Transgenic plant patents get the go-ahead

URL: http://www.nature.com/cgi-taf/DynaPage.taf?file=/nature/journal/v409/n6822/full/409752a0_fs.html

Date accessed: 25 February 2001

Nature 409, 752 - 753 (2001) © Macmillan Publishers Ltd.

15 February 2001

[MUNICH] The European Patent Office's appeals board has confirmed the validity of two controversial patents on transgenic plants.

The board overruled objections filed by environmentalist groups against patents on a herbicide-resistant plant developed by AgrEvo and Monsanto's 'Flavr Savr' tomato.

The protesters had argued that the European Patent Convention prevented plant varieties from being patented. But last year the patent office lifted a four-year moratorium on applications for patents on plants (see Nature 403, 3; 2000).

After last week's decision, environmentalists criticized the office for allegedly protracting its decision until its patenting rules were more favourable to the biotechnology industry.

Category: 2. Patent Law, 29. GMOs