The plant variety service

Plant variety rights, also known as plant breeder's rights, are intellectual property rights granted to the breeder or developer of a new plant variety. These rights give the breeder control over the propagating material of the new variety, such as seeds, cuttings, divisions and tissue culture, and the harvested material, such as cut flowers, fruit and foliage. To qualify for these rights, the plant variety must be new (not commercialized for more than one year in the country of protection), distinct (differing from all other known varieties by one or more important botanical characteristics), uniform (consistent characteristics from plant to plant within the variety), and stable (genetically fixed characteristics that remain the same from generation to generation). Plant variety rights are granted by national offices or by the Community Plant Variety Office after examination and testing to ensure the variety meets the required criteria. Within the EU, these exclusive rights are granted for a period of 20 or 25 years, depending on the species, upon paiement of annual fees. 

Why and to whom is it useful?

Plant variety rights are useful to individuals, farmers cooperatives, research institutes, or companies involved in the development, cultivation, and commercialization of new plant varieties. These rights grant exclusive control over the production, sale, and distribution of a newly developed plant variety during the protection period. They encourage innovation in higher-yield, disease-resistant, and climate-adapted crops, as well as the breeding of plants that require less water, fewer pesticides, and lower environmental impact. They allow to generate revenue through seed sales and licensing agreements.In short, plant variety rights benefit plant breeders, farmers, seed companies, researchers, and consumers by ensuring legal protection and economic incentives for developing superior plant varieties that contribute to food security, sustainability, and agricultural innovation.