permaculture

["Lawrence F. London, Jr." <lfl@intrex.net>]

https://www.arashi.com/pipermail/scpg/2000q2/000331.html

THE GREENS/ EFA IN THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT

PRESS RELEASE

Brussels, 10 May 2000

European Patent Office Rejects Neem Tree Patent

Greens Victory in Anti-BioPiracy Patent Case

The European Patent Office in Munich today upheld objections from the Green
Group in the European Parliament to a patent granted in 1994 to the
transnational W.R. Grace company and the US Department of Agriculture for a
claimed invention of the fungicidal properties of the Indian Neem tree. The
Examining Division held that the technique used was well-known to local
farmers, lacked any inventive step and that such indigenous knowledge could
therefore not be patented.

The case was brought in the name of Magda Aelvoet, at that time
President of
the Greens in the Parliament and now the Belgian Environment Minister,
together with the Indian Research Foundation led by Vandana Shiva and the
International Federation of Organic Agric! ulture Movements (IFOAM). The
Neem
tree has been used for centuries by Indians for its medicinal  insecticidal
and contraceptive properties and is known locally as the 'free tree'. It is
also venerated in the culture, religions, and literature of the region.

Green MEP Hiltrud Breyer (Germany) said "This action was brought to
illustrate how the patent system is being abused by companies and even by
governments from the North. Genetic resources, which are freely
available in
the South are being expropriated without reward or recognition for their
traditional custodians. We have long warned of the iniquities of such
licensed theft. This is Biopiracy at its crudest."

"We know of around 40 other Neem patent applications at various stages
in the
European Patent Office, and there are about 90 such patents world-wide"
commented Paul Lannoye MEP (Belgium), Co-President of the Greens/EFA Group.
"At a time when national au! thorities are supposed to be transposing
the EU
Biotech. Patent Di rective into law, there is renewed concern at the
obvious
defects in intellectual property rules and we must take this opportunity to
protect genetic resources from such uncontrolled privatisation."


****************************************************************
EUROPEAN FEDERATION OF GREEN PARTIES
European Parliament -  room PHS 2C85
rue Wiertz, 1047 Brussels, Belgium
ph: 32 2 284 51 35,  fax : 32 2 284 91 35
email : EFGP@europarl.eu.int <mailto:EFGP@europarl.eu.int>
http//: www.europeangreens.org