b'GIANT VIEWSE-COMMERCE, OPPORTUNITIES AND (MANY) RISKS FOR THE SEED SECTOROverall, European B2C e-commercebring Initiatives related to e-commerce into revenue was718 billion in 2021, a 13%legality and safety. increase over 2020. In2014,theCommissionon The seed/nursery sector is increasinglyPhytosanitary Measures, a FAO body that involved in e-commerce, especially withidentifies actions for plant protection at a regard to horticultural and ornamentalglobal level, adopted a series of recommen-species. dations to prevent the spread of diseases with e-commerce. This text can be an excel-SEEDS AND PLANTS AT RISK OFlent operational basis for governments and POLLUTION AND ILLEGALITY their respective control bodies. Transactions of seeds and seedlings, espe- It is divided into some essential points: cially C2C (person to person) ones, are1) identify in each country the operators difficult to trace and often made withoutwho trade via the internet; 2) establish tax documents. Furthermore, the materialmechanisms to identify products purchased usually comes from small private produc- via e-commerce, with particular attention tions or from natural environments, so theto those at high risk, such as plants, seeds, identification of species and varieties maysoils and living organisms, and to evaluate not be correct and not subject to mandatoryrisk management actions; 3) investigate the By Franco Brazzabeni phytosanitary controls.phytosanitary risks related to e-commerce; The possible absence of a clear decla- 4) collaborate with postal services and cou-ration of the contents of the package andriers so that information on phytosanitary T he name e-commerce, now com- the large number of small packages inrisks is transmitted to operators; 5) promote monly adopted, refers to the activ- circulation (in total, 159 billion of parcelscompliance, by traders and consumers who ities of buying and selling productsworldwide in 2021, up more than 20% fromoperate via e-commerce, with the phytosan-via the internet: websites, apps, market- 2020) currently makes systematic control byitary import requirements of importing places. A great opportunity that hides manycustoms almost impossible.countries and provide adequate informa-risks, especially for some sectors, like theOften, those who sell and even thosetion on the risks arising from circumventing seed industry.who buy seeds and seedlings, for home gar- these requirements; 6) increase awareness of Electronic commerce has its originsdens or to decorate their house with green- the risks arising from circumventing phy-in the 1970s and 1980s, but it is with theery, have no idea of the complex legislationtosanitary regulations.advent of the internet that it takes shapethat regulates the production and globalIn short: on the one hand, it is nec-according to current patterns. Starting intrade of plants and seeds and the conse- essary to know the actors in this supply 2000, e-commerce experienced exponentialquent risks that non-compliance with thechain, to inform them and control their growth, reaching a peak during the COVID- regulations entails.movements; on the other, the aim is to lead 19 pandemic. The probability of infesting cultivatedthese subjects to operate in an ethical and Transactions can take place betweenand spontaneous plants with diseases orresponsible way.Particular attention must companies (B2B), or between a companyalien organisms is very high, with potentialbe paid to consumers: they are often enthu-and a private individual (B2C), or betweeneconomic and environmental damage thatsiastic about nature, organic products and the same private individuals, almost from anyis difficult to estimate.greenery, but unaware that buying on the country to any other. It is clear how the con- Last but not least, during the trans- internet can cause, even if involuntarily, nections can theoretically be countless andaction, possible illegalities may develop,illegal actions and damage to agriculture hence the great problem of controls.against intellectual property and competi- and the environment. The products involved are many andtion rules, causing significant damage to theEffective and prolonged communi-varied: from tourism to clothing, from elec- seed and nursery sector. cation by governments in the main media tronics to insurances, to food, etc.can be very convincing and effective in the Global e-commerce sales are expectedPOSSIBLE ACTIONS mid-term.to grow from $ 5.13 trillion in 2022 to $It is no coincidence that some global organiza-8.092 trillion by 2028. In 2024, total onlinetions, such as the World Trade Organization,Franco Brazzabeni is commercial and mar-transaction revenue exceeded $ 6 trillion,the Food and Agriculture Organizationketing consultant in the international agri-after an 8.4% increase over the previous year. (FAO) through the International Plantbusiness, Member of the Board of Assosementi China and the United States are theProtection Convention, and the Internationaland of ISF Groups and writes a blog on largest contributors to global e-commerce. Seed Federation are taking action to try towww.agrinotes.it48ISEED WORLD EUROPEISEEDWORLD.COM/EUROPE | SEPTEMBER 2025'