Plant variety protection in the European Community

Plant variety protection in the European Community can be obtained by applying for national rights in each country in which it is available (21 out of 25), or by applying for a Community plant variety right to cover all 25 countries in one application. This article describes the key features of the CPVR and the corresponding Office in Angers, France. These are generally in line with the international convention in this field, the UPOV convention. Main areas covered include the structure of the CPVO, the DUS requirement (distinctiveness, uniformity and stability), novelty, variety denomination, compulsory licensing, enforcement, technical examination, and status information. Statistical information on the use of the system is also provided.