International Union for the Protection of New Varieties of Plants (UPOV)
| Column | Details |
|---|---|
| Introduction | – Established: 1961. – Headquarters: Geneva, Switzerland. – Mission: To provide and promote an effective system of plant variety protection to encourage the development of new plant varieties for societal benefit. |
| Objectives | – Encourage Plant Breeding: Provide incentives for the development of new plant varieties. – Ensure Protection: Establish a harmonized system for plant breeders’ intellectual property. – Promote Agricultural Progress: Facilitate improved plant varieties to enhance productivity and sustainability. |
| Members (Dec 2024) | – 79 Members: Includes countries and intergovernmental organizations. – India’s Status: India is not a UPOV member but has its own Protection of Plant Varieties and Farmers’ Rights Act, 2001. |
| Reports | – UPOV Performance Report 2020-2021: Summarizes UPOV’s activities and achievements. – Plant Variety Protection Statistics: Annual data on applications, titles issued, and titles in force. – Impact Studies: Evaluates the effects of plant variety protection on agriculture and the seed sector in member countries. |
| Instruments | – UPOV Convention: Treaty revised in 1961, 1972, 1978, and 1991. – UPOV Lex: Database of legal texts and conventions. – PLUTO Plant Variety Database: Repository of plant variety data, including denominations and legal status. |
| Structure | – Council: Governing body of UPOV with representatives from each member country. – Office of the Union: Manages day-to-day operations and implements Council decisions. |
| Subsidiary Organs | – Technical Working Parties: Develop guidelines and technical standards for specific plant groups. – Administrative and Legal Committee: Focuses on legal and administrative matters related to plant variety protection. |
| Committees | – Consultative Committee: Advises the Council on policy and strategic matters. – Technical Committee: Oversees the work of Technical Working Parties and ensures consistency in technical guidelines. |
| Initiatives | – UPOV PRISMA: Online tool to assist applicants in filing plant variety protection applications. – UPOV e-PVP: Platform facilitating electronic exchange of documents and information on plant variety protection. – Capacity Building Programs: Provides training and resources to help member states implement effective plant variety protection systems. |
