EU Parliament, national governments and civil society organizations against patents on plants and animals
1 October 2019 / Today is the last day for filing statements at the European Patent Office (EPO) against patents on conventionally bred plants and animals. In the frame of a collection campaign, around 25,000 people and 50 organisations used the opportunity to take up a position. The organisations include the development aid organisation Oxfam and the umbrella organisations of European farmers (Copa/Cogeca, IFOAM EU). At the same time, the EU Parliament has recently adopted a resolution requesting that such patents are stopped. Similar statements to the EPO were filed, amongst others, by the German, Portuguese and Spanish responsible authorities. Indeed, European Patent Law already prohibits the patenting of conventional breeding. Nevertheless, the EPO has granted an increasing number of these patents covering broccoli and tomatoes, barley and lettuce.
