The Community Plant Variety Office is always looking to further improve the quality of the plant variety right application procedure for its stakeholders. The major success of the implementation of its online application system in 2015 demonstrated the motivation of its clients to go electronic. Building on this experience, the CPVO has developed an all-new e-communication tool, called “MyPVR”, which is launched today on the CPVO website.
What is MyPVR?
MyPVR is the new client portal for all contact with the CPVO, aiming to computerise all steps in the application process, and further enhance electronic interaction between applicants and the CPVO. It encompasses all the e-services that have been provided to applicants thus far, including the online application system and the Variety Finder, establishing a centralised and secure area for file-related communication.
How was MyPVR developed?
The original idea behind the MyPVR project was to move away from the paper exchange that added an administrative burden to an already time-consuming process. By shifting to paperless, the CPVO wished to increase efficiency in the application procedure, and create a clear and direct channel for external communication.
This tool paves the way for a major change in the way the CPVO will interact with clients in the future, and the CPVO was eager for participation from technical staff during the project development stage. At the helm of the project, a cross-departmental working group ensured the tool was well-suited for optimising communication at each step of the application process. In addition, a test phase with clients allowed the CPVO to implement feedback and recommendations from future users, and be certain that the design met their needs in terms of its usability and content.
What are the features of MyPVR?
MyPVR is a secure area of the CPVO website, allowing clients to be connected to a central hub which stores all documentation and communications sent from and to the CPVO. Users will have access to file-related information and be able to communicate with the CPVO in relation to ongoing procedures. The area requires user identification, and will be accessible with the login and password used so far for the online application system or the Variety Finder.
The area’s main page provides users with an overview of the latest information for their ongoing application procedures, including notifications, recent documents, and pending fees. Various search options enable the user to quickly retrieve specific information, whether it be a document for an individual application, documents pertaining to a specific species, or an invoice. In line with the CPVO’s commitment to enhanced transparency, public access for official documents will now be available directly through MyPVR.
What are the advantages for stakeholders?
This tool will allow clients to send documents to the CPVO more quickly, and directly to the relevant service. All new correspondence sent from the CPVO will appear in this space the day after it is processed, with an email notification sent to the client advising them that there is a document for their attention. On completion of the application procedure, a single and ordered application form will be produced, thereby easing review by the client, the CPVO, and the relevant Examination Office.
Meanwhile, MyPVR empowers users to oversee their files in the way that best suits their needs. Clients can be safe in the knowledge that their documents are stored in a secure space, and accessible at any time. They can also manage their own access to the CPVO’s system, whether consulting previous communication, checking the status of an application, or reviewing sent documents.
Indeed, more information will be at their fingertips than ever before, including details on the technical examinations, and forecasts of dates within the application process. What’s more, alerts can be requested for latest updates relating to a specific application or even a general species, so clients can be the first to know of any new information that is released.
Can clients still choose to communicate by paper?
Yes, clients can be identified in the system as either e-clients or paper clients. Clients who have always filed applications exclusively by paper will be indicated in the system as paper clients, and will continue to receive and send paper communication.
All other clients, including new applicants, will be automatically initialised as e-clients. To opt out, e-clients will need to contact the Office to effect the change from e-client to paper client. By default, even for paper filers, the e-documents will be available in MyPVR. If these clients wish to switch to e-communication, an e-process will already be in place for their applications.
What’s next on the horizon?
The CPVO will continue to be active in developing its e-services, with future MyPVR phases already in motion. For example, we will soon offer the possibility to propose a denomination on the secured web page instead of sending a scanned form. It is also the CPVO’s aim to integrate a communication centre in order to replace emails with a centralised communication system. These developments would allow for a more structured exchange of information, and further improve the efficiency of both our internal work and our services to clients.
We hope that you will enjoy using this new system, and remain available for any questions you may have: MyPVR [at] cpvo.europa.eu (MyPVR[at]cpvo[dot]europa[dot]eu)
For further information
Visit the CPVO website cpvo.europa.eu and follow its activities on Twitter
