South-East Asia

Earlier in June, the European Union (EU) organised under its intellectual property (IP) technical cooperation programme IP Key South-East Asia (SEA) the ‘Webinar Series on Plant Variety Protection and UPOV 1991’ to provide the public and private sectors in the EU and South East Asia with a platform to discuss the benefits for farmers and breeders of plant variety protection, the membership of countries to the 1991 Act of the UPOV Convention and the critical role of plant breeding in sustainable farming and global food security. 

Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) play a pivotal role in driving economic growth across the globe, stimulating development, innovation, and competitiveness. According to the World Bank, in emerging markets SMEs generate 7 out of 10 jobs and contribute up to 40 % of national income[1]. However, the impetus for continued growth relies heavily on the protection of the ideas at the heart of every company. The pandemic has reminded us just how fragile the global economy is.