Valeriana officinalis, Friuli, Italy. Photo: L. Maggioni
Grant Scheme Activities
| Third Call (2016) |
Working Group activities and related events
February 2022
The MAPEUROCOLLECTION Final Activity report is available online [here]
July 2018
The MAPEUROCOLLECTION Interim Activity report (April 2017-April 2018) is available online [here]
April 2017
The MAP EUROCOLLECTION meeting was held 27-28 April 2017 in Braga, Portugal. [more info]
May 2016
The project on “Promoting the implementation and the establishment of the European MAP Collection (MAP EUROCOLLECTION)”, submitted by the Medicinal and Aromatic Plants Working Group for funding under the Third Call of the ECPGR Activity Grant Scheme, was selected by the Executive Committee. [more info]
2011
Oregano Project. The project for “Conservation and characterization of oregano (Origanum vulgare L.) wild populations in Europe” was completed by the ECPGR Working Group on Aromatic and Medicinal Plants [link to ECPGR archive]
Working Group operative documents
- Working Group Chair’s report for Phase IX (prepared for the Fifteenth ECPGR Steering Committee Meeting) (see here)
List of priority species
The WG agreed at its second meeting on the following list of "priority species", to serve as models and for which species-specific descriptor lists would be developed.
| Achillea millefolium agg. | Artemisia absinthium |
| Carum carvi | Gentiana lutea |
| Hypericum perforatum | Mentha piperita and M. spicata |
| Melissa officinalis | Origanum spp. |
| Salvia officinalis | Thymus vulgaris and T. serpyllum |
Background information
The proposal to establish a Working Group on Medicinal and Aromatic Plants (MAPs) was advanced at the first meeting of the Minor Crops Network Coordinating Group, in June 1999 in Turku, Finland. During its eighth meeting, in October 2001, the ECPGR Steering Committee agreed on the establishment of this Working Group. The MAP Working Group met for its first time in Gozd Martuljek, Slovenia, September 2002.
The Group is expected to contribute to the development of the conservation strategy of MAPs at the European level. Legislative limitations, implemented by EU trade regulations on endangered MAPs and low knowledge of biological conditions and biodiversity status urge for coordinated action and involvement of European experts and scientists.
Scope of WG activities
What are MAPs?
The Group agreed that definitions were needed for "medicinal and aromatic plants" and the following were approved temporarily:
• Medicinal plants are plants used in official and traditional medicine
• Aromatic plants are plants used for their aroma and flavour
Geographical origin of MAP species
The WG will consider autochthonous European species (of which the centre of origin is located in Europe) and species which were domesticated in Europe or are well adapted to European ecological conditions.
Related Information
Other Working Group documents and publications
Useful links