Taiwan and the European Union have achieved a significant breakthrough in cooperation on plant variety protection. On February 24, Mr. Francesco Mattina, President of the Community Plant Variety Office (CPVO), and Mr. Yao Shih-yuan, Director General of Taiwan’s Agriculture and Food Agency (AFA), signed the Amendment to the Administrative Agreement on DUS Reports between the CPVO and the AFA. The signing ceremony was witnessed by Mr. Hu Jong-I, Deputy Minister of the Ministry of Agriculture, and Mr. Christoph Saurenbach, Head of the Trade Section of the European Economic and Trade Office.
Under the arrangement, Taiwanese breeders applying for plant variety rights in the EU for Phalaenopsis and Oncidium may submit DUS (Distinctness, Uniformity and Stability) examination reports issued by Taiwan’s Ministry of Agriculture. This exempts them from duplicate testing procedures in the EU, enabling them to obtain plant variety rights more efficiently. The measure is expected to facilitate the industry’s expansion into the European market and marks a new chapter in Taiwan–EU economic and trade relations.
A Decade of Cooperation Strengthens Taiwan’s Global Orchid Leadership
The Ministry of Agriculture noted that Taiwan began cooperation with the EU on plant variety rights in 2016. In 2019, the two sides signed an administrative arrangement for the mutual recognition of DUS examination reports for Phalaenopsis, which was renewed in 2023. The arrangement has significantly reduced application time and costs for breeders, delivering tangible results.
In response to strong demand from Taiwan’s Oncidium industry and to further deepen engagement with the European market, the Ministry actively pursued an expansion of the cooperation framework. Following multiple rounds of negotiations and technical harmonization, the two sides reached a consensus to include Oncidium within the scope of mutual recognition.
This latest signing not only builds on the successful experience with Phalaenopsis plant variety rights but also opens a new export pathway for Taiwan’s Oncidium sector. Going forward, high-quality Taiwanese Phalaenopsis and Oncidium varieties entering the EU market will be able to secure plant variety rights protection more rapidly, reinforcing Taiwan’s central role in the global orchid supply chain.
International Recognition of Technical Expertise and a Stronger IP Protection Network
The Ministry emphasized that this arrangement is more than a formal agreement; it serves as a key passport enabling Taiwanese orchids to flourish more widely and for longer in Europe. Furthermore, the CPVO’s decision to expand cooperation represents strong international recognition of Taiwan’s technical expertise in plant variety examination.
