Recently, the National Development and Reform Commission and the Ministry of Finance jointly issued a circular to greatly reduce the protection fees for new plant varieties as of September 1, with filing fee and examination fee dropping 44.7 percent and 45.7 percent respectively and annual membership fee down 80 percent. Test fee is exempted.

 

According to the circular, the filing fee for one variety of plant reduced from 1,800 yuan to 1,000 yuan, and examination fee from 4,600 yuan to 2,500 yuan. During the protection period, the annual membership fee during the first six years is 1,000 yuan, and goes up to 1,500 yuan in the following years. No other fees such as test fee would be charged.

 

According to Zhou Jianren, Division Director of the Office for the Protection of New Varieties of Plants of State Forestry Administration, the right of new plant variety is the intellectual property right in forestry sector and new plant variety protection is the prime impetus to boost agricultural and forestry development. The pricing standard of new plant variety protection in China is higher than that of patent protection, and even higher than some developed countries in floriculture sector. In contrast, the prices of China's new plant varieties in the domestic market are lower than those in international markets, leading to the fact that China has comparatively smaller number of new varieties of plants protected. The reduction of related fees in this regard will play positive roles in unburdening seed breeders, reducing their costs and encouraging them to play in the market, reflecting China's encouragement and supports to scientific and technological innovations.

 

(China IP News)

2007-09-18

2007-09-18