June 2024 - Npos_2018 - lists.testbiotech.de

Interview with Grietje Raaphorst-Travaille
by Annemarie Volling - ABL 10 Jun '24

10 Jun '24

Dear all, we have published an interview with the breeder Grietje Raaphorst-Travaille from Nordic Maize breeding in the Bauernstimme (newspaper of the AbL), you all know her from the KWS patents. It is based on an interview that InfÒGM conducted with her, which we have translated, abridged and supplemented in consultation with Grietje. Here is the link to the interview (https://www.abl-ev.de/apendix/news/details/patente-behindern-innovationen) and as pdf attached. Sorry in germen Best regards Annemarie Volling Arbeitsgemeinschaft bäuerliche Landwirtschaft (AbL) e.V. Mail: <mailto:volling@abl-ev.de> volling(a)abl-ev.de

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! please give feedback: should we travel to Brussels before summer break to present this new backgrounder
by Christoph Then 09 Jun '24

09 Jun '24

Dear all please see attached a new draft backgrounder, based on the research from last year (thanks to Anne-Charlotte!). It gives an overview on patent applications that mix New GE with random mutagenesis. The legal practice of the EPO is explained as well as possible solutions. additional information: I also identified many patent applications that still are based on identifying gene variants and production of plants by crossing and selection. These patent applications, if filed after July 2017, should now be rejected. our success. However insufficient. we currently have an activity going on our website to send letters to the EU Commission. we also received first answers from the Commission (random mutagenesis is regarded as patentable) but our letter requesting a meeting was not answered. we discussed to travel to Brussels to create a photo with some vegetables and to hand over of of our backgrounder directly. If we do this end of June we could reach out to the Commission, the newly elected Parliament members and the Admin Council on 27 / 28 of June. We have to prevent the Commission to run their business while ignoring our input. I recommend to do so and would be willing to travel. please give your comments and please let me know, who may ready to travel with me. Three persons standing in front of the Commission can be a nice picture, one person is not sufficient. cheers Christoph

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potential conference on plant patents
by Francois Meienberg 07 Jun '24

07 Jun '24

Dear All As a follow-up to the petition we delivered to our government a while ago, we are working with our patent office on the idea of a conference - to discuss the relevant issues regarding patents on plants. The idea as it stands now, is the following: We are doing the conference back-to-back with a meeting of the Patent Law Committee at the EPO in Munich. Target date between 17 and 28 February 2025 (the date of the Patent Law Committee in February is not yet fixed), approx. 4 hours (or more?). Physical and virtual participation possible. Target audience: EPO delegates, EU and national politicians, breeders, NGOs. Our patent office will check with the EPO. We would like to have a first draft of the program by Mid-July and we see following cornerstones : Implementation/circumvention/the limits of Rule 28b (random mutagenesis, patents on gene sequences, overarching NGT/gentech patents, opportunities and limits of the disclaimer. Further possible measures at national level (freedom to operate à la Austria, simplification of cross and compulsory licences) Transparency: What Pinto can and cannot do; alternative strategies (CH proposal, discussion in the context of seed law revision in the EU) Patents and NGT: The end of the breeder's privilege? - Possibilities to limit negative effects on breeders' access, possible solutions. * If you have any ideas, wishes etc. what should be discussed, presented, etc and if you have any proposals about potential speakers please share them with me by June 10th. Thanks and best wishes François

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update: report on patent applications /activity in Brussels?
by Christoph Then 07 Jun '24

07 Jun '24

Dear all I finished my analysis of patents granted and filed in 2023. besides those cases we already published (tomatoes, lettuce) I now identified more than a dozen patent applications based on random mutagenesis. In several cases, the plants existed before, but were 're-invented'. these patents could be granted by the EPO, following its recent practice on Rule 28 (2). The companies include BASF, KWS, Syngenta, Pioneer, Carlsberg and some usual suspects from the Netherlands. we could produce a short backgrounder on these cases, with some legal background (including current practice of the EPO) and hand it over to the Commission, maybe end of June and and could also approach the EU Parliament and the Administrative council. please let me know if your are interested. I could send a first draft (including tabled overview on the cases) next week. The full report is still planned to be published in September. Cheers Christoph

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