The EUIPO, OAPI and CPVO strengthen plant variety protection in the OAPI region

The European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) led a training workshop on reference collections and plant variety database management tools in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, in cooperation with the African Intellectual Property Organization (OAPI) and with the support of the Community Plant Variety Office (CPVO). This initiative represents a significant milestone in enhancing plant variety protection across the OAPI region, as part of the EUIPO's efforts to support the region's efforts to align with EU intellectual property (IP) standards.

Held within the framework of the EU-funded, EUIPO-implemented intellectual property cooperation project (AfrIPI), this workshop builds on previous technical support for the establishment of reference collection that was conducted across the four OAPI Distinctness, Uniformity, and Stability (DUS) testing centres in Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Côte d’Ivoire and Senegal in 2024. The EUIPO, as the premier implementing agency of an IPR project, is committed to addressing the critical need for high-quality seeds and plant varieties, while ensuring that agricultural stakeholders have access to reliable and well-documented plant material through an effective plant variety protection system.

From 8-10 April 2025, the workshop brought together experts from accredited DUS testing centres in the OAPI region, providing a dynamic platform for African and European specialists to exchange knowledge, align methodologies and strengthen cooperation in plant variety protection, in line with the EUIPO's strategic vision to promote international cooperation in IP. Through high-level technical discussions and hands-on practical sessions, participants tackled key challenges and explored tailored solutions relevant to the region, including best practices for maintaining and updating reference collections, strategies to ensure consistency in plant variety descriptions, techniques for improving data management and digitalisation of plant variety databases, and methods for identifying and preserving plant materials.

By reinforcing plant variety protection frameworks, OAPI Member States are advancing towards a more robust, internationally recognised system—one that fosters agricultural innovation, ensures food security and contributes to the economic growth of African farmers and plant breeders, ultimately supporting the EU's policies on trade, intellectual property, and innovation. This initiative highlights the EUIPO's commitment to strengthen intellectual property rights, support regional intellectual property offices in plant variety protection, and promote sustainable development across Africa, as part of its efforts to contribute to the EU's Green Deal and sustainable development goals.