International Union for the Protection of New Varieties of Plants
The International Union for the Protection of New Varieties of Plants (UPOV) is an intergovernmental organization based in Geneva whose mission is to encourage the development of new plant varieties through a system of legal protection for plant breeders’ achievements.
The organization was established in 1961 under the International Convention for the Protection of New Varieties of Plants and today brings together 80 members covering 99 states.
UPOV represents one of the key pillars of the international intellectual property system in the field of agriculture and makes a significant contribution to the development of modern and sustainable plant breeding.
How UPOV Works
UPOV provides an international framework that enables member states to grant breeders of new plant varieties a specific intellectual property right known as a plant breeder’s right. This right allows breeders to control the commercial use of a variety they have developed for a specified period and to obtain a return on their investments in research and development.
Protection is granted to varieties that meet the criteria of novelty, distinctness, uniformity, and stability. The system therefore encourages the development of new varieties with higher yields, improved resistance to diseases, and a greater capacity to adapt to changing climatic conditions.
Contribution to Agriculture and Food Security
By supporting the development of new plant varieties, UPOV contributes to increased agricultural productivity, greater genetic diversity of cultivated crops, and enhanced food security.
UPOV emphasizes that an effective plant variety protection system creates conditions for innovation that can help address global challenges, including population growth and the impacts of climate change.
The Czech Republic and UPOV
The Czech Republic has been a member of the International Union for the Protection of New Varieties of Plants (UPOV) since 1 January 1993. It succeeded to membership as the successor state to the Czech and Slovak Federal Republic, which acceded to the UPOV Convention in 1991.
The Czech Republic is therefore bound by the 1991 Act of the Convention, which forms the current basis of the international plant variety protection system. Protection of new varieties in the Czech Republic is ensured through national legislation in accordance with the requirements of the UPOV Convention.
More information is available on the UPOV website at www.upov.int.