The Euroseeds Committee on Intellectual Property Rights is now open to observers. The ACLP Managing Director Hélène Guillot is participating as an observer to represent the ACLP, which is an associate member of Euroseeds.
Euroseeds has recently updated its position paper on Intellectual Property, after a long process of discussions amongst its members. The different views on intellectual property tools to protect plant innovation are reflected in the paper, and also mirrors the diversity of opinion amongst ACLP membership.
ACLP has no intention to develop positions on intellectual property, as the platform is an economic tool, built to bring a solution to the current situation where both PVP and patents are available to protect plant innovations. However, ACLP fully concurs to the statements of the new Euroseeds View on IP and especially the acknowledgement that “licensing platforms are useful tools to support a facilitated and standardized management of access where patents exist.”
Euroseeds View on IP needs now to be implemented by concrete actions. The presence of the ACLP in the CIPR will be valuable to bring concrete feedback on the functioning of a licensing platform and its value to facilitate access to patented traits in order to avoid monopolistic situations.
