We demand a moratorium for patents on plants and animals
Until the end of June 2021, we collected almost 200.000 signatures together with WeMove Europe, Umweltinstitut München and the Gene-ethical Network. Our demands were as well supported by over 50 organisations (see list below).
The petition is being continued on the website of WeMove Europe and until September 2022 gathered over 221.000 signatures.
Photo: Falk Heller/Argum, Sculptures: Freia Hellenkamp
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Stop patent monopolies on seeds!
We demand a moratorium for patents on plants and animals
We demand that the European Patent Office (EPO) takes urgent action to protect the common good by stopping patent monopolies on seeds. As long as we have no solution, there has to be a moratorium on patent applications for plants and animals!
After more than ten years of controversial debate, the EPO finally decided to prohibit patents on conventionally bred plants and animals. However, patents are still being granted on random mutation breeding. Several hundred conventionally bred varieties are already affected by patents in Europe.
According to European laws, patents on “essentially biological processes” for the breeding of plants and animals are prohibited. However, there is no clear legal distinction to technical processes of genetic engineering. These gaps in legal clarity could be resolved in the decision-making process of the Administrative Council of the EPO, which represents 38 contracting states and is responsible for the correct interpretation of European patent law.
Quick decisions are needed to prevent large companies from taking more and more control of the seed markets. If the contracting states of the EPO need more time for discussions, a moratorium for pending decisions for patents on plants and animals has to be put in place.
The press release from 29 June 2021
The press release from 22 March 2021
The press release from 14 December 2020
The press release from 14 December in Danish
ORGANISATIONS SUPPORTING THE DEMANDS
AGROLINK Association (Bulgaria)
Arbeitsgemeinschaft bäuerliche Landwirtschaft e.V. (AbL) (Germany)
Arbeitsgemeinschaft der Umweltbeauftragten der Gliedkirchen der Evangelischen Kirche in Deutschland (agu) (Germany)
ARCHE NOAH (Austria)
Associació de Varietats Locals de les Illes Balears (Spain)
Asociación de Agricultura Ecológica Tierra Fértil (Spain)
Asociación Vida Sana (Spain)
Bioland e.V. (Germany)
biorespect (Switzerland)
BUND Naturschutz in Bayern e.V. (Germany)
Coalition against BAYER-Dangers (CBG) (Germany)
Corporate Europe Observatory (Belgium)
Dachverband Kulturpflanzen- und Nutztiervielfalt e.V. (Germany)
Demeter France (France)
Die Freien Bäcker e.V. (Germany)
Föreningen Sesam (Sweden)
Frøsamlerne (Danish Seed Savers)
Fundacja AgriNatura (Poland)
GAIA - Environmental Action and Intervention Group (Portugal)
Gaia Foundation (UK, Ireland)
Gemeinde N (Germany)
Gen-ethical network (Germany)
Genussgemeinschaft Städter und Bauern e.V. (Germany)
Gesellschaft für ökologische Forschung (Germany)
IG Nachbau (Germany)
Institute for Environmental Policy (Albania)
Kein Patent auf Leben (Germany)
Landbauschule Dottenfelderhof e.V. (Germany)
Mouvement d'Action Paysanne (MAP) (Belgium)
Mouvement de l'Agriculture Bio-Dynamique (MABD) (France)
Navdanya International (Italy)
open house e.V. (Germany)
OpenSourceSeeds - Agrecol (Germany)
Oxfam (Int., Netherlands)
Palombar - Natural and Rural Heritage Conservation Association (Portugal)
Peliti (Greece)
Plataforma Transgénicos Fora (Portugal)
ProSpecieRara (Switzerland)
Public Eye (Switzerland)
Red de Semillas "Resembrando e Intercambiando" (Spain)
Réseau Semences Paysannes (RSP) (France)
Saat:gut e.V. (Germany)
SAG (Schweizer Allianz Gentechfrei) (Switzerland)
Sambucus e.V. (Germany)
Sinergia Animal
Slow Food Deutschland e.V. (Germany)
Społeczny Instytut Ekologiczny (Social Ecological Institute) (Poland)
Stadtgarten Bebelhof - Braunschweig (Germany)
SWISSAID (Switzerland)
Térrea - Associação para a Cultura, o Desenvolvimento Sustentável e a Cidadania (Portugal)
TRIAS Ambulante Sozialarbeit (Germany)
Umweltinstitut München e.V. (Germany)
VEN - Verein zur Erhaltung der Nutzpflanzenvielfalt e.V. (Germany)
Verband Katholisches Landvolk e.V. (Germany)