GRUR meets Brussels Workshop 2025 "New Genomic Techniques and Patents in Plant Innovation"

On Wednesday, 25 June 2025, GRUR will be hosting the 12^th edition of our GRUR meets Brussels Workshop series. It is a full-day, live on-site event taking place in Brussels without online attendance or streaming. Working language is English without simultaneous translation.

TOPIC: “New Genomic Techniques and Patents in Plant Innovation”

DATE: Wednesday, 25 June 2025 – 10.30 h to 19.30 h

VENUE: Representation of the State of North-Rhine Westphalia to the EU, 47 Rue Montoyer, 1000  Brussels, Belgium

ABOUT THE WORKSHOP:

The requirements and limits of patenting plants, especially food and fodder plants, have been the subject of controversial debate for decades, both in civil society and between the various industry associations, as well as at the various levels of national, European and international legislation, at the patent offices and in case law. The central point of controversy in recent years has been the question of whether plants from essentially biological processes can be protected by product patents. In contrast, it had been generally accepted that genetically modified plants and processes for producing such plants were eligible for patent protection, precisely because they were not produced using an essentially biological process.

This long-established distinction is being called into question in the current legal policy debate with regard to new genetic engineering techniques (NGTs) such as the CRISPR/Cas 9 "gene scissors" in particular. The background to the current discussion is the "Proposal for a Regulation on plants and food and feed derived from certain new genomic techniques" submitted by the European Commission in July 2023, which aims to remove (certain) NGT plants from the current narrow framework of GMO regulation. While the Commission's proposal on genetically modified plants initially only concerned regulatory law, the European Parliament responded in February 2024 with a resolution that supports the basic approach of liberalizing the use of genetically modified plants, but links this to a far-reaching exclusion of the patentability of such plants and further restrictions on the protective effects of patents on plants. The Proposals are currently discussed in the trilogue negotiations of European Parliament, Council and Commission.

In our workshop, 10+ renowned expert speakers will discuss the current state of affairs in the patent offices and legal practice and evaluate the recent legislative proposals on NGT plants.

After the working sessions, all attendees are cordially invited our get-together with drinks and nibbles.

For more information and registration, please note the attached flyer and visit our website:

REGISTER HERE

PROGRAMME FLYER

Participation in the workshop (including a joint lunch, coffee breaks and the evening reception) is free of charge but requires prior binding registration. The event is eligible for 5.0 hours of continued professional education according to § 15 FAO. Seats will be attributed on a first come-first serve basis. The number of places availability is limited to 120 attendees, so we recommend that you register swiftly.

We look forward to seeing you in Brussels!

The team of the GRUR Head Office

Contact for requests:

Sandra von Lingen
Senior Manager International Affairs & Publications

German Association for Intellectual Property Law (GRUR)
Theodor-Heuss-Ring 32-34
50668 Cologne, Germany
Phone: +49 (0)221-78959-332
E-Mail: s.vonlingen@grur.org