The Department of Register Testing and Plant Variety Protection of the Institute for Seed and Seedlings, Plant Protection Service and Bees/Food Security Business Unit is an Entrusted Examination Office (EO) for the Community Plant Variety Office, CPVO, located in Angers (FR).

The "Entrustment" as EO entitles the national examination office to conduct DUS tests of certain crop species according to internationally harmonized specifications for European plant variety protection of newly bred varieties.

• Conducting of the register examination (DUS test) to determine Distinctness, Uniformity and Stability for variety approval and protection.
• Testing of cereals, soybean, potato, field bean and sorghum for the CPVO and on behalf of other countries.
• Participation in the committees of the CPVO as well as in the UPOV (International Union for the Protection of New Varieties of Plants), participation in interlaboratory tests and projects (international harmonization)
• Regular audits by the CPVO for the maintenance of entrustment
• Legal basis: Council Regulation (EC) No. 2100/94