Latest News - IP Law and Administration
PBRs and Defra’s latest EPR Update
28 March 2024Plants for Europe has today read the latest update from Defra on the Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) guidelines for packaging in the UK. Following...
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Almost 10,000 UK PBRs at risk of being cancelled – owners must act!
14 March 2024APHA has today published the latest edition of the Gazette Special Edition, which lists all UK Plant Breeders Rights, with data correct up to...
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Two weeks to APHA final deadline for Retained EU rights
15 February 2024We have received confirmation from APHA that holders of “retained EU rights” in the UK need to act before the 29th February 2024. What...
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The deadline for rights holders to ‘claim’ UK PBRs is looming
05 December 2023UK authority, APHA, has said 8,000-10,000 UK PBRs have not been claimed, ahead of end of year deadline. Did you know that holders...
Read MoreBrexit update – do you need to act?
22 January 2020After the UK leaves the EU on 31st January, it will no longer be possible for any UK-based EU PVR owner or procedural representative...
Read MorePatents vs Plant Variety Rights
17 December 2015The European Parliament today debated the conflict, potential or existing, between Patents and Plant Variety Rights. The discussion was driven by a proposed motion...
Read MoreProposed changes to Community Trademark regulations
06 February 2014My thanks to Thomas Leidereiter for pointing this out to me. However, the commentary below and any errors or inaccuracies it contains are mine...
Read MoreCPVO DUS examination fees likely to increase from 1 January 2015
05 February 2014We are always pleased when the cost of something is reduced. In 2013, the application fee for a Community Plant Variety Right was reduced...
Read MoreBig increase in UK Plant Breeder’s Rights fees – does it matter?
31 October 2013The UK Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) is currently conducting a consultation on increasing the fees for UK Plant Breeder’s Rights....
Read MoreWelcome to Croatia!
28 June 2013On Monday 1 July 2013, Croatia will become the 28th member of the European Union. From this date, all granted Community Plant Variety Rights...
Read MoreCPVO to reduce annual fee
01 May 2013The Community Plant Variety Office is to reduce the annual fee for granted Community Plant Variety Rights from the current level of EUR 300...
Read MoreCPVO guidelines for names of plants
01 February 2013Naming a new plant is a complicated business. Not only must the name be suitable for marketing the variety, it must also satisfy the...
Read MoreCrime doesn’t pay
19 December 2012Here’s an interesting news story. Consider carefully the court’s judgement. The infringer has been selling a PVR-protected plant variety under false identity. The court...
Read MoreCPVO application fee going down
01 October 2012The CPVO has managed to keep it quiet, but we’ve finally received official notification of something that we have known about for quite a...
Read MoreIntellectual Property scams
02 May 2012We frequently hear of IP scams that are doing the rounds – attempts to fleece the owners and users of IP by unscrupulous individuals...
Read MoreCPVO going paperless
20 April 2012The Community Plant Variety Office (CPVO), the body that administers applications for European Community Plant Variety Rights, is in the process of becoming a...
Read MoreUpdate on Patent Box
28 February 2012As you will know, Plants For Europe has been campaigning to get Plant Variety Rights included in the new "Patent Box" so that profits...
Read MorePatent Box update – PVRs included!
16 January 2012Long-time readers of this blog will know that Plants For Europe has been actively campaigning to get Plant Variety Rights included in the new...
Read MoreChanges to US Patent laws
13 October 2011There are changes currently in progress at the US Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), the result of the new America Invents Act (AIA) which...
Read MoreSuccessful UK prosecution for breach of PVR – with prison!!
20 May 2011A successful prosecution has been brought for breach of PVR in the UK. The sentence includes a suspended prison term (for those not familiar...
Read MoreTwo PVR stories in the news
16 April 2010There are two news stories this week related to Plant Variety Rights – both are worth looking at. Firstly, Marco van Noort and Blooms...
Read MorePatent Box and PVR – press coverage.
26 March 2010Horticulture Week has picked up the story on the exclusion of Plant Variety Rights from the proposed “Patent Box”. See here.
Read MoreDismay at Government decision to exclude Plant Variety Rights from proposed “Patent Box”
17 March 2010(Note: this is the text of a press release issued by PFE today) In the last Pre-Budget Report, the Chancellor of the Exchequer announced...
Read MorePlant Patents versus Plant Variety Rights
08 December 2009The Fleuroselect organisation has recently held a conference to discuss the relative merits and conflicts between utility patents for plant technologies and “traditional” plant...
Read MoreCPVO Gazette to go electronic from January
09 November 2009The Community Plant Variety Office (CPVO) is set to announce that, from January 2010, the Gazette and most other publications will be available in...
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