On the occasion of a meeting of the Administrative Council on 29 June 2022, we handed over the new research report to representatives of the European Patent Office. It provides an overview of recent patent applications and patents granted by the EPO, and also outlines the legal framework. As the report shows, political decisions need to be taken to ensure freedom for all breeders to produce new plant varieties, e.g. plants that can adapt to climate change.
The report: Patents on genes and genetic variations can block access to biological diversity for plant breeding
The press release from 29 June 2022: Patents on plant genes - a lockdown for conventional plant breeding
Photos: Lukas Barth
Sculptures: Freia Hellenkamp
For photos in high resolution please contact johanna.eckhardt@no-patents-on-seeds.org