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Seed patents: Now is the time for the EU to make the right decisions
European Parliament urged to stop patents on natural gene variants

9 June 2026 / Recent No Patents on Seeds! research shows an alarming trend in the monopolization of naturally occurring gene variants, especially those which can provide improved resistance to disease and stress conditions. At present, these natural resources are increasingly being patented as technical inventions. Once granted, the claims extend to plants obtained from crossing and selection using the patented genes. The current situation is hampering access to the most valuable genetic resources and putting our future food security at risk.
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2026-05-03: Patents on Seeds: European Patent Office vs. the EU
2026-04-14: European survey on Patents on Seeds
2026-02-17: European Patent Office tries to knock out European patent law
2026-01-14: European Patent Office lets EU decisions to come to nothing
2025-12-09: Just 7 patents affect 145 conventionally bred plant varieties
2025-11-06: Patent on maize with native traits upheld
2025-10-30: Before a precedent: Patent claiming conventionally-bred maize
2025-10-16: Safeguard the patent-free zone for classical plant breeding in Europe!
2025-09-29: European Patent Office: Scandalous patent granted on tomatoes
2025-07-11: Patent on bush-type watermelon plants is upheld
2025-06-18: Mounting criticism of patents on seeds
2025-05-19: Opposition against a patent on tomatoes with natural resistance to a hazardous virus
2025-03-25: No decision on European patent on beer and barley
2024-12-09: What can be achieved at EU level against patents on seeds?
2024-10-28: The use of biodiversity as a means of adaptation to climate change is a Monsanto invention
2024-10-15: Opposition against patent on maize rejected
2024-10-13: 20 new European patents on conventionally bred seeds
2024-06-18: CRISPR patents block conventional plant breeding
2024-05-21: Appeal against the decision made on the lettuce patent
2024-04-15: Patents block breeding of tomatoes resistant to harmful virus
2024-02-06: Opposition against patent on conventionally-bred lettuce rejected
2024-01-31: Decision imminent on a patent covering conventionally-bred lettuce
2023-10-04: Protest on 50th anniversary of European Patent Office
2023-09-27: New patent granted on ‘super-broccoli’
2023-09-12: BASF patent on watermelons upheld
2023-06-27: More than 1.000 plant varieties affected by patents
2023-05-13: Opposition against a patent on maize with previously known traits
2023-04-26: New patent law in Austria sends a clear signal against patents on seeds
2023-03-08: Opposition against the maize patent
2023-02-17: Patent on sweet and hot peppers not revoked
2023-02-13: Public hearing held on opposition against a patent claiming sweet and hot peppers
2022-12-12: 250.000 maize kernels for 250.000 signatures
2022-12-05: Patents filed by KWS are a threat to plant breeding in Europe
2022-11-22: 240.000 signatures against patents on seeds
2022-06-28: Patents on plant genes - a lockdown for conventional plant breeding
2022-05-10: Patent on barley and beer upheld
2022-03-23: Further patent on barley and beer about to be granted
2022-02-09: Increase in calls for an international conference to stop patents on seeds
2021-12-13: Opposition against BASF patent on watermelons
2021-11-24: Call for international conference to stop patents on seeds
2021-11-16: Patent claims on salmon and trout deleted
2021-11-15: Decision on patent covering salmon and trout
2021-11-03: Companies Carlsberg and Heineken want revocation of their own patent
2021-10-11: Patents on ‘New Genetic Engineering’ are a threat to traditional breeding
2021-07-07: Will politics now stop patents on seeds in Europe?
2021-06-28: Almost 200,000 signatures in campaign to demand immediate stop to patents on seeds
2021-06-08: Patent on barley and beer upheld
2021-05-05: EPO grants BASF a patent on water melons
2021-03-22: Patents on Seeds: Politicians and the EPO must take responsibility
2021-03-19: European Patent Office finally revokes Monsanto patent on melons
2021-03-09: Freedom for seeds!
2020-12-14: Still no solution for prohibiting patents on plants and animals
2020-06-25: Patents on seeds: Appeal to German Federal Minister of Justice Christine Lambrecht
2020-05-14: European Patent Office gives green light to prohibit patents on plants and animals
2020-04-23: Eleven reasons why Europe needs to ban patents on food plants and farm animals
2020-04-10: Carlsberg again files patent applications on barley and beer
2019-10-01: EU Parliament, national governments and civil society organizations against patents on plants and animals
2019-06-25: Opposition against patent on salmon and trout
2019-06-11: Patent applications covering ‘seeds to meat’and from ‘maize to milk’
2019-05-02: No patent on fish, chickens, pigs and cows!
2019-03-26: "European Patent Office: Hands off our food plants!"
2019-03-24: End the legal chaos at the European Patent Office!
2019-03-06: United call for action - protest at the European Patent Office
2019-03-05: Opposition against patent on lettuce
2019-01-31: After mass opposition: Syngenta patent on tomatoes revoked
2019-01-23: International appeal to the President of the European Patent Office, António Campinos
2018-12-05: European Patent Office calls the prohibition on the patenting of plants and animals from conventional breeding into question
2018-11-07: Baysanto “patent on severed broccoli” revoked
2018-10-08: Who invented beer and barley?
2018-10-03: Scope of patent on beer reduced after opposition
2018-06-14: Stop 'Baysanto' from monopolising seeds!
2018-03-26: “One single mutation is sufficient to patent a whole vegetable garden”
2018-02-20: Syngenta fails at the European Patent Office
2018-01-16: Growing opposition to patents on seeds
2017-10-11: Opposition to Monsanto bio-piracy patent on soybeans rejected
2017-10-10: Hearing on Monsanto soybean bio-piracy
2017-06-29: Still no solution regarding patents on plants and animals
2017-06-26: Through the back door: European Patent Office wants to expand patenting of plants and animals
2017-05-29: European Patent Office to strengthen prohibitions against patents on plants and animals
2017-04-26: European Patent Office and industry meeting on patents on seeds – public excluded
2017-04-10: Stop patents on bread and beer now!
2017-04-06: European Patent Office continues to grant patents on plants
2017-03-15: Call to stop patents on beer
2017-02-21: EU unites against patents on plants and animals
2017-01-20: Opposition against patents on beer!
2016-11-25: EU Council to discuss patents on plants and animals
2016-11-17: No Patents on Beer!
2016-11-03: EU Commission says plants and animals derived from conventional breeding should be regarded as non-patentable
2016-08-03: No intention of granting a patent on salmon ...
2016-07-20: Animals are not an invention of the feed industry!
2016-06-30: More than 800.000 signatures against patents on plants and animals
2016-06-21: Stop patents on plants and animals!
2016-05-13: 65.000 x opposition against Syngenta patent on tomatoes
2016-01-20: European Patent Office revokes Monsanto patent on melons
2016-01-20: Hearing on the opposition against Monsanto Patent on Indian Melon
2015-12-17: European Parliament calling for patents on plants derived from conventional breeding to be stopped
2015-12-07: Patent on tomatoes with reduced water content about to be granted
2015-10-27: Syngenta granted patent on pepper for use as food
2015-08-25: European Patent Office boosts its business with Patents on Life
2015-05-21: Monsanto soon to receive 30 European patents on food plants
2015-03-27: European Patent Office upholds patents on broccoli and tomato
2014-12-22: After opposition: Monsanto patent on tomatoes revoked
2014-12-01: Opposition to stop Monsanto soybean patent biopiracy
2014-10-23: “Patent industry selling out future of our food”
2014-10-16: No Patents on seeds ! Stop the Monsantos !
2014-05-30: Opposition against European Patent on tomatoes
2014-03-12: Opposition: Stop Monsanto “patent on severed broccoli”
2014-03-10: Opposition to Patent EP 1 597 965
2014-02-27: Monsanto bio-piracy supported by European Patent Office
2014-02-20: European Patent Office blunder leads to grant of a new patent on conventional breeding
2014-02-03: Free Pepper!
2013-10-16: European Patent Office a “democracy-free zone”
2013-06-26: German Parliament prohibits patents on plants and animals from conventional breeding
2013-06-12: Monsanto granted “patent on severed broccoli”
2013-05-09: European Patent on 'red hot chili peppers'
2013-03-13: A new wave of patents on plants
2012-12-10: The EU Unitary Patent: A 'One Stop Shop' for Monsanto & Co
2012-12-03: No genetically engineered plants in the fields or on our plates
2012-11-26: Stop the EU Unitary Patent!
2012-10-24: Demonstration on 30 November in Munich
2012-09-11: European patent law at crossroads
2012-06-28: Unitary Patent taken to next level
2012-05-10: European Parliament votes against patents on plants and animals
2012-05-03: Patent on animal breeding revoked
2012-04-02: Put emergency brakes on European Patent Office now!
2012-02-13: German Parliament adops resolution against patents on conventional breeding
2012-02-09: Public discussion at European Parliament
2012-02-03: Opposition to Monsanto´s Patent on Indian Melon
2011-11-23: No patents on breeding of animals!
2011-11-04: Patent on tomato becomes a landmark decision
2011-10-26: Protest against patent on broccoli at the European Patent Office
2011-10-20: Patent on Broccoli will not be revoked
2011-08-18: New patent granted to Bayer breaks the law
2011-07-27: Syngenta Patents Melons with a Pleasant Taste. Consumers Reject Patents on Foodstuffs
2011-05-16: Melons now a Monsanto “invention”
2011-03-07: European Patent Office to grant Monsanto company patent on tomatoes
2010-12-10: European Patent Office issues broccoli decision
2010-11-03: Conference Report
2010-07-21: Who owns broccoli and tomatoes?

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Stop Patents on Plants and Animals!

The member organisations of NO PATENTS ON SEEDS! are concerned about the increasing number of patents on plants, seeds and farm animals and their impact on farmers, breeders, innovation and biodiversity.
These patents are an abuse of patent law and put in danger the access to basic resources in agriculture and food production.

Therefore, we call for an urgent re-think of European patent law in biotechnology and plant breeding and for clear regulations that exclude conventional breeding, genetic material, animals, plants and food derived thereof from patentability!