PLANT VARIETIES AND ANIMAL BREEDS REGISTRATION IN RUSSIA

In Russia, plant breeding achievements can be registered as unique intellectual property with protection granted for up to 35 years. Considering Russia’s extensive agricultural market, protection of breeding achievements appears highly effective. It should be noted that a significant portion of seed material is currently sourced by Russian agricultural producers from abroad.

Criteria for protectability of plant breeding achievements in Russia:

1. Novelty: A plant variety or animal breed is deemed novel if, at the date of patent application, seeds or breeding material for this achievement have not been sold or otherwise transferred by the breeder or their successor in title within:
   
   
   
   • The Russian Federation earlier than one year prior to the specified date.
   
   
   • Another country earlier than four years prior to the specified date (six years for grape varieties,woody ornamentals, fruit trees, and forest tree species).
2. Distinctiveness: The breeding achievement must be clearly distinguishable from any other well-known breeding achievement existing at the time of the patent application. A well-known breeding achievement is one listed in official catalogs, reference sources, or publications with a precise description. A breeding achievement is also established as well-known from the patent application date, assuming that a patent for the breeding achievement has been granted.
3. Uniformity: Plants of the same variety, animals of the same breed must exhibit sufficient uniformity in their characteristics, allowing for minor variations due to propagation specifics.
4. Stability: A breeding achievement is considered stable if its key characteristics remain consistent after repeated propagation, or at the end of each cycle of propagation, in the case of special propagation cycle.