News Archive

IP Watch: Non-Corporate Entities Join Forces Against Adoption Of Plant Breeders' Rights Regulations In Africa

4 December 2016

- by

IP Watch

The United Nations Special Rapporteur on the Right to Food, civil society, and farmers’ representatives have raised serious concerns on the upcoming adoption of draft regulations of a protocol protecting breeders’ rights in Africa. Civil society groups and farmers’ representatives have been blocked from participating in the meeting expected to adopt the regulations, according to them. The Special Rapporteur is calling for a halt to the process, and for starting again with a more transparent, inclusive, and evidence-based process.

Special Rapporteur writes to Member States of Regional Arusha Protocol for the Protection of New Plant Varieties

1 December 2016

- by

Third World Network (TWN) Info Service on Intellectual Property Issues (Dec16/02)

Dear friends and colleagues,

Please find below an Open Letter by the Special Rapporteur on the Right to Food highlighting concern over the Regional Arusha Protocol for the Protection of New Plant Varieties by the African Regional Intellectual Property Organization (ARIPO)

Sovereignty at Stake? ARIPO’s Draft Regulations for the Protection of New Plant Varieties Fail to Operationalize Government’s Right to Object

1 December 2016

- by

Third World Network Info Service on Intellectual Property Issues (Dec16/01)

(Sangeeta Shashikant) – The Draft Regulations for the implementation of the Arusha Protocol for the Protection of New Varieties of Plants fails to elaborate a mechanism for operationalizing Article 4(1) of the Protocol on the right of a Contracting Party to object to the grant of plant breeders’ rights.

The right to object is a critical outcome that emerged out of intense negotiations preceding the adoption of the Protocol by Members of the African Regional Intellectual Property Organization (ARIPO).

New Requirements in Brazil for Plant Variety Protection Applications in View of Brazil’s Biodiversity Law

1 December 2016

- by

Bric Wall (6 November 2016)

One of the new procedures for granting PVP in Brazil is the requirement of a declaration of access or non-access to national genetic heritage samples or associated traditional knowledge (access declaration) that might have occurred during the development of a new plant variety.

Global Consultation on Farmers’ Rights, Indonesia September 2016: Co-chairs' summary of recommendations

21 November 2016

Global Consultation on Farmers’ Rights, Bali Indonesia 27–30 September 2016 Co-chairs' summary of recommendations to the Governing Body of the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture

Participants at the Global Consultation on Farmers’ Rights at Bali, Indonesia, 27–30 September 2016, shared views, experiences and examples of best practices related to the implementation of Farmers' Rights as addressed in the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture (‘the International Treaty’).

Panel Explores Relation Between Plant Breeders’ Convention And Plant Treaty

16 November 2016

- by

Catherine Saez, IP Watch

When countries belong to several international instruments, some aspects of those instruments may run contradictory to one another. A symposium held recently by the International Convention for the Protection of New Varieties of Plants (UPOV) sought to explore the interrelations between the convention and the international treaty on plant genetic resources for food and agriculture. Farmers’ rights lie at the intersection of the two treaties and while some find the treaties complementary, some others view them as contradictory on farmers’ rights.

UPOV’s 2016 Autumn Session - Upcoming Issues

21 October 2016

- by

APBREBES

UPOV member states and observers will be meeting in Geneva between 24th and 28th October for UPOV's Autumn session. Its main rule-making body, the Consultative Committee (CC) will meet on 27th, while the UPOV Council, its highest decision-making body, on 28th October. The Administrative and Legal Committee (CAJ) is scheduled for the 25th October.

Panel: WIPO Assistance Should Provide Developing Countries With Choices On Plant Variety Protection

17 October 2016

- by

Catherine Saez, IP Watch

A side event to last week’s annual General Assemblies of the World Intellectual Property Organization looked at ways for developing countries to design sui generis system for protecting new varieties of plant. The event also looked into the technical assistance provided by WIPO, which, according to the groups, focuses only on the International Union for the Protection of New Varieties of Plants (UPOV) system.

The Association for Plant Breeding for the Benefit of Society (APBREBES), Third World Network (TWN), and South Centre organised the side event on 7 October.

Global Consultation on Farmers’ Rights, held 27th to 30th September in Bali, Indonesia

16 October 2016

- by

Elin Cecilie Ranum, Head of Policy and Information Department Utviklingsfondet/The Development Fund

Almost 100 representatives from farmers’ organisations, civil society, contracting parties, research institutes, international organization and the seed sector were gathered in Bali, Indonesia between the 27th and 30th September to discuss the implementation of Farmers’ Rights as established by the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture (the Plant Treaty). This was the third global consultation to share knowledge, views, experiences and obstacles in order to prepare recommendations for the realisation of Farmers’ Rights.

Draft Regulations to implement the Arusha Protocol for the Protection of New Plant Varieties Criticised

8 August 2016

- by

APBREBES

In advance of an Expert Meeting to review Draft Regulations for the Implementation of the Arusha Protocol for the Protection of New Varieties of Plants, the Secretariat of the African Regional Intellectual Property Office (ARIPO) released a draft adverse to the interests of small farmers. The Expert Meeting met in Harare from 14 to 16 June 2016.

Search form

Pages