{"id":25586,"date":"2019-03-25T15:31:07","date_gmt":"2019-03-25T13:31:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.bioecoactual.com\/?p=25586"},"modified":"2019-03-25T15:31:20","modified_gmt":"2019-03-25T13:31:20","slug":"end-the-legal-chaos-at-the-european-patent-office","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.bioecoactual.com\/en\/2019\/03\/25\/end-the-legal-chaos-at-the-european-patent-office\/","title":{"rendered":"End the legal chaos at the European Patent Office!"},"content":{"rendered":"

Today the coalition\u00a0No Patents on Seeds!\u00a0<\/strong>published a new report on plant patents granted by the European Patent Office (EPO) in 2018 and at the beginning of 2019.\u00a0<\/span>Despite a prohibition on the granting of patents on conventional breeding, the EPO has nevertheless granted patents on melons, tomatoes, onions, lettuce, garden parsley and cucumber, all of which were produced without using genetic engineering.<\/p>\n

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At the same time, oppositions against patents on barley were rejected. Faced with these developments, around 30 organisations have called for a joint protest in front of the EPO on 27 March<\/strong>. This is the day on which the Administrative Council representing the 38 contracting states of the EPO will meet. The assembly is requested to take measures to ensure that prohibitions are effective.<\/strong><\/p>\n

It is especially difficult for the meeting that in June 2017, after public protests, the Administrative Council together with backup from EU institutions, already took a decision to prohibit patents on plants and animals that are not derived from techniques of genetic engineering. However, in December 2018, the Technical Board of the EPO decided that the decision of the Administrative Council would not be legally binding. Therefore, from beginning of 2019, much higher numbers of these patents could be granted.<\/p>\n

Consequently, there is a legally chaotic situation at the EPO<\/strong>: the Administrative Council decision is neither legally enforceable nor sufficient. This situation is especially advantageous to large companies, such as Bayer (Monsanto), Syngenta and BASF, who are aiming to monopolise seeds and plants and thereby take control of basic resources for producing our daily food. Some of these companies are even demanding that patents that were revoked are now reinstated.<\/p>\n

The call for public demonstration is supported by:<\/strong> Arbeitsgemeinschaft b\u00e4uerliche Landwirtschaft (AbL), Arche Noah, agu \u2013 Arbeitsgemeinschaft der Umweltbeauftragten der Gliedkirchen der Evangelischen Kirche in Deutschland, BUND Naturschutz in Bayern e.V., Bund f\u00fcr Umwelt und Naturschutz Deutschland (BUND), Bundesverband Deutscher Milchviehhalter, Campact!,\u00a0 Die Freien B\u00e4cker, EDL \u2013 Evangelischer Dienst auf dem Lande, FIAN, G\u00e4a e.V.- Vereinigung \u00f6kologischer Landbau, Gen-ethisches Netzwerk,\u00a0 Genussgemeinschaft St\u00e4dter und Bauern e.V., Gesellschaft f\u00fcr \u00f6kologische Forschung, IG Nachbau \u2013 Gegen Nachbau-Geb\u00fchren, IG Saatgut, Katholische Landvolkbewegung Deutschland (KLB), Kein Patent auf Leben!, Keine Patente auf Saatgut!, Kultursaat e.V.,\u00a0 Sambucus e.V., Verband Katholisches Landvolk (VKL), Plataforma Transg\u00e9nicos Fora, ProSpecieRara, Save our Seeds!, Slow Food M\u00fcnchen, SwissAid, Umweltinstitut M\u00fcnchen and WeMove Europe.\u00a0The public protest will start on 27 March at 11 a.m. and end at around 2 p.m.\u00a0<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n