Community Plant Variety Office (CPVO) President Martin Ekvad briefed officials from Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, and Viet Nam on the EU plant variety protection (PVP) system at the IP Key SEA ‘Conference on the Benefits of the International Union for Protection of New Varieties of Plants (UPOV)’ on 8 November in Yogyakarta, Indonesia.
Martin Ekvad detailed the national PVP systems in the EU, the EU PVP system, the interface of PVP rights between the national and EU systems, as well as CPVO relationships with third countries. He explained that national PVP protection is available in 24 EU countries, while EU protection covers all 28 EU Member States. The national and EU systems operate in parallel; however, cumulative protection under both is prohibited.
Of particular relevance to parties outside the EU, Martin Ekvad advised that, on request, the CPVO and national plant variety offices provide reports on Distinctness, Uniformity and Stability (DUS) to third countries in which an application has been made for the same variety and that, under certain circumstances, both the CPVO and national plant variety offices may accept DUS reports from authorities in other countries as a basis for granting a PVP.
The conference follows the IP Key SEA Study Visit on Plant Varieties held in Viet Nam earlier in the week, in which Martin Ekvad provided an overview of the EU plant variety rights system, and the role of the CPVO in ensuring protection for new varieties developed by plant breeders more broadly.
The CPVO established in 1995 administers the EU plant variety protection system. The CPVO contributes to a range of international organisations and programmes, including IP Key and ARISE+ IPR.
Further details on the CPVO can be found on the CPVO website.