b'The CPVO has always been keen to25%involve breeders organisations in its work:54% of applications for Euroseeds, CIOPORA and Plantum areof applications for observers to the CPVO Administrativethe ornamentalthe agricultural Council, and bilateral meetings are heldsector. sector. 17,116 titles with organisations such as AIPH and37,173 titlesgrantedECO-PB on a yearly basis.granted Shares in the crop We participate in all sorts of eventssectors in relation organised in close co-operation with theto the number of industry to inform relevant professionalsapplications in the and the public about the CPVR system. Weperiod 1995-2020are also partners in a series of ventures14% with other IP offices in the EU Member States as well as with the Internationalof applications Union for the Protection of New Varietiesfor the vegetable of Plants (UPOV), European Unionsector. 9,779 titles Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO),grantedEuropean Patent Office (EPO), United7% States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), United States Departmentof applications for the fruit of Agriculture (USDA), Ministry ofsector. 4,525 titles grantedAgriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF),China,AfricanRegional IntellectualPropertyOrganization (ARIPO) and Organisation Africaine dehigher quality products and European la Proprit Intellectuelle (OAPI).breeders can perform in a global lev-The CPVO has been directly involvedCPVO BY THE NUMBERS el-playing-field. in important international projects funded68,593ES: WHAT WOULD YOU SAY ARE by the EU. For instance, we are currently providing know-how and training to theTHE MAIN ACHIEVEMENTS OF THE OAPI office and its member states so thatapplications received CPVO?they can learn from experiences made infrom 1995 to 2020 ME:One thing is sure, the creation of the EU on technical and administrativethe EU plant variety right system in the procedures. The overall aim is to supportmid 1990s was an excellent decision for efficient agricultural policies and food53,583Europe. One application, one language, supply. Innovation and plant breeding areone procedure and one decision for a one important piece in achieving suchtitles granted received Plant Variety Right valid in all EU Member goals. Uniform or at least similar IP sys- from 1996 to 2020 States. And while the CPVO administers tems in the EU and Africa contributes tothe PVP system, the technical work is these aims. done by Examination Offices throughout The CPVO is also active in the EU28,228the EU. An excellent way to share the funded IP Key South-East (IPKEY) pro- tasks at hand! ject, which aims at updating and harmo- The CPVR system, based on the 1991 nising IP standards with important EUtitles in force as of Act of the UPOV Convention, is the larg-trading partners. In this context, we have01/01/2020 est and most efficient regional system for been promoting UPOV based PVR systemsplant variety rights protection. Over the in China, Latin America and Associationpast 25 years, the CPVO processed nearly of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)23,136 70,000 applications and granted over countries and we have shared the expe- 53,000 plant variety rights titles. Today, rience gained in the EU. A similar projectonline applications almost 30,000 new plant varieties are targeting Caribbean countries will alsosince 2010 being protected in the European Union see CPVOs involvement in the comingby the CPVO. months.The CPVO has become a centre of I believe that it is CPVOs duty toexcellence in the sense that technical and share our expertise gained through thelegal expertise from the EU Member States 25 year-long experience of managing theco-operate in the CPVO network and con-CPVR system and it is important thattribute to smart solutions available to all. CPVO promotes the relevance of the 1991I believe this role will increase as digitali-Act of the UPOV Convention worldwidezation and the use of common IT tools are so that European consumers benefit frombecoming increasingly important. To cen-EUROPEAN-SEED.COMIEUROPEAN SEED I 33'