Got the following invitation today, Correa is an excellent expert. Generally the seed patent groups are a bit detached from deep knowledge about the patent system and thus easily dismissed by institutional players. But they generate a lot of public buzz with their popular seed patent cases.
Public Conference
PATENTS ON SEEDS : THE TURNING POINT?
Munich, Germany, July 19th 2010; 10.15 am to 3.15 pm
In the past decade, an increasing number of patents on plants and animals have been granted, especially in industrialised countries. The negative impacts of these patents on farmers, on breeders and on innovation have became more and more evident during the last years, as has the patents’ contribution to market concentration. There is a growing rejection of these patents by NGOs, farmers’ organizations, breeders and even governments. The conference “Patents on Seeds – The turning point?” shows current trends, highlights the negative impacts of the current patent system. Conference participants will discuss what the necessary changes are and what the possibilities are to effect such changes. .Languages/Translation: English, French, German, Spanish
Venue: Kolpinghaus München Zentral, Adolf-Kolping-Strasse 1, 80336 München; 10 minutes walking distance from the central train station. See http://www.tagungen-muenchen.de/lageplan/ For more information about accommodation in Munich: http://www.muenchen.de/Tourismus/6942/index.html
Registration: Online registration at www.evb.ch/en/patentsconference. Please register before July 12th.
Registration Fee: 25 Euro, including a lunch snack. To be paid on arrival.
Agenda:
10:15 Welcome
10:30 Carlos Correa (University of Buenos Aires, Argentina); worldwide trends on patents on seeds
11:10 Guy Kastler (Via Campesina, France); The impact of patents and plant variety protection on farmers
11:40 Niels Louwaars (Wageningen University, The Netherlands):); “The impact of patents on breeders and innovation and policy options to solve the problems.”
12:10 Christoph Then, Ruth Tippe (No patents on Seeds, Kein Patent, Germany); The Broccoli Case – and why the upcoming decision of the enlarged board of appeal is important.
12:40 lunch
13:30 Wilhelmina Pelegrina (Searice, Phlippines); Participatory plant breeding – Alternatives for innovation
14:00 Panel with all Speakers: Needs and strategies to change the current patent system
15:00 Summary and Goodbye
15:15 End of the ConferenceFor any questions regarding the conference please contact: nopatentsonseeds@gmail.com
Organisers: Greenpeace, Kein Patent auf Leben!, Misereor, EvB, Swissaid, Utviklingsfondet
Sköne Oke 
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