France holds national Collections of microbial genetic resources which it makes available to the international community, in respect to its International Undertakings .

The national Collections are comprised of genetic resources for which France has conservation responsibility. These resources are diverse and original: technological strains, local populations, wild strains. A completer. They are managed collectively by partners (stackeholders?) within the RESOMIL network (dairy interest microorganisms network).

The national Collection is managed by the public and private stakeholders within a cooperative network, according to the principles and methods described in a charter and its regulations.

The national Collection contains genetic resources of technological interest and spoilage microorganisms : bacteria, bacteriophages, fungi, yeasts, but no pathogens.

The genetic resources are genotypes under the responsibility of France , original strains from France biotopes, strains containing identified genes.

Access to this collection is free, within the limits described in the network's regulations or, failing those, as decided by the steering committee. This availability is based on the principle of reciprocity.

At 1st january 2008, they are 245 accessions within the National Collection of dairy interest microorganisms.

The purposes of the stakeholders within the network are to conserve, in the long term, to characterize, to collect and to improve the use of the genetic resources.

The network coordinator Emmanuel JAMET