European Union - Community Plant Variety Office signs new Administrative Arrangement with Chinese authorities

The Community Plant Variety Office (CPVO), the Ministry of Agricultural and Rural Affairs of China (MARA), and the National Forestry and Grassland Administration of China (NFGA) signed a new Administrative Arrangement on 26 May 2021, after the previous Administrative Arrangement for the period 2018-2020 had expired.

The new Administrative Arrangement with a duration of five years is an opportunity to reinforce the collaboration in Plant Variety Protection (PVP) and to continue the fruitful exchange that started almost 5 years ago.

During the signing ceremony that took place virtually, Martin Ekvad, President of the CPVO, said: “The cooperation between the EU & China on IP policies has advanced in the recent years, and this is good for innovators, businesses and consumers in both the European Union and China. Policies on plant variety rights are no exception. European breeders show an ever increasing interest to invest in China and applications are made in China for many species.”

“At the time when an EU breeder makes an application in China, a DUS report has in most cases already been established in the EU for the same variety. Breeders advocate that reports from the EU can be accepted in China in line with the guidelines for technical cooperation between UPOV members”.

“I believe that during the implementation of the Administrative Arrangement signed today, we can develop the “take-over” cooperation further. These are concrete deliverables that will decrease administration for the innovators whilst at the same time ensuring high quality DUS testing.”

By signing the Administrative Arrangement, the three administrations show that there is a strong commitment to strengthen their cooperation and to work together so that the scope  of protection of plant varieties rights will be the same in the EU and in China. This will not only be to the benefit of breeders, but also farmers, producers and in the end the consumers and citizens.

After the ceremony, a meeting was held during which CPVO, MARA and NFGA discussed the continued technical cooperation.

It was agreed to follow up on possibilities and challenges as regards taking over reports between the three institutions in line with UPOV principles. Such cooperation would benefit the industry by avoiding multiple testing of the same variety and ultimately provide access to the breeding progress to the growers and consumers in Europe and China.

Another topic discussed amongst the participants concerned the activities planned for the end of the year, notably a DUS on-line training and a virtual PVP Awareness Raising Seminar.

It was also agreed to continue an exchange in relation to questions raised by the Chinese sides on matters related to how certain provisions under the UPOV 1991 Act have been implemented in the EU PVP system.