Patent claiming conventionally-bred maize
Before a precedent
On 6 November, the European Patent Office (EPO) will hold a public online hearing and decide in the case of a patent claiming conventionally bred maize. The patent (EP3560330) was granted to the German company, KWS, in June 2022. The opposition to the patent was filed by the international coalition, No Patents on Seeds!. It is a precedent case, because the EPO, in its decision, will apply a new rule. This case is also relevant to the ongoing debate on the future EU regulation of plants obtained from new genetic engineering.
No Patents on Seeds! held a talk to explain the background of the case as well as its legal and political implications. In addition, the representative of a traditional maize breeding company spoke about the potential negative impacts of these patents. The talk was held in English (no translation available).
Info talk
Date: 4 November, 3 – 4 p.m. CET
The speakers
- Johanna Eckhardt, No Patents on Seeds!: Setting the scene - Find the presentation here.
- Christoph Then, No Patents on Seeds!: The opposition and its relevance to political decision-making - Find the presentation here.
- Grietje Raaphorst-Travaille, company Nordic Maize Breeding (NL): The perspective of traditional breeders - Find the presentation here.
RECORDING:
