Why we oppose UPOV and why it is urgent that developing countries enact their own plant variety protection laws

Why we oppose UPOV and why it is urgent that developing countries enact their own plant variety protection laws

Published Jan 2002

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Action Aid position statement on UPOV

This media briefing from Action Aid sets out their position on International Union for the Protection of New Varieties of Plants (UPOV) model for sui generis plant variety protection. It argues that UPOV – which guarantees rights to seed breeders rather than to farmers - is not suitable for developing countries where agriculture is characterised as a livelihood for most rather than a strictly commercial activity and where most agricultural research and development is principally in the public domain.

The briefing stresses the urgent need for an alternative model and recommends that developing countries should

  • enact their Plant Variety Protection laws taking into account their farmers, agricultural and food security concerns
  • avoid joining UPOV so that they do not lose the flexibility provided by TRIPs while enacting and implementing their PVP law
  • develop an alternative to UPOV that suits their needs

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