Welcome to the 12th edition of the CPVO newsletter!
As a reader of this newsletter you will have noted that the CPVO updated its website just before Christmas. I am very happy about this development which has resulted in a look and feel of the website in line with the state of the art.
An important milestone towards becoming paperless was also reached recently when the tool MyPVR was launched, making it possible for clients and the CPVO to communicate electronically, not only as regards the application form, but also for many other documents used during the procedure. Following this launch, some technical problems have been detected and we are working together with our clients to solve these issues.
The 5-year Strategic Plan 2017-2021 was drafted by the end of last year after consultations with CPVO staff as well as a wide range of stakeholders. It is my aim that the draft is discussed in the meeting
with the Administrative Council (AC) in March 2017. I can then sign it together with the Chair of the AC, Andy Mitchell. The Strategic Plan will serve as a guide when implementing the EU PVP system in
the years to come.
By the end of March 2017 the second mandate of Mr Carlos Godinho, CPVO Vice President, will lapse. With all my heart I would like to thank him for all the good work he has done during the past 10 years for the CPVO, and for being an excellent colleague to us all. I wish him all the best when he returns for duty in Lisbon at the Ministry of Agriculture. I hope his return will have as a secondary effect that the CPVO Newsletter will gain one more subscriber!
I wish you ‘good reading’.
Martin Ekvad
President of the CPVO