France
April 2026
The Ornamental, Perfumed, Aromatic and Medicinal Plants (POPAM) Section of the Permanent Technical Committee for Plant Breeding (CTPS) held its inaugural meeting on 10 March 2026 in Paris, marking the official launch of the new term’s work. This meeting provided an opportunity to lay the foundations for future work, formally install the new members and define the section’s initial priorities.
Following a brief introduction to his background, Fabrice MARTY, Chair of the Plenary Committee, welcomed the section’s members and outlined his vision for the CTPS. The key issues for this inaugural meeting and the importance of the work to be carried out during the new term of office were highlighted in order to establish a collaborative working framework.
The session began with a round-table discussion among the participants, followed by the official inauguration of the section. Members were able to discover or rediscover: how the CTPS operates, the main priorities of the SPAD2 plan, and the 2025 activity report. The referrals made during the previous term by the CTPS Scientific Committee were discussed. To provide a comprehensive overview, the survey conducted by the CTPS Plant Genetic Resources Section on ornamental, perfumed, aromatic and medicinal plants, aimed at mapping the various stakeholders and initiatives relating to plant genetic resources in France, was also presented.
The minutes of the meeting held on 12 September 2024 were approved, followed by an overview of regulatory developments, with a particular focus on the progress of the draft European regulations, published in July 2023, concerning Plant Reproduction Material (PRM) and New Genomic Techniques (NGT). This regular update ensures that the section’s work remains consistent with the national and European legislative and strategic framework.
After the lunch break, each member presented the organisation they represent. The discussion paved the way for an initial collective reflection on the sector’s expectations for the coming years, including the needs, challenges and priorities expressed by those present. This discussion fostered a shared understanding of the challenges ahead for the POPAM sectors.
In a second phase, members began jointly developing the section’s roadmap for the term of office. This collaborative effort made it possible to define work priorities, structure the actions to be undertaken and strategic themes, clarify the section’s expectations of the CTPS, and establish a collaborative dynamic for the entire duration of the term of office. After conducting an in-depth analysis of the “POPAM” concept across its economic, environmental, health and social dimensions, as well as through the prism of lifestyle issues, the creation of value-added products and living green infrastructure, the section’s members engaged in a collective discussion on possible courses of action. This work has identified three key strategic priorities: Axis 1, dedicated to cultivated and wild biodiversity (covering, in particular, issues relating to the Nagoya Protocol, heritage varieties, associated traditional knowledge and the impacts of climate change); Axis 2, dedicated to plant breeding, from development through to commercialisation, including breeding techniques and intellectual property, and Axis 3, focused on economic development and the dissemination of knowledge, including issues of remuneration, ecosystem services and farm-saved seed. It was collectively decided to focus the section’s work on Axis 2 initially, before moving on to Axis 1 subsequently, in order to capitalise fully on the momentum already built up.
The next meeting of the POPAM section will take place on 17 November 2026 in Paris.
Topics
Species
