List of background documents prepared for the Ninth Steering Committee meeting and expected outcomes of the various sessions

Programme

Item 1: Reports on Phase VI

The Steering Committee is expected to comment and adopt the technical and financial reports during the meeting.

• Technical report of Phase VI
• Preliminary Financial report of Phase VI
• Brief reports prepared in standard format (Allium, Avena, Barley, Beta, Brassica, Documentation and Information Network, Forages, Grain Legumes, Inter-regional Cooperation Task Force, Malus / Pyrus, Medicinal and Aromatic Plants, On-Farm Conservation Task Force, Potato, Prunus, Solanaceae, Umbellifer Crops, Vitis, Wheat, Wild Species Conservation in Genetic Reserves Task Force)

Item 2: Task Force on MTAs
On the basis of the latest version (7) of the Interim MTA prepared by the Task Force, the Steering Committee is expected to give advise on the contents of the reported Interim MTA and on further steps to be taken. The current version of the MTA does not constitute a single consensus text, since various Task Force members hold different positions. The document is recommended for adoption, in the understanding that it offers a model text with various options for several issues that may be used by ECPGR member countries and collection holders to the extent that according to their own views MTAs currently in use need to be adapted or new MTAs need to be introduced.

• Interim Material Transfer Agreement for PGRFA – Version 7

Item 3: Task Force on a Strategy for Phase VII
The Steering Committee is expected to discuss the results of the task force and in particular to comment on the set of 22 recommendations + 3 recommendations proposed by Germany for Phase VII of ECPGR. The Steering Committee should reach a consensus on the continuation of ECPGR into Phase VII and the principles of a new strategy.

• Letter from the Secretariat to the Steering Committee, introducing the results of the task force
• Analysis of results of questionnaire and recommendations
• Annex I: Summary of results of questionnaire
• Annex II: Summary of recommendations
• Annex III: Procedure for setting priorities and objectives and for monitoring the process towards their achievements
• Recommendations for Phase VII of ECPGR – Additional contribution from Germany
• Summary of comments expressed by the ECPGR Working Groups on the draft recommendations for Phase VII

Item 4: Planning for Phase VII
The Steering Committee is expected to discuss a proposal for Phase VII and reach a consensus on the practical implementation of Phase VII, including taking a decision on the applications for new Working Groups and on the proposal for a model project to assess the feasibility of establishing a European Genebank System.

• Implementation document - Phase VII
• Applications for the establishment of new Working Groups (Cucurbits; Fibre Crops; Leafy Vegetables)
• Concept note of a model project on sharing long-term conservation responsibilities as a possible model for "A European Genebank Integrated System" (AEGIS)

Item 5: Collaboration
The Steering Committee is expected to reflect on the level of interaction with other agencies or institutions and to give indications on the most important opportunities for collaboration in Phase VII.