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Plant Varieties Act 1997 in Northern Ireland

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. General
  67. 48Regulations and orders.
  68. 49General interpretation.
  69. 50Receipts.
  70. 51Consequential amendments.
  71. 52Repeals.
  72. 53Extent.
  73. 54Short title and commencement.
  74. Schedule 1: The Plant Variety Rights Office
  75. Staff
  76. 1Paragraph 1
  77. Remuneration
  78. 2Paragraph 2
  79. Authority of officers
  80. 3Paragraph 3
  81. Proof of documents
  82. 4Paragraph 4
  83. 5Paragraph 5
  84. Schedule 2: Conditions for the grant of plant breeders’ rights
  85. Part I: Criteria for grant of rights
  86. Distinctness
  87. 1Paragraph 1
  88. Uniformity
  89. 2Paragraph 2
  90. Stability
  91. 3Paragraph 3
  92. Novelty
  93. 4Paragraph 4
  94. Part II: Priorities between applicants for rights
  95. 5Paragraph 5
  96. 6Paragraph 6
  97. 7Paragraph 7
  98. Schedule 3: The Plant Varieties and Seeds Tribunal
  99. Constitution of the Tribunal
  100. 1Paragraph 1
  101. Chairman
  102. 2Paragraph 2
  103. 3Paragraph 3
  104. 4Paragraph 4
  105. 5Paragraph 5
  106. 6Paragraph 6
  107. The two panels
  108. 7Paragraph 7
  109. Selection from the panels
  110. 8Paragraph 8
  111. Sittings of the Tribunal
  112. 9Paragraph 9
  113. Decisions of the Tribunal
  114. 10Paragraph 10
  115. Costs
  116. 11Paragraph 11
  117. 12Paragraph 12
  118. Rules
  119. 13Paragraph 13
  120. Remuneration of Tribunal members
  121. 14Paragraph 14
  122. Officers and servants
  123. 15Paragraph 15
  124. Interpretation
  125. 16Paragraph 16
  126. Schedule 4Repeals