This publication makes available, in Spanish and English, Spain's Royal Decree establishing the country's National Programme for the Conservation Improvement and Promotion of Livestock Breeds, which sets the framework for the implementation of the Global Plan of Action for Animal Genetic Resources at national level. The scope of the national programme is set out in Chapter 2 of the decree, which is divided into ten sections dealing, respectively, with: Official Catalogue of the Livestock Breeds of Spain (framework for recognition, classification and incorporation of breeds in the catalogue); associations of breeders (procedures and requirements for recognition, obligations, technical inspections); collaborating farms (registration of farms participating in improvement programmes); herd books (content, animal identification methods, division of the herd book, registration of animals, paternity assignment); improvement programmes (participation, performance testing, appraisal and genetic evaluation); national information system and breed databases (content, location, access); breeding and germplasm banks (including the National Reference Centre for Animal Breeding and Germplasm Bank); dissemination of genetic improvement (activities required by breeders' associations) and events for selected livestock (competitions, auctions, shows, etc); coordinating bodies (functions and composition of the National Coordinating Committee); genetics laboratories and centres (National Animal Genetics Reference Centre and official centres in the autonomous communities).

The remaining chapters of decree cover objectives and definition, introcommunity exchanges and imports from third countries, and information and registers. A set of annexes provides information on the current content of the Official Catalogue of Livestock Breeds, specific contents of improvement programmes, performance testing of meat livestock, the National Reference Centre for Animal Breeding and Animal Germplasm Bank and the National Animal Genetics Reference Centre.