Serbia to Join Union for Plant Variety Protection

Serbia is expected to become a member of the International Union for the Protection of New Varieties of Plants (UPOV) by the end of 2012, it was stated at a conference in Belgrade last month.

The aim of the conference was to highlight the benefits of UPOV membership, raise awareness about plant breeders’ rights, tackle the potential enforcement issues and present best practices and case studies.

The conference was supported by the Plant Protection Directorate in Belgrade, Serbia’s Ministry of Agriculture, Trade, Forestry and Water Management, the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, German Agency for International Cooperation (GIZ) and the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID).

In 2009, Serbia adopted the Law on Protection of Plant Breeders’ Rights, a precondition for the UPOV membership. The law is in line with the principles of the UPOV Convention and the WTO Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS).

“UPOV membership requires a lot of effort, new rules and regulations, but it will ultimately put Serbia in a better situation on the global market and help attract foreign investments to Serbia”, said Adri De Roo, Agricultural Counselor at the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands.

“Now that the plant breeders can be assured that their rights will be protected in Serbia, Serbian producers will have access to the newest and best varieties that are in high demand in international markets. Serbian exporters will also be able to demand higher prices,” said Rebecca Krzywda, USAID’s Senior Office Director.

Author: Jelena Jankovic

For more information, please contact serbia@petosevic.com.

Source: Ekonom:east Media Group website