The last SPD of the year in December 2021 was dedicated to plant variety protection, and more specifically to the 1991 Act of the UPOV Convention. The dialogue aimed to explain what UPOV and plant variety protection is, and what their impacts on farmers’ rights have been, through experiences from Europe and abroad. It was enriched by presentations from François MEIENBERG from APBREBES, Georg Janssen, from the German ABL (Arbeitsgemeinschaft bäuerliche Landwirtschaft), and from Chrisophe Noisette from the French Inf’OGM.
You can watch the presentation on the impact of the UPOV system on farmers’ rights and food sovereignty (in English), on the fight of German farmers against fees for farm-saved seeds (in German), on private varieties and jailed farmers across Europe (in French), and on the current UPOV negotiations on the definitions of private and non-commercial use (in English).
The Union for the Protection of New Varieties of Plants (UPOV): The history and the content – Francois Meienberg
Current negotiations at UPOV: The definition of private and non commercial use – Francois Meienberg
Der Kampf der deutschen Landwirte gegen Nachbaugebühren – Georg Janßen, ABL
Variétés privées, paysan.ne.s emprisonné.e.s – Christophe Noisette, Inf’OGM
Useful links
Subscribe to EC-LLD! News https://liberatediversity.org/newslet
APBREBES Publications on UPOV: https://www.apbrebes.org/publications
APBREBES Reporting on UPOV Sessions : https://www.apbrebes.org/events/past
Subscribing to the APBREBES Newsletter: https://lists.mayfirst.org/mailman/li.
