30.9.2004 Official Journal of the European Union L 304/1 (Acts whose publication is obligatory) COUNCIL REGULATION (EC) No 1590/2004 of 26 April 2004 establishing a Community programme on the conservation, characterisation, collection and utilisation of genetic resources in agriculture and repealing Regulation (EC) No 1467/94 (Text with EEA relevance) THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION, Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Com- munity, and in particular Article 37 thereof, Having regard to the proposal from the Commission, Having regard to the opinion of the European Parliament, Having regard to the opinion of the European Economic and Social Committee, Whereas: Biological and genetic diversity in agriculture is essential to the sustainable development of agricultural produc- tion and of rural areas. The necessary measures should therefore be taken to conserve, characterise, collect and utilise the potential of that diversity in a sustainable way to promote the aims of the common agricultural policy (CAP). The conservation and sustainable use of genetic resources in agriculture also contributes to the aims of the Convention on Biological Diversity approved by the Community by Council Decision 93/626/EEC (') and the related Community Biodiversity Strategy which includes an action plan for biodiversity conservation and the protection of genetic resources in agriculture. It is also a major objective of the FAO’s Global Plan of Action for the Conservation and Sustainable Utilisation of Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture and of the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture, which the Commission and the Member States signed on 6 June 2002. () OJL 309, 13.12.1993, p. 1. G) The wide range of activities carried out in the Member States (by a public-sector body or natural or legal persons) and by various international organisations and programmes such as FAO, the European Cooperative Programme for Crop Genetic Resources Networks (ECP/ GR), the Consultative Group on International Agri- cultural Research (CGIAR), the Global Forum on Agri- cultural Research (GFAR), the Agricultural Research for Development (ARD) regional and subregional organisa- tions supported by the Community, the European Regional Focal Point (ERFP) of National Coordinators for the Management of Farm Animal Genetic Resources, the European  Forest Genetic Resources Programme (Euforgen) and the related commitments of the ongoing Ministerial Conference on the protection of forests in Europe (MCPFE), to which the Community is signatory, call for an effective information exchange and close coordination between the Community main actors and with the relevant organisations throughout the world with regard to the conservation, characterisation, collec- tion and utilisation of genetic resources in agriculture so as to enhance their positive impact on agriculture. The work undertaken on the conservation, characterisa- tion, collection and utilisation of genetic resources in agriculture can help maintain biological diversity, improve the quality of agricultural products, contribute to increase diversification in rural areas and reduce inputs and agricultural production costs by promoting a sustainable agricultural production and contributing to the sustainable development of rural areas. The ex situ and in situ conservation of genetic resources in agriculture (including in situ/on farm conservation and development) should be promoted. This should cover all plant, microbial and animal genetic resources that are or could prove useful for agriculture and rural develop- ment, including forest genetic resources, in line with the needs of the CAP, with a view to conserving genetic resources and increasing the use of under-utilised breeds and varieties in agricultural production.