Dear all
just to let you know, no progress was made in a online meeting with KWS. We discussed the patent on maize /digestibility and also some general positions.
They insist they want to keep patents on randomly mutated plants (gene variants).
They have some message about voluntarily to restrict some claims on markers. But nevertheless they will continue to file patents on markers (for selection of plants). I can remember these messages from December last year. Nothing new.
They consider to give up some claims on feed stuff derived from the maize, but as far as I can see, this would not restrict the scope of their patents (they still can claim licences for import of animal feed if their seeds were used in countries outside the EU without agreement). It looks like they got some negative feedback from farmers on these 'reach-through claims' on animal feed, but it seems their reaction is mostly cosmetic.
In summary, they do not support the position of the German plant breeders ... we will meet on 7 March (online).
we now ill file opposition and prepare for media release.
Cheers
Christoph