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Plant Varieties Act 1997

1997 c. 66 · Enacted 27 November 1997 · Extends to United Kingdom

Up to date with all changes known to legislation.gov.uk, revised to 17 March 2026.

An Act to make provision about rights in relation to plant varieties; to make provision about the Plant Varieties and Seeds Tribunal; to extend the time limit for institution of proceedings for contravention of seeds regulations; and for connected purposes.

[27th November 1997]

C1C2C3Be it enacted by the Queen’s most Excellent Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and Commons, in this present Parliament assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:—C4C5

Annotations to the whole text

Modifications

C1

Act: transfer of certain functions (1.7.1999) by S.I. 1999/672, art. 2, Sch. 1

Act: transfer of functions, property, rights and liabilities (27.12.1999) by S.I. 1999/3141, arts. 2(1)(5), 3, Sch.

C2

Act extended (1.3.2002) by The Patents and Plant Variety Rights (Compulsory Licensing) Regulations 2002 (S.I. 2002/247), reg. 27(1) (subject to regs. 19(2), 27(2)(3))

C3

Act: certain functions transferred (21.11.2002) by The Northern Ireland Act 1998 (Modification of Enactments) Order 2002 (S.I. 2002/2843), art. 8 (with art. 10)

C4

Act applied in part (with modifications) (31.12.2020) by The Plant Breeders' Rights (Amendment etc.) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019 (S.I. 2019/204), regs. 1(1), 3-14 (as amended by S.I. 2019/1220, regs. 1(2), 8(1)-(5); S.I. 2020/769, regs. 1(2)(a), 3); 2020 c. 1, Sch. 5 para. 1(1)

C5

Act extended (with modifications) (1.8.2016) by The Plant Varieties and Seeds (Isle of Man) Order 2016 (S.I. 2016/758), art. 3, Sch. 2 (as amended by S.I. 2022/1337, art. 1, Sch.)

Contents

  1. Part I: Plant Varieties
  2. Preliminary
  3. 1Plant breeders’ rights.
  4. 2The Plant Variety Rights Office.
  5. Grant of plant breeders’ rights
  6. 3Grant on application.
  7. 4Conditions for the grant of rights.
  8. 5Rights in relation to application period.
  9. Scope of plant breeders’ rights
  10. 6Protected variety.
  11. 7Dependent varieties.
  12. Exceptions
  13. 8General exceptions.
  14. 9Farm saved seed.
  15. 10Exhaustion of rights.
  16. Duration and transmission of plant breeders’ rights
  17. 11Duration.
  18. 12Transmission.
  19. Remedies for infringement
  20. 13Remedies for infringement.
  21. 14Presumptions in proceedings relating to harvested material.
  22. 15Presumptions in proceedings relating to products made from harvested material.
  23. Duties of holder of plant breeders’ rights
  24. 16Maintenance of protected variety.
  25. 17Compulsory licences.
  26. Naming of protected varieties
  27. 18Selection and registration of names.
  28. 19Duty to use registered name.
  29. 20Improper use of registered name.
  30. Termination and suspension of plant breeders’ rights
  31. 21Nullity.
  32. 22Cancellation.
  33. 23Suspension.
  34. Proceedings before the Controller
  35. 24Right to be heard: general.
  36. 25Right to be heard: applications for compulsory licences.
  37. 26Appeals to the Tribunal.
  38. Discharge of the Controller’s functions
  39. 27Ministerial guidance.
  40. 28Regulations.
  41. 29Fees.
  42. 30Use of outsiders.
  43. False information and representations as to rights
  44. 31False information.
  45. 32False representations as to rights.
  46. Miscellaneous
  47. 33. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Repealed
  48. 34Disclosure of information obtained under section 14 or 15.
  49. 35Reference collections of plant material.
  50. General
  51. 36Offences by bodies corporate, etc.
  52. 37Jurisdiction in relation to offences.
  53. 38Interpretation of Part I.
  54. 39Application of Part I to the Crown.
  55. 40Application of Part I to existing rights.
  56. Transition
  57. 41Varieties of recent creation.
  58. Part II: The Plant Varieties and Seeds Tribunal
  59. 42The Tribunal.
  60. 43Jurisdiction under arbitration agreements.
  61. 44Statutory jurisdiction: regulations.
  62. 45Appeals from the Tribunal.
  63. 46Interpretation of Part II.
  64. Part III: Miscellaneous and general
  65. Miscellaneous
  66. 47Extension of time limit for institution of proceedings for contravention of seeds regulations.
  67. General
  68. 48Regulations and orders.
  69. 49General interpretation.
  70. 50Receipts.
  71. 51Consequential amendments.
  72. 52Repeals.
  73. 53Extent.
  74. 54Short title and commencement.
  75. Schedule 1: The Plant Variety Rights Office
  76. Staff
  77. 1Paragraph 1
  78. Remuneration
  79. 2Paragraph 2
  80. Authority of officers
  81. 3Paragraph 3
  82. Proof of documents
  83. 4Paragraph 4
  84. 5Paragraph 5
  85. Schedule 2: Conditions for the grant of plant breeders’ rights
  86. Part I: Criteria for grant of rights
  87. Distinctness
  88. 1Paragraph 1
  89. Uniformity
  90. 2Paragraph 2
  91. Stability
  92. 3Paragraph 3
  93. Novelty
  94. 4Paragraph 4
  95. Part II: Priorities between applicants for rights
  96. 5Paragraph 5
  97. 6Paragraph 6
  98. 7Paragraph 7
  99. Schedule 3: The Plant Varieties and Seeds Tribunal
  100. Constitution of the Tribunal
  101. 1Paragraph 1
  102. Chairman
  103. 2Paragraph 2
  104. 3Paragraph 3
  105. 4Paragraph 4
  106. 5Paragraph 5
  107. 6Paragraph 6
  108. The two panels
  109. 7Paragraph 7
  110. Selection from the panels
  111. 8Paragraph 8
  112. Sittings of the Tribunal
  113. 9Paragraph 9
  114. Decisions of the Tribunal
  115. 10Paragraph 10
  116. Costs
  117. 11Paragraph 11
  118. 12Paragraph 12
  119. Rules
  120. 13Paragraph 13
  121. Remuneration of Tribunal members
  122. 14Paragraph 14
  123. Officers and servants
  124. 15Paragraph 15
  125. Interpretation
  126. 16Paragraph 16
  127. Schedule 4Repeals