On 4 June, the Agricultural Crop Licensing Platform (ACLP) hosted a high-level event at the European Parliament, shedding light on how licensing platforms can enhance competitive and sustainable farming in Europe by improving access and transparency around patented traits.
Supported by MEPs Lena Düpont of the European People’s Party, Cristina Maestre of the Socialists and Democrats, and Benoit Cassart of Renew Europe, the event brought together policymakers, stakeholders, and industry experts to explore how innovation in plant breeding can meet Europe’s evolving challenges—from climate change and environmental pressures to rising food demands.
The ACLP Managing Director Hélène Guillot, as well as the ACLP President Claudia Hallebach (KWS), and two Board members Gerard Backx (HZPC) and Nicolas Amelot (Syngenta) represented the platform. Nicolas Amelot also brought the insights from over a decade of experience with the International Licensing Platform (ILP), illustrating how a well-structured licensing system can facilitate collaboration, reduce barriers to patented technologies, and ultimately accelerate innovation across the plant breeding sector.
The presentation sparked an engaging Q&A session, with participants expressing strong interest in this private sector initiative that aims to simplify access to patented traits, especially for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) navigating a complex intellectual property landscape.
The conversation is especially timely. As EU policymakers continue to negotiate new rules for New Genomic Techniques (NGTs), the potential of these tools to deliver higher yields, drought-resistant crops, and reduced dependency on pesticides and fertilizers is becoming increasingly clear. However, the accompanying intellectual property framework—with its mix of Plant Breeders’ Rights and patent protections—can pose challenges for innovation and market entry.
Licensing platforms like ILP and ACLP aim to simplify this space, by streamlining the licensing process. These tools ensure breeders can more easily obtain licenses for patented traits in vegetables and agricultural crops. By reducing the complexity of licensing, these platforms promote innovation while ensuring fair access to patented traits.
Read more about the event in The Parliament Magazine
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