“The patent was based on essentially biological processes for breeding and claimed plant varieties. This was a clear violation of European patent law”, says Christoph Then for the international coalition of No Patents on Seeds! which organised the opposition. “It is a huge success that the patent has been revoked! Nevertheless, the general problem cannot be resolved simply by filing oppositions at the EPO. Politicians need to make sure that laws are applied properly and prohibitions are no longer ignored.”
The opposition was filed by Arbeitsgemeinschaft Bäuerliche Landwirtschaft (Germany), Bund Naturschutz in Bayern (Germany), Berne Declaration (Switzerland), Gesellschaft für Ökologische Forschung (Germany), Greenpeace (Germany), No Patents on Life! (Germany), Verband Katholisches Landvolk (Germany) and Foundation for Future Farming.
For more information visit: http://no-patents-on-seeds.org/en/information/news/european-patent-office-revokes-monsanto-patent-melons