Seminars on FSS/EDV implementation and the international cooperation on the “take-over” of DUS technical report concluded in Beijing
On 22-23 April 2019, IP Key together with the Community Plant Variety Office (CPVO), the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural affairs (MARA) and the National Forestry and Grassland Administration (NFGA), in cooperation with UPOV, co-organised seminars successfully in Beijing. On the session of FSS/EDV implementation which took place in 22 April afternoon, Mr Martin EKVAD, President of the CPVO, Mr Benoit Misonne, project leader of IP Key China project, Mr Peter Button, Vice Secretary General of UPOV, DDG ZHU Yan of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Mr CUI Yehan, Division Director of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs (MARA), P.R. of China, DDG LONG Sanqun of the National Forestry and Grassland Administration delivered opening/closing remarks and co-moderated the panel and open exchanges. Representatives from Naktuinbouw of the Netherlands, the French interprofessional organization of seeds and seedlings (GNIS), the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences as well as other relevant EU and Chinese institutions also participated in this seminar and shared their insights.
The topics in this seminar covered the latest development of PVP in China, draft amendment of the PRC PVP Regulation, as well as the feasibility of China's accession to 1991 Act of UPOV convention.
DDG LONG Sanqun shared his views during the closing session:” This seminar provided a great opportunity to EU and China to exchange insights. The European experience in the protection of new plant varieties is helpful for improving the protection system of PRC’s new plant varieties and enhancing the protection level of new plant varieties in China. intellectual property rights protection has become one of the core areas of international concern. Regarding EU-China cooperation in this area, we will continue improving the PVP regulation to make it closer to UPVO 1991 Act, strengthening the cooperation with CPVO, working on the improvement of the system of enforcement and authority to better protect breeders, as well as raising public awareness of PVP in China to create a good social atmosphere for PVP.
The EU provided extensive comments during the call launched by the MARA and NFGA. Mr. Benoit Misonne in his closing remark strengthened the importance of increasing exchange between the EU and China in recent years.
IP Key will continue to support the amendment of the PRC Plant Variety Protection regulation, and look forward to China’s accession to the UPOV ’91 in the future.