Protection of new varieties of plants: accession of the Community to the International Convention as revised at Geneva on 19 March 1991

PURPOSE : to approve the accession of the European Community to the International Convention for the Protection of New Varieties of Plants.

LEGISLATIVE ACT : Council Decision 2005/523/EC approving the accession of the European Community to the International Convention for the Protection of New Varieties of Plants, as revised at Geneva on 19 March 1991.

CONTENT : The International Convention for the Protection of New Varieties of Plants (“the UPOV Convention”), adopted in Geneva on 19 March 1991, makes available to breeders of new plant varieties an exclusive property right, on the basis of a set of uniform and clearly defined principles.

This Decision approves the UPOV Convention on behalf of the Community with regard to matters within its competence.

The main activities UPOV are concerned with promoting international harmonisation and cooperation in the introduction of plant variety protection legislation. Harmonisation is enhanced, firstly, through specific activities undertaken within UPOV leading to recommendations and model agreements and forms and, secondly, through the fact that UPOV serves as a forum to exchange views and share experiences. UPOV has established a detailed set of general principles for the conduct of the examination of plant varieties; their use also extends to national listing and seed certification.

The Community will pay, on a voluntary basis, five contribution units to the UPOV budget  with effect from the budgetary period 2005.