Biotech Updates

Georgia Accedes to the UPOV Convention

October 31, 2008

Georgia will become the 66th member of the International Union for the Protection of New Varieties of Plants (UPOV). UPOV is an intergovernmental organization based in Geneva, Switzerland that aims to encourage the development of plant varieties by granting breeders intellectual property rights. To be eligible for IP protection, UPOV guidelines require plant varieties to satisfy certain conditions, such as being distinct from existing, commonly known varieties and being sufficiently uniform and stable.

The Acting Secretary-General of UPOV, Francis Gurry, welcomed the deposit of the instrument of accession of Georgia to the UPOV Convention and expressed his satisfaction that UPOV has now reached 66 members.

The press release is available at http://www.upov.int/export/sites/upov/en/news/pressroom/pdf/pr76.pdf