Improved European native seed supply chains are essential for the implementation of the Nature Restoration Regulation

Abstract To support the implementation of the EU Nature Restoration Regulation (NRR), there is an unprecedented need to scale up ecosystem restoration, which requires radical improvements to the European seed supply chain, especially for herbaceous species. The fundamental tradeoff between the need for local provenance and climate resilience, as well as practical constraints on seed availability, generates a bottleneck for restoration practice and may jeopardize the implementation of the NRR. Here, we overview the current legislative context for plant reproductive material, assess the status of native seed supply, and propose institutional and operational solutions to strengthen seed supply chains in Europe. We call for the adoption of the concept of Native Seed and Restoration Centres (NSRCs) to boost seed supply chains. We outline the main functions and responsibilities of NSRCs, and highlight the short‐ to mid‐term actions that are crucial for enhancing the availability and use of native seeds.