European Parliament
Marie-Christine Vergiat  (GUE/NGL ),
in writing.
(FR)
I voted in favour of this motion for a resolution on the patenting of essential biological processes. MEPs want to protect European breeders against excessive protection by patents, which could hamper innovation and restrict animal and plant genetic diversity. This is an important subject because of its multiple consequences, particularly for agriculture, industry and food safety as well as the risks of privatisation and the patentability of living matter. Fortunately, a certain number of ‘pro-GMO’ amendments were rejected by Parliament. I also welcome the fact that the European Patent Office (EPO) now excludes patentability from processes consisting of natural crossing. The resolution also proposes to extend the exclusion of patentability to a range of genetic material and sources in order to prevent the exclusions from being bypassed. Parliament, in voting for this text, is on the right lines in aiming to prohibit any marketing of living matter. This may have multiple positive effects and consequences, in particular for biodiversity, and we can go even further in this direction.

