ALLEA Statement on Measures to Ease the Impact of the IP System on New Genomic Techniques for Crop Development

In Europe, intellectual property (IP) protection of New Genomic Techniques (NGT) and their products falls under the EU Biotechnology Directive 98/44/EC and special Plant Breeders’ Rights. Yet, patenting harvested materials remains contentious and a possible new European regulatory framework for NGTs is expected to increase the volume of patent applications, raising concerns such as unintentional patent infringement, monopolisation of these technologies and products, and licensing complexities. This statement, written by a dedicated ALLEA Task Force, delves into IP system impacts on European breeders and farmers, offering short-, medium-, and long-term recommendations to surmount these possible obstacles.