During Phase VIII (2009-2013) of the ECPGR Programme, its Brassica Working Group (BWG) decided to focus the attention of all members on the priority actions represented by the development of AEGIS (A European Genebank Integrated System), and to characterize collections both of B. rapa, which could be defined as a multicrop species for its multiple utilization, and of wild Brassica species (n=9) distributed in the Mediterranean basin. The activities planned are being carried out by DISPA-University of Catania (UNICT), the Centre for Genetic Resources (CGN), Wageningen, the Institute of Sustainable Agriculture of Cordoba (CSIC-Spain), and N.I. Vavilov Research Institute of Plant Industry (VIR), St Petersburg. The activity plan and first results obtained are presented and discussed.