RZ-100-wt4-E-flipbook-240702 - Flipbook - Page 153
Rijk Zwaan for open innovation
The rise of patent law in the plant breeding sector
‘A company’s success is partly determined by the
is threatening to negate this breeders’ right.
sector it is in,’ says Anton van Doornmalen. Based
While plant variety rights relate to one particular
on this conviction, Rijk Zwaan has been working
variety, patents grant exclusive rights to traits.
for years with other parties in the sector in many
To ensure that Rijk Zwaan can continue doing
areas – for example, through trade associations
business as usual, the company is building up
in the Netherlands, Europe and worldwide. Key
an extensive patent portfolio so that it can swap
issues here include access to genetic resources,
patent positions, or in Anton van Doornmalen’s
plant breeders’ rights and keeping borders open
words: ‘playing ‘Go Fish’ with patents’. Meanwhile,
for seed distribution.
Rijk Zwaan has one of the most extensive patent
20
20
Kesia RZ
CleanLeaf
Eggplant
First
hairless
eggplant.
portfolios in the vegetable seed industry, which, in
light of the above, is only deployed defensively.
20
20
Lavender RZ
Cauliflower
Efforts by various industry groups, including
Rijk Zwaan and the Dutch trade association
First
purple
cauliflower
Plantum, have so far ensured that in Europe
the operation of patent law has been curtailed
in order to prevent monopolisation. But this
still hasn’t assured many vegetable breeding
companies. As the political and public debate
surrounding patent law continues, eleven major
vegetable breeding companies, including
Rijk Zwaan, decide to set up the International
Licensing Platform for Vegetables (ILPV) in 2014
for this reason. The aim of the ILPV is to facilitate
One of these issues involves the introduction of
global access to and use of the plant traits of
patent law in the plant breeding sector over ten
vegetable crops. Members make their patents
years ago. Proponents of such patents argue that
for plant traits in vegetables accessible to other
they promote innovation, knowledge exchange
members for a reasonable fee.
and investment in research and development.
On the other hand, opponents such as Rijk Zwaan
Another major threat to the sector is that more
argue that patents actually hinder the work of
and more countries, for protectionist or geopolit-
breeders because access to biological material is
ical reasons, are passing stricter regulations and
not permitted, is delayed or is very expensive.
erecting trade barriers that hamper the international trade in seeds. This is a big issue, because
Rijk Zwaan’s business model, like that of many
‘a resilient and sustainable food chain starts with
of its competitors, is based on continuously
the free movement of seeds,’ explains Marco van
improving plant varieties with added value for the
Leeuwen, Board member and President of the
subsequent links in the food chain. To do this, they
International Seed Federation (ISF). The global
depend on open innovation, where plant varieties
trade association for the entire seed profession,
are protected by means of plant breeders’ rights
the ISF, is working to create a world in which seeds
but at the same time it is possible for breeding
can be traded freely, without restrictions. During
companies to make use of all the plant varieties
the corona pandemic, one country after another
protected by breeders’ rights so they can develop
closed its borders, and this threatened to halt the
new varieties.
movement of seeds. ISF took immediate action.
2014-2024 | Innovations and new technologies
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