With the main objective to protect breeders’ innovation, our team works every day to represent the interest of our members in several spaces: in front of national authorities, before international agencies, or with other stakeholders.
Check out the following article with the main advances we have made on three issues:
Ecuador: SCPM started an exhaustive investigation of the breeders’ sector
During the first months of 2022, we contacted roses breeders members (IRBA) to gather more information about an investigation led by the Supeintendencia de Control del Poder del Mercado (SCPM) in Ecuador, that requested a large amount of information in a very short period of time, without being clear, moreover, the intention behind this request.
Considering that the vast majority of the members were requested in this investigation, CIOPORA has led a common strategy and carried out the following actions:
the Secretary General of CIOPORA, Dr. Edgar Krieger, visited Ecuador to meet with breeders companies and local authorities;
CIOPORA sent a letter to the SPCM to inform the concern of our breeders for this investigation;
CIOPORA contacted nine embassies in Ecuador to inform through a letter about the problems our breeders are facing;
CIOPORA informed UPOV about the situation in Ecuador.
The next meeting of IRBA members will be held in Ecuador, where new actions will be discussed to ensure the protection of breeders’ innovation.
USDA decided to delay indefinite the germplasm deposit requirement Responding to a request of CIOPORA, a position aligned with other organizations and stakeholders, the US-PVP Office informed that it slows the implementation of the germplasm deposit requirement for asexually reproduced varieties until further notice.
According to the information sent by the USDA, while deposits are not required, applicants still have to maintain germplasm at a specific physical location, make it available for PVPO inspection, and/or provide it to PVPO within 90 days of request.
CIOPORA had advocated waiving the deposit requirement since the start of the PVP-Protection for asexually reproduced varieties in the US in 2018.
CIOPORA submitted comments to Third Country Report On September 5, CIOPORA submitted comments to the European Commission's consultation: "Third Country Report." The collaboration of our members, including the ones provided through the survey on "Major loopholes in the different PVR Systems," was central to delivering a complete document to the authority.
The European Commission uses this consultation to improve IPR systems in third countries. Its main objective is to identify third countries where the state of IPR protection and enforcement raises the highest level of concern and to update the list of so-called "priority countries" for the European Union.
The results of this consultation also enable rights holders – including our members - to gain awareness of potential risks to their IP when engaging in business activities in the priority countries and thus allow them to design business strategies and operations to protect their IP rights.
