International plant variety protection benefits
High-level officials from Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, and Viet Nam attended an IP Key SEA conference in Yogyakarta, Indonesia, on 8-9 November to discuss plant variety protection (PVP) within the international framework. Immediately following a study visit on PVP in Vietnam, the conference highlighted the benefits and opportunities of PVP and of membership to the International Convention for the Protection of New Varieties of Plants (UPOV Convention).
Representatives from IP Key SEA, International Union for the Protection of New Varieties of Plants (UPOV), Community Plant Variety Office (CPVO), Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF) of Japan and the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) will made presentations on the key features of the UPOV Convention, as well as its implementation in the EU, Japan and the US. As Viet Nam is already a member of the UPOV Convention, the conference also provided an opportunity to share the country’s experience in acceding to the Convention and the resulting benefits.
A strong PVP system is considered useful for economic development as it fosters increased plant breeding activity, diversification of available plant varieties, and heightened industry competitiveness, among other benefits.