Photo by Habib Ayoade on Unsplash *Please note the update in the CIOPORA Breeders' Guide to Brexit on 31.01.2020 Download the CIOPORA Breeders' Guide to Brexit (member area) Many events have occurred in the Brexit process since our last report published on March 14, 2019. Neither did the UK leave the EU on March 31 nor April 12, May 22, or October 31, 2019. In fact, the UK has not left the EU yet. However, the UK and the EU did reach a new agreement in principle on October 19, 2019. According to the new Withdrawal Agreement, the UK is due to leave the EU by January 31, 2020, if both the UK and the EU parliaments approve the new Withdrawal Agreement before the date. Both houses of the British

After continuously raising the level of its involvement in China in the past years, CIOPORA is further expanding its activities with a member-driven project. Together with five CIOPORA breeder members, active i.a. in bedding and balcony plants, CIOPORA has initiated a project to support the DUS examination in China. The ultimate goal is to speed up the inclusion of relevant ornamentals into the list of protectable species – the issue that CIOPORA has repeatedly addressed in its advocacy before the competent authorities in China. To initiate the project, CIOPORA has compiled a list of commercially important ornamental species, passing it on to the Chinese officials. The list contains species,

January 6 - USDA has announced the publication of the Plant Variety Protection (PVP) Regulations final rule in the U.S. Federal Register on January 6, 2020. The final rule implements the 2018 Farm Bill amendment to add PVP protection for asexually reproduced plants. Effective immediately, PVPO accepts applications for asexually reproduced plants. As requested by CIOPORA and AmericanHort, the rule's requirement as to the costly germplasm deposits in asexually reproduced plant varieties was delayed for three years to determine feasibility of long-term storage of these species. You can find the final rule at the Federal Register (search for Docket No: AMS-ST-19-000). Photo by Maria Oswalt on Un

Brussels, January 8 – The European Commission has published a new version of its Report on the protection and enforcement of intellectual property rights in third countries. The report flags third countries in which “the state of IPR protection and enforcement (both online and offline) gives rises to the greatest level of concern”. For the first time, the 2020 edition dedicated a separate Annex to the protection and enforcement of Plant Varieties Rights. Largely based on the input submitted to the EU Commission by CIOPORA in 2019, the annex showcases country-specific analyses of PVP in Argentina, China, Ecuador, and India. In respect of IP in general, the report classifies countries into thr

Hainan, December 18-19 – Alanna Rennie represented CIOPORA at the Fifth Forum on Forest Genetic Resources and Ecological Construction in Hainan, China, hosted by China's National Academy of Forestry and National Laboratory of Forestry Genetics Breeding. With over 350 participants, mostly Chinese plant breeders, and some high-level officials in attendance, the Forum presented a perfect opportunity to reach out to the Chinese target audience, both promoting CIOPORA membership and educating on Plant Variety Protection. Ms Rennie delivered a presentation on the differences between China's PVR system and those abroad, focusing on the concepts of novelty, exhaustion, harvested material, and pro