European Parliament
Catherine Grèze  (Verts/ALE ),
in writing.
(FR)
By voting in favour of a resolution such as this, Parliament has sent a decisive message to the Commission and the European Patent Office (EPO), which echoes citizens’ demands: we want to put an end to the appropriation of living matter. The Commission has a duty to ensure compliance with European law and the EPO is being asked to comply with European legislation prohibiting patents on conventional seeds. The threat of world agro-genetic resources being concentrated in the hands of a limited number of seed and agro-chemical companies entails disastrous consequences for our farmers and also, further afield, for those in developing countries. While 90% of the world’s biological heritage is in the hands of developing countries, 97% of patents are held by the industrialised world. Indigenous populations and the most deprived are therefore the forgotten victims of multinational companies. The Group of the Greens/European Free Alliance in Parliament will remain extremely alert to any future modifications to the patenting system, which is totally unsuitable and must be reformed.

