Venlo II Conference and CIOPORA Academy

CIOPORA, the International Association of Breeders of Asexually Reproduced Ornamental and Fruit Varieties, along with the newly-launched CIOPORA Academy, will host two events focused on Intellectual Property (IP) laws and Plant Breeders’ Rights (PBR) in the horticulture industry. The CIOPORA Academy IP Workshops will be held on December 2, followed by the ‘Venlo II’ Conference on December 3; both events will take place in Venlo/Baarlo, the Netherlands.

CIOPORA Academy
The CIOPORA Academy is an ongoing, specialized training and certification program that was developed to fill the need for continued education on the rapidly-evolving rules and regulations surrounding IP for ornamental and fruit plants. The program will provide practical knowledge for individuals in the horticulture supply chain, including breeders, propagators, growers and traders, and seminars will be held at locations all around the world beginning with the IP workshops in the Netherlands on 2 December.

The kickoff event, entitled ‘Updates in Patents and Biodiversity’ will bring participants through four workshops: The Basics of Patents, Patentability and Application, Patent Litigation, and Biodiversity and the Nagoya Protocol. Speakers include:

Dr. T.H. Wittop Koning, Partner at AOMB, the Netherlands
Dr. Olaf Malek, European Patent Attorney at Vossius & Partner, Germany, and representative in the controversial tomato cases G 1/08 and G 2/12
Fleur Tuinzig-Westerhuis, Attorney at Houthoff Buruma, the Netherlands
Philippe de Jong, Partner at ALTIUS, Belgium

“We are a knowledge-based society; continued learning is the best way to be prepared for future challenges,” said Dr. Edgar Krieger, Secretary General of CIOPORA. “The mission of the CIOPORA Academy is to disseminate knowledge in all matters of IP, and we believe our programs are the best way to stay ahead of developments in our industries.”

Individuals who successfully complete the Updates in Patents and Biodiversity event will receive a certificate. Seats are limited for the workshops; to view the agenda and register, visit www.ciopora-academy.org

Venlo II Conference
As a follow up to the CIOPORA Conference in Venlo in 2012, the organization will host visitors for ‘Venlo II’, a conference and networking event surrounding the Future of Patents and PBR in Horticulture.

Venlo II will begin the evening of December 2 with a networking reception featuring special presentations on IP development in India and China by specialists Dr. Malathi Lakshmikumaren and Elliot Papageorgiou, respectively.

On December 3, participants will take part in the day-long Venlo II Conference, which will consist of 11 speakers, panel discussion and in-depth political debates on the future of property protection for plants. Venlo II is a follow-up to the CIOPORA conference in 2012 which was the starting point for deep discussions among breeders about the IP protection system for ornamentals and fruits. The 2015 event will provide a platform to examine industry changes that have taken place over the last three years, especially considering the milestone decision of the Enlarged Board of Appeal (EBoA) in the Broccoli II and Tomato II cases, as well as how to shape the future of IP protection. To view the full agenda and register, visit www.ciopora.org

“CIOPORA continues to have its finger on the pulse of the industry, and the events in Venlo are a must for breeders and other interested parties in the horticulture supply chain,” said Andrea Mansuino, President of CIOPORA. “The issues in the EU surrounding Patents for plants are currently being highly-debated, and the results of these debates can change the industry. We are now elevating this debate to an international level and bringing together experts for varied backgrounds to gain deeper insight into this complex matter.”

All CIOPORA and CIOPORA Academy events on December 2 and 3 will take place at the Sandton Château De Raay in Baarlo, the Netherlands.

For more information
CIOPORA
Office: +49 40 555 63 702
Fax: +49 40 555 63 703
P.O. Box 13 05 06
D-20105 Hamburg
GERMANY
www.ciopora.org