GREECE
The Ministry of Rural Developmentand Food is the official Authority responsible for the agricultural policy inGreece. As far as the seed sector is concerned, the following services arecompetent for the tasks described below:
DPGR&PMCPS: is the central service of theMinistry responsible for the implementation of the respective national and EUlegislation and the coordination of the decentralized agencies. It is also the National Designated Authority forthe OECD Seed Schemes.
VRDCP: is located in Thessaloniki and isresponsible for the:
• Registration of varieties inNational Catalogue (DUS and VCU tests).
• Continuation of varieties on theNational Catalogue.
• Postcontrols of varieties.
• Controlof maintainers.
It is also an entrusted examinationoffice of the Community Plant Variety Office (CPVO) for the cotton cultivarsconcerning Plant Breeders Rights.
TSVPMS: is responsible for:
• The testing of seed lots regardingsampling, purity& determination of other seeds, germination, viability, moisture contentand weight determination for which it is an accreditedlaboratory by ISTA as well as GMO tests.
• The virological testing of the vegetative plantpropagating material (seed potatoes lots, etc).
• The training of the decentralizedagencies (DRDs) staff in the above mentioned fields.
DRDs: are responsible for theenforcement of legislation in the areaofseed certification and production & marketing official controls.