Council for Plant Varieties

The Board registers varieties with or without Plant Breeders' Rights in the National Register of Varieties. The research for the registration and granting of Plant Breeders' Rights is carried out in the Netherlands by Naktuinbouw/ Variety Research Department. For its procedural and administrative work, the Board is supported by the Plant Variety Office (part of Naktuinbouw/ Variety Research Department). In addition, the Board admits agricultural varieties and varieties and stands of forest reproductive material to trade.

The Board for Plant Varieties is a ZBO (independent administrative body) and the only body in the Netherlands responsible for granting plant breeders' rights and admitting plant varieties and stands. The four main tasks and powers the Board for Plant Varieties has are:

• Grant of national plant variety rights
• Admission of varieties and stands (agricultural, vegetable and forestry crops)
• Designation of conservation holder (agricultural and vegetable crops)
• Establishment of variety names

Legislation in respect of plant breeders' rights and admission to the catalogue of varieties is diverse and based on international legislation. For example, there is a national plant variety right and a community plant variety right. Both are based on the International Convention for the Protection of New Varieties of Plants (UPOV).

Moreover, it can be noted that plant breeders' rights legislation touches on legislation in other areas of law such as patent and biodiversity legislation.

The Board for Plant Varieties is supervised by the Ministry of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality.

The Plant Variety Council does not use algorithms.