The Netherlands will help Kazakhstan to enter UPOV

The Kingdom of the Netherlands will support Kazakhstan in joining the International Union for the Protection of New Plant Varieties (UPOV). The corresponding agreement was reached during the visit of domestic business headed by Vice Minister of Agriculture of the Republic of Kazakhstan Abulkhair Tamabek in the Netherlands.

Abulkhair Tamabek met with UPOV Deputy Secretary General Peter Button and representatives of the Netherlands Inspection Service for Horticulture (Naktuinbow). The parties discussed the issues of Kazakhstan's accession to UPOV, including the benefits of membership in the organization, the entry procedure, and the necessary support for the Kazakh side.

As noted by UPOV Deputy Secretary General Peter Button, becoming a member of UPOV, the state declares its intention to protect the rights of breeders based on principles that have received international recognition and support.

"The state provides national breeders with the opportunity to obtain legal protection on the territory of other members and encourages foreign breeders to invest in plant breeding and seed production. In addition, membership in UPOV gives the state the opportunity to share its own experience and use the experience of other members, as well as contribute to the development of global breeding work," Mr. Button said during the meeting.

He also stressed that to achieve this goal, constant efforts are needed to develop cooperation at the intergovernmental level, which implies the assistance of a specialized UPOV Secretariat.

In turn, Naktuinbow, the Dutch Horticulture Inspection Service, which promotes and controls the quality of products, processes, and production chains in the horticultural sector, expressed its intention to support Kazakhstan in this process.

Following the meeting, a Memorandum of cooperation was signed between the Ministry of Agriculture of the Republic of Kazakhstan and Naktuinbouw, which includes, among other things, seminars and trainings for Kazakh specialists, breeders, farmers and traders on joining UPOV and registering new varieties of agricultural crops this year by the Dutch side.