CPVO considers enforcement of Community PVR a “shared responsibility”

Following the recent CPVO-organised seminar in Poland on enforcement of breeders’ rights, the CPVO has issued a press release which includes the following statement:

The enforcement of Community plant variety rights is a shared responsibility of the title holders, the breeders, and the competent authorities, in particular the Community and national legislator, the judicial authorities and the CPVO.

The press release goes on to say that whilst "breeders should act against infringements with the available legal means", the CPVO has a duty to

provide a solid title of protection based on a high quality technical assessment of varieties which are candidate for protection
and
inform interested circles, breeders, producers, farmers, judges, prosecutors, PVR authorities and government officials of the implications of Community plant variety protection.

This is to be welcomed. Whilst breeders and CIOPORA can do much to lobby governments and legislators and raise awareness of PVR, such actions by the CPVO are much more likely to achieve positive results that will benefit holders of EU PVRs. In time, this will help to create a stronger PVR that can be more simply and rigorously enforced.