealing the previous regulation from 2002, which also regulated the material for animal reproduction and biological supply. The Seed Law includes provisions that ban genetically modified seeds and the patenting of life forms. recognition of both formal and informal seed systems, and protection for the seeds of the country’s peasant, indigenous, and Afro-descendant communities. The National Seed Commission was then created with a mandate to monitor the implementation of the law and draft a National Seed Plan. The commission comprises four representatives of the competent Ministry, as well as three representatives of social movements, peasants, afro-descendant and indigenous peoples. Additionally, a Popular Council for the Protection of the Local, Peasant, Afro-descendant and Indigenous Peoples’ seeds was formed. The Council’s role is to promote peasant seeds systems, including the conservation, use and exchange of seeds, local seed banks, community seed production enterprises, collaborative breeding and participative certification mechanisms; as well as to participate in policy-making and provide inputs to the National Seed Commission. All local, peasant, afro-descendant and indigenous peoples’ seeds, as well as seeds developed with state’ resources, are declared as free seeds that can be improved, produced, exchanged and freely marketed all over the national territory. These seeds are to be accessed under "licenses for the free use". Also promotes a formal seed system.