Taiwan and Japan signed a memorandum of understanding on the mutual recognition of the two sides’ plant varieties verification reports Dec. 19 in Tokyo, highlighting government work to deepen bilateral agricultural exchanges, according to the Ministry of Agriculture.
Inked by Taiwan-Japan Relations Association Chair Su Jia-chyuan, and Japan-Taiwan Exchange Association Chair Mitsuo Ohashi, during the 48th Taiwan-Japan Economic and Trade Conference, the pact will help save the time and cost required to apply for variety rights on both sides, protect and benefit breeders while strengthening the bilateral development of agricultural intellectual property rights, the MOA said.
Japan is the most important target market for Taiwan’s agricultural exports, the ministry said, adding that following the signing of the MOU, the two partners will further discuss adopted species of verified plants, which is key for them to jointly advance relevant industry layouts and global competitiveness.
According to the MOA, the MOU follows an administrative arrangement signed by Taiwan and EU authorities on the take-over distinctness, uniformity, and stability (DUS) report of Phalaenopsis and Doritaenopsis in 2019, and a Taiwan-Vietnam MOU on international cooperation in the field of plant variety examination and protection in 2021. As of the end of November, 17 Taiwan varieties have obtained overseas variety rights through such cooperation mechanisms, the ministry added.
The MOA’s statistics show that as of November, there are a total of 3,265 applications from home and abroad for Taiwan variety rights, with 2,735 applications, or 84 percent of the total, for flowers, which topped the list. This is followed by 210 applications for vegetables, or six percent; and 171 cases for fruit trees, or five percent.
Plant variety rights not only protect breeders’ rights, but also encourage the improvement of varieties and provide consumers with more diversified agricultural products, the MOA said. The ministry will continue to seek more international cooperation opportunities to apply for overseas variety rights for Taiwan’s agricultural exports and enhance the country’s agricultural competitiveness, it added. (YCH-E)
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