The European Union regulation covering who is entitled to apply for European Plant Variety Rights has been amended. Previously, applicants had to be either a citizen of the EU or of a nation that is a member of UPOV. This has now been changed so that anyone can apply for EU PVR, regardless of nationality or residence.

Of course, anyone who is not a resident of the EU is still required to appoint a procedural representative to file applications on their behalf. Plants for Europe can assist in this regard, whether or not we are asked to act as agent for the purposes of licensing or royalty collection. Contact us for details and fees.

Details of the regulations that apply can be found on the CPVO’s website here.

Graham will be attending three major events in the next few weeks. If you would like to make an appointment to see him at any of these events, please contact us today.

• IPM, Essen, Germany - Thursday 24th and Friday 25th January
• GAN, Bournemouth, UK - Wednesday 13th February
• Salon du Végétal, Angers, France - Thursday 21st February

I am sure that all of our customers and friends will join us in sending congratulations to Chris Sargent of PMA who has recently become the father of Ben, a brother for Amber. Mum Anna and Ben are both doing well. What a splendid early Christmas gift!

The Plants For Europe office will not be staffed continuously during the Christmas and New Year period. The office will close on Friday 21st December and will re-open on Thursday 3rd January. During the holiday period, telephone messages, emails and post will all be checked regularly and urgent matters will be attended to, but we may not reply to you as quickly as we normally do.

We would like to wish all our customers and friends a very merry Christmas and extend our best wishes for a prosperous 2008!

The UK Government, in common with most other EU states, has introduced new legislation to reduce the instance of money laundering.

In order to comply with the regulations, Plants For Europe Limited now has a policy that we will not accept or make payment in cash for any transaction. Payments will only be accepted or made by cheque (drawn against a bank that transacts business with our own bank, the National Westminster Bank plc) or by bank transfer.

We do not believe that this will present any difficulty or inconvenience to our customers. However, if you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us.

I’ve written here about non-native and invasive species before. DEFRA has just published a consultation on the review of schedule 9 to the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 and a ban on the sale of certain non-native species with responses requested by the end of January 2008.

This document is very alarming for growers, landscapers, importers, plant breeders and gardeners because there are several important garden and landscape plants that will be "scheduled" and will thus not be permitted to be imported, sold or planted for "introduction to the wild" - and, in some cases, possession will become unlawful. Included in the list are all Cotoneaster, all Crocosmia, Robinia pseudoacacia, Rosa rugosa and Quercus ilex.

Even more worryingly, there is a proposal to include all hybrids of listed species without having to specifically list each hybrid in the schedule. In the case of Rosa rugosa, described in The Hillier Manual of Trees and Shrubs as "the parent of innumerable hybrids", literally hundreds of popular varieties could be banned. The same could be true of Rhododendron ponticum, undoubtedly a pest where it is naturalised, but also an important parent of hybrid varieties.

It’s not clear what is meant by "the wild", particularly when the justification for adding some species (such as Crocosmia and Quercus ilex) is that they have been planted in gardens and parks and have spread into the wider environment or merely have the potential to do so - surely this is less a problem with the species concerned and more of an issue with landscape maangement. Also, because the list seems to anticipate potential problems that have not yet arisen with some species, there is a worry that other plants could be added even if they have not become a problem. Study of the list also shows a few plants that perhaps might be added in the future, since the same criteria that have been applied to the existing list could be applied to them - Buddleja davidii and Geranium oxonianum spring to mind.

It is our view that this document takes a step too far. It is only by speaking up that growers, breeders and gardeners can hope to amend this proposal before it becomes law. Therefore, I recommend that you read the document and complete the response form as soon as you can.