# UPOV

> UPOV is the International Union for the Protection of New Varieties of Plants and its convention, the treaty framework most national plant breeders' rights laws follow.

- Canonical: https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/glossary/upov.html
- Also written: UPOV Convention, International Union for the Protection of New Varieties of Plants, UPOV 1991, UPOV 91
- Glossary category: Legal and regulatory
- Status: Draft: awaiting expert review · Updated: 2026-10-31
- Licence: CC BY-SA 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/), attribute "GenetixBay cannabis glossary"

UPOV is an intergovernmental organisation based in Geneva, set up by the International Convention for the Protection of New Varieties of Plants of 1961. The convention was revised in 1972, 1978 and 1991. Member states write national [plant breeders' rights](https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/glossary/plant-variety-protection.md) laws in line with one of these Acts.

## In practice

The 1991 Act sets the main rules: protectable varieties must be new, distinct, uniform and stable; protection lasts at least 20 years (25 for trees and vines); a breeder's exemption allows protected varieties to be used for further breeding; and saving farm seed is an optional exception member states may allow within limits. It also introduced "essentially derived varieties", so minor modifications of a protected variety cannot escape the original rights.

UPOV is debated: supporters say it rewards breeding investment; critics argue it restricts farmers' seed saving and favours commercial breeders over traditional ones.

Rules differ by country, state, province and city, and change often. This is a general definition, not legal advice: check local rules.

## Don't confuse with

- **Nagoya Protocol**: about access to [genetic resources](https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/glossary/germplasm.md) and [benefit-sharing](https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/glossary/benefit-sharing.md), not breeders' rights.
- **WIPO**: the UN agency for intellectual property in general.

## Related terms

[Plant variety protection](https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/glossary/plant-variety-protection.md), [Plant patent](https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/glossary/plant-patent.md), [Nagoya Protocol](https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/glossary/nagoya-protocol.md), [Open-source seed](https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/glossary/open-source-seed.md)

## Read more

- [Patents and the gene pool: who can own a cannabis plant?](https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/genetics-history/patents-and-the-gene-pool.md)

## Sources

1. UPOV. 1991. International Convention for the Protection of New Varieties of Plants (1991 Act). https://www.upov.int/upovlex/en/conventions/1991/content.html