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.

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

For Sections I and II, the list has 8 columns:

Ad. 5, 6, 7: The numbers refer to the consecutive number of the address directory.

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, 2022, the "Austrian List of Varieties 2022" contains a total of 1238 varieties admitted.

Of which are attributable to:

1. agricultural species:

Two. Vegetables:

For Sections III and IV, the list has 9 columns:

Ad. 5, 6, 7: The numbers refer to the consecutive number of the address directory.

As of January 15, 2022, the extension period under § 59 (3) of the Seed Law 1997 for 264 deleted varieties has not yet expired.

Of which are attributable to:

1. agricultural species:

Two. 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 2022, 36 conservation varieties of agricultural plant species have been registered in Austria. For the species concerned, they are identified by a footnote.

Directive 2009/145/EC was adopted by the European Commission on 26 November 2009. It provides for derogations for the acceptance of vegetable landraces and other varieties traditionally grown in special places and regions and threatened by genetic erosion (conservation varieties), vegetable varieties which have no intrinsic value for cultivation for commercial purposes but are bred for cultivation under special conditions (also called garden or amateur varieties) and for the marketing of seeds of these landraces and other varieties. As with agricultural plant species, it is a simplified registration procedure. Where the applicant provides a sufficient description and additional information on the application for authorisation, no official examination shall be carried out. The names of conservation, garden or amateur varieties known before 25 May 2000 may derogate from the provisions of Regulation (EC) No 930/2000. Seed of conservation varieties may be marketed only in the specified region of origin, but no such vegetable variety is currently registered. There are no territorial restrictions on vegetable varieties grown for cultivation under special conditions, but the seed must be marketed in small packages.

As of 15 January 2022, 139 vegetable varieties which have been bred for cultivation under special conditions are registered in Austria.

Status: 15 January 2022. Responsible for content: AGES: DI K. Mechler, DI M. Oberforster