In Germany, the Federal Plant Variety Office (BSA) is responsible for the approval and testing of plant varieties.

If you want your breeding result to be approved as a variety, you must apply to the BSA. The BSA first carries out a register examination. In general, varieties must

• homogeneous in themselves,
• distinguishable from existing varieties and
• stable.

In the case of agricultural plant species, the so-called "agricultural value" of the variety applied for is also determined as part of a value test.
A variety has an agricultural value if, in the totality of its value-determining characteristics, it can be expected to bring about a clear improvement in plant cultivation, the utilization of the harvested crop or the utilization of products obtained from the harvested crop compared to the approved comparable varieties. Individual unfavorable characteristics can be compensated by other favorable characteristics.

The value test requires at least two years of cultivation for most species, and three years for cereals, winter oilseed rape and fodder plants. Depending on the plant species, the tests are carried out at 10 to 20 locations of the BSA, the federal states, the breeding companies and other institutions.

After completion of the register and value testing, a variety committee (3 members) of the BSA decides whether the variety will be approved and included in the variety list.

Once approval has been granted in Germany, the variety is included in the Community Catalogue of Varieties and is thus approved throughout the European Union.