19th of February 2019 / More than 20 organisations have called to action in a combined effort to protest at the European Patent Office in Munich on March 27th. The Administrative Council in which all 38 contracting states are represented will meet on this day. Their agenda: Patents on conventionally bred plants and animals. Only the industry has been called upon in an advisory role to the board. The protesting organisations want to ensure that the interests of the general public will not be left out.
In June 2017, after public protest as well as in accordance with EU regulations, the Administrative Council decided that conventionally bred plants and animals which had not been subject to genetic modification are prohibited. In December of 2018 however, the EPO decided that the Administrative Council’s decision is not legally binding. Thus, these patents could now be granted.
“We demand an end to the legal chaos at the EPO, which is being misused by large corporations such as Bayer, Syngenta and BASF in order to monopolize the basis of our food supply” says Georg Janßen, federal executive director of AbL. “Conventional breeds must be kept free from all patent claims!”
The call to action is, amongst others, supported by - Arbeitsgemeinschaft der Umweltbeauftragten der Gliedkirchen der Evangelischen Kirche in Deutschland, Arbeitsgemeinschaft bäuerliche Landwirtschaft (AbL), BUND Naturschutz in Bayern e.V., Bund für Umwelt und Naturschutz Deutschland (BUND), Bundesverband Deutscher Milchviehhalter, Campact!, Die Freien Bäcker, EDL-Evangelischer Dienst auf dem Lande, FIAN, Gäa e.V. - Vereinigung ökologischer Landbau, Gen-ethisches Netzwerk, Genussgemeinschaft Städter und Bauern e.V., Gesellschaft für ökologische Forschung, IG Nachbau – Gegen Nachbau-Gebühren, IG Saatgut, Katholische Landvolkbewegung Deutschland (KLB), Kein Patent auf Leben!, Keine Patente auf Saatgut!, Kultursaat e.V., Sambucus; Verband Katholisches Landvolk (VKL), Save our Seeds!, Slow Food München, Umweltinstitut München andWeMove Europe.
Contacts
Georg Janßen, Arbeitsgemeinschaft bäuerliche Landwirtschaft (AbL), Tel.: + 49 (0) 170 4964684, janssen@abl-ev.de
Christoph Then, Sprecher für „Keine Patente auf Saatgut!“, Tel +49 (0) 151 54638040,
Johanna Eckhardt, Projektkoordination für „Keine Patente auf Saatgut!“, Tel + 43 (0) 680 2126343, johanna.eckhardt@no-patents-on-seeds.org
Further Information
