PART IV
RIGHTS TO PLANT VARIETIES
Chapter XII
CONDITIONS FOR PROTECTION OF RIGHTS TO PLANT VARIETIES
Article 157. Organizations and individuals whose rights to plant varieties are eligible for protection
1. Organizations and individuals whose rights to plant varieties are eligible for protection means those who select and breed or discover and develop plant varieties or who invest in the selection and breeding or the discovery and development of plant varieties or to whom rights to plant varieties are transferred.
2. Organizations and individuals defined in clause 1 of this Article shall include Vietnamese organizations and individuals; organizations and individuals of foreign countries which have concluded agreements on the protection of plant varieties with the Socialist Republic of Vietnam; and foreign organizations and individuals with permanent residential addresses in Vietnam or with establishments producing or trading in plant varieties in Vietnam.
Article 158. General conditions for plant varieties to be eligible for protection
Plant varieties eligible for protection means plant varieties which have been selected and bred or discovered and developed, are on the list of State protected plant species promulgated by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development; and are new, distinct, uniform, stable and designated by proper denominations.
Article 159. Novelty of a plant variety
A plant variety shall be deemed new if reproductive materials or harvested materials of such variety have not yet been sold or otherwise distributed for the purpose of exploitation in the territory of Vietnam by the registration right holder defined in article 164 of this Law or his or her licensee one (1) year before the filing date of the application for registration, or for exploitation outside the territory of Vietnam six (6) years before the filing date of the application for registration for timber trees or vines, or four (4) years for other plant varieties.
Article 160. Distinctness of a plant variety
1. A plant variety shall be deemed to be distinct if it is clearly distinguishable from any other variety whose existence is a matter of common knowledge at the time of filing the application or on the priority date, as the case may be.
2. Plant varieties whose existence is a matter of common knowledge defined in clause 1 of this article mean those falling into one of the following cases:
(a) Their reproductive materials or harvested materials have been widely used in the market of any country at the time of filing of the application for registration for protection;
(b) They have been protected or registered on the list of plant species in any country;
(c) They are the subject matter of an application for registration for protection or registration on the list of plant species in any country, provided that such application has not been rejected;
(d) Their detailed description has been published.
Article 161. Uniformity of a plant variety
A plant variety shall be deemed uniform if, subject to variation which may be expected from the particular features of its propagation, it is sufficiently uniform in its relevant characteristics.
Article 162. Stability of a plant variety
A plant variety shall be deemed stable if its relevant originally described characteristics remain unchanged after repeated propagation or, in the case of a particular cycle of propagation, at the end of each cycle.
Article 163. Denominations of plant varieties
1. The registrant must designate a proper denomination for a plant variety which must be the same as the denomination registered in any country where and when an application for registration for protection was filed.
2. The denomination of a plant variety shall be deemed proper if it is distinguishable from those of other plant varieties of common knowledge within the same or similar species.
3. Denominations of plant varieties shall be deemed improper in the following cases:
(a) They consist of numerals only, except where such numerals are relevant to characteristics or the breeding of such variety;
(b) They violate social ethics;
(c) They may easily mislead as to features or characteristics of such variety;
(d) They may easily mislead as to identification of the breeder;
(dd) They are identical or confusingly similar to marks, trade names or geographical indications protected before the date of publication of the application for registration for protection of such plant variety;
(e) They are identical or similar to the denomination of a harvested material of such plant variety;
(g) They affect prior rights of other organizations or individuals.
4. Organizations and individuals who offer for sale or bring onto the market reproductive materials of plant varieties must use the denominations of such plant varieties as stated in protection titles even after the expiration of the protection terms.
5. When denominations of plant varieties are combined with marks, trade names or indications similar to denominations of plant varieties already registered for offer for sale or brought onto the market, such denominations must still be distinguishable.
Chapter XIII
ESTABLISHMENT OF RIGHTS TO PLANT VARIETIES
Section 1. ESTABLISHMENT OF RIGHTS TO PLANT VARIETIES
Article 164. Registration of rights to plant varieties
1. In order to obtain protection of rights to plant varieties, an organization or individual must file an application for registration for protection with the State administrative body for rights to plant varieties.
2. Organizations and individuals having the right to register plant varieties for protection (hereinafter referred to as registrants) shall include:
(a) Breeders who have personally selected and bred or discovered and developed the plant variety by their own efforts and at their own expense;
(b) Organizations and individuals who fund breeders to select and breed or discover and develop the plant variety by job assignment or hiring, unless otherwise agreed;
(c) Organizations and individuals to whom are transferred, or who inherit the right to register for protection of the plant variety.
3. For plant varieties which are selected and bred or discovered and developed with the use of State Budget funds or under projects managed by the State, the rights to such plant varieties shall belong to the State. The Government shall issue specific regulations governing the registration of rights to plant varieties stipulated in this clause.
Article 165. Method of filing applications for registration of rights to plant varieties
1. Any Vietnamese organization or individual, or foreign organization or individual with a permanent residential address in Vietnam or who has a plant variety production or trading establishment in Vietnam may file an application for registration of rights to a plant variety (hereinafter referred to as protection registration application) either directly or by a lawful representative in Vietnam.
2. Any foreign organization or individual without a permanent residential address in Vietnam or without a plant variety production or trading establishment in Vietnam may file an application for registration of rights to a plant variety by a lawful representative in Vietnam.
Article 166. "First to file" principle applicable to plant varieties
1. Where two or more parties independently file applications for registration for protection on different days for the same plant variety, a plant variety protection certificate shall only be granted to the earliest valid registrant.
2. Where there are a number of applications for registration for protection of the same plant variety filed on the same day, a plant variety protection certificate shall only be granted to the registrant whose name is used for the filing of the sole application as agreed upon by all the other registrants. Where these registrants fail to reach agreement, the State administrative body for rights to plant varieties shall consider a grant of a plant variety protection certificate to the party deemed to be the first breeder who selected and bred or discovered and developed such variety.
Article 167. Priority principle applicable to protection registration applications
1. A registrant may claim priority right where an application for registration for protection is filed within twelve (12) months from the date of filing an application for registration for protection for the same plant variety in a country which has concluded an agreement on plant variety protection with the Socialist Republic of Vietnam. The date on which the first filing occurred shall not be included in this time-limit.
2. In order to enjoy priority right, the registrant must express the claim for the priority right in his or her application for registration for protection. Within three (3) months after filing the application, the registrant must produce copies of documents on the first application certified by the competent body and samples or other evidence proving that the variety in both applications was the same, and the registrant must pay a fee. The registrant may supply necessary information, documents or materials to the State administrative body for rights to plant varieties for examination according to the provisions of articles 176 and 178 of this Law within two (2) years of expiry of the duration for enjoying the priority right, or within an appropriate duration depending on the species of the plant variety stated in the application after a first application is rejected or withdrawn.
3. Where an application for registration for protection is eligible for priority right, the priority date shall be the first filing date.
4. Within the time-limit stipulated in clause 1 of this article, the filing of another application or the publication or use of the plant variety the subject matter of the first application for registration for protection shall not be deemed a ground for rejecting the application for registration for protection eligible for the priority right.
Article 168. Plant variety protection certificates, and the National Register of Protected Plant Varieties
1. A protection certificate for a plant variety shall state the denomination and species of such variety, the name of the owner of rights to such plant variety (hereinafter referred to as the protection certificate holder), the name of the plant variety breeder and the duration of the term of protection of rights to the plant variety.
2. The State administrative body for rights to plant varieties shall record the grant and contents of a protection certificate in the National Register of Protected Plant Varieties, and shall archive such information.
Article 169. Validity of plant variety protection certificates
1. A plant variety protection certificate shall be valid throughout the entire territory of Vietnam.
2. Plant variety protection certificates shall be valid from the grant date up until the expiry of a period of twenty-five (25) years for timber trees and vines; and of twenty (20) years for other plant varieties.
3. Plant variety protection certificates may have their validity terminated or they may be invalidated pursuant to the provisions of articles 170 and 171 of this Law.
Article 170. Suspension and restoration of validity of plant variety protection certificates
1. The validity of a plant variety protection certificate may be suspended in the following cases:
(a) The protected plant variety no longer satisfies the conditions of uniformity and stability as at the time of grant of the certificate;
(b) The protection certificate holder fails to pay the validity maintenance fee according to regulations;
(c) The protection certificate holder fails to supply necessary documents and reproductive materials for maintaining and preserving the plant variety according to regulations;
(d) The protection certificate holder fails to change the denomination of the plant variety at the request of the State administrative body for rights to plant varieties.
2. In the cases stipulated in sub-clauses (a), (c) and (d) of clause 1 of this article, the relevant State administrative body for rights to plant varieties shall issue a decision on suspension of validity of the plant variety protection certificate.
3. In the case stipulated in sub-clause (b) of clause 1 of this article, upon the expiry of the time-limit for payment of the validity maintenance fee, the relevant State administrative body for rights to plant varieties shall issue a decision on suspension of validity of the plant variety protection certificate as from the first day of the next valid year for which the validity maintenance fee was not paid.
4. In the case stipulated in sub-clause (a) of clause 1 of this article, any organization or individual may request the State administrative body for rights to plant varieties to suspend the validity of the plant variety protection certificate.
Based on the results of considering the application for suspension of a plant variety protection certificate and the opinions of relevant parties, the relevant State administrative body for rights to plant varieties shall either issue a decision to suspend the validity of the certificate or shall refuse the application.
5. In the cases stipulated in clause 1 of this article, the relevant State administrative body for rights to plant varieties shall publish such suspension in a specialized magazine, clearly stating the reasons therefor, and concurrently send a notice thereon to the certificate holder. Within thirty (30) days from the date of notification, the certificate holder may file a request for application of remedies to the reasons why validity was suspended with the State administrative body for rights to plant varieties and pay the fee for restoration of validity of the plant variety protection certificate. Within ninety (90) days after the date of filing the request, the protection certificate holder must remedy the reasons why validity was suspended, applicable to the cases stipulated in sub-clauses (b), (c) and (d) of clause 1 of this article. The State administrative body for rights to plant varieties shall consider and restore the validity of the protection certificate and publish such restoration in a specialized magazine.
In the case stipulated in sub-clause (a) of clause 1 of this article, the validity of the plant variety protection certificate shall be restored after its holder successfully proves that the plant variety has satisfied the conditions of uniformity and stability and after this has been so certified by the State administrative body for rights to plant varieties.
Article 171. Cancellation of effectiveness of plant variety protection certificates
1. The effectiveness of a plant variety protection certificate shall be cancelled in the following cases:
(a) The application for registration for protection of the plant variety was filed in the name of a person who did not have the registration right, except where the right to such plant variety was assigned to the holder of the registration right;
(b) The protected plant variety failed to satisfy the conditions of novelty or distinctness at the time
of grant of the plant variety protection certificate;
(c) The plant variety failed to satisfy the conditions of uniformity or stability where the plant variety protection certificate was granted on the basis of results of technical tests conducted by the registrant.
2. During the valid term of a plant variety protection certificate, any organization or individual may request the State administrative body for rights to plant varieties to cancel the effectiveness of a plant variety protection certificate.
Based on the results of the examination of a request for cancellation of effectiveness of a plant variety protection certificate and opinions of the relevant parties, the State administrative body for rights to plant varieties shall either issue a notice of refusal to cancel or shall issue a decision on cancellation of effectiveness of the plant variety protection certificate.
3. Where a plant variety protection certificate is cancelled, all transactions arising on the basis of the grant of the plant variety protection certificate shall be null and void, and such null and void transactions shall be dealt with in compliance with the Civil Code.
Article 172. Amendment and re-grant of plant variety protection certificates
1. A protection certificate holder may request the State administrative body for rights to plant varieties to amend or correct errors related to the name and address of the holder, on payment of fees and charges. Where such errors were made by the State administrative body for rights to plant varieties, such body must correct such errors, and protection certificate holders shall not have to pay fees and charges.
2. A protection certificate holder may request the State administrative body for rights to plant varieties to re-grant a plant variety protection certificate when such certificate was lost or damaged, provided that the holder pays fees and charges.
Article 173. Publication of decisions related to plant variety protection certificates
Decisions on the grant, re-grant, suspension, cancellation, and amendment of plant variety protection certificates shall be published by the State administrative body for rights to plant varieties in a specialized magazine on plant varieties within sixty (60) days after such decisions are issued.
Section 2. APPLICATIONS FOR REGISTRATION FOR PROTECTION, AND PROCESSING APPLICATIONS
Article 174. Applications for registration for protection
1. An application for registration for protection [of a plant variety] shall contain the following documents:
(a) A declaration for registration made on the stipulated sample form;
(b) Photos and a technical declaration made on the stipulated sample form;
(c) Power of attorney, where the application is filed through a representative;
(d) Documents evidencing the registration right where the registrant is a transferee of the registration right;
(dd) Documents evidencing the priority right where the application contains a claim for priority right;
(e) Receipt for payment of fees and charges.
2. Applications for registration for protection and source documents of transactions between an applicant for registration and the State administrative body for rights to plant varieties shall be madein Vietnamese, except for the following documents which may be made in another language but shall be translated into Vietnamese at the request of the State administrative body for rights to plant varieties:
(a) Power of attorney;
(b) Documents evidencing the registration right;
(c) Documents evidencing the priority right;
(d) Other documents supporting the application.
3. Documents evidencing the priority right of an application for registration for protection of rights to a plant variety shall comprise:
(a) Copies of the first application(s) certified by the receiving agency;
(b) Documents on transfer or inheritance of the priority right if such right is acquired from another person.
4. Each application shall be registered only for the protection of one plant variety.
Article 175. Receipt of applications for registration for protection, and filing dates
1. An application for registration for protection shall be received by the relevant State administrative body for rights to plant varieties only when the application encloses all the documents stipulated in clause 1 of article 174 of this Law.
2. The filing date of an application shall be the date on which such application is received by the relevant State administrative body for rights to plant varieties.
Article 176. Formal examination of applications for registration for protection
1. The State administrative body for rights to plant varieties shall conduct a formal examination of an application within fifteen (15) days of receipt of such application, in order to determine the validity of such application.
2. An application for registration for protection shall be deemed invalid in the following cases:
(a) It fails to satisfy the formal requirements as stipulated;
(b) The plant variety stated in such application does not belong to a plant species on the list of protected plant species;
(c) The application is filed by a person who does not have the registration right, including where the registration right belongs to many organizations or individuals but one or more of them do not agree to register.
3. The State administrative body for rights to plant varieties shall carry out the following procedures:
(a) Notify a refusal to accept the application in the cases stipulated in sub-clauses (b) and (c) of clause 2 of this article, clearly stating the reasons therefor;
(b) Notify the registrant of errors for correction in the case stipulated in sub-clause (a) of clause 2
of this article, setting a time-limit of thirty (30) days after the receipt of the notice for the correction of such errors by the registrant;
(c) Notify the refusal to accept the application where the registrant fails to correct errors or where the registrant does not make a reasonable appeal against the notice stipulated in sub-clause (b) of this clause;
(d) Notify the acceptance of the application, requesting the registrant to supply samples of the plant variety to the testing institution for performance of technical tests and procedures stipulated in article 178 of this Law where such application is valid or where the registrant has properly corrected the errors or made a justifiable opposition to the notice stipulated in sub- clause (b) of this clause.
Article 177. Publication of applications for registration for protection
1. Where an application is accepted as valid, the State administrative body for rights to plant varieties shall publish such valid application in a specialized magazine on plant varieties within ninety (90) days from the date of acceptance of the application.
2. The published contents of an application shall include the serial number and filing date of the application, the representative agent (if any), the registrant, the owner, the denomination of the plant variety, the name of the plant species, and the date on which the application was accepted as valid.
Article 178. Substantive examination of contents of applications for registration for protection
1. The State administrative body for rights to plant varieties shall conduct a substantive examination of applications already accepted as valid. The examination shall cover:
(a) Examination of the novelty and proper denomination of the plant variety;
(b) Examination of results of technical tests of the plant variety.
2. Technical tests means experiments conducted to determine the distinctness, uniformity and stability of a plant variety.
The technical test shall be conducted by the competent State body or by an organization or individual capable of testing plant varieties in compliance with regulations of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development.
The State administrative body for rights to plant varieties may use previously obtained technical test results.
3. The time-limit for examination of technical test results shall be ninety (90) days from the date of receipt of such technical test results.
Article 179. Amendment and supplementation of applications for registration for protection
1. Before the relevant State administrative body for rights to plant varieties notifies a refusal to grant a plant variety protection certificate or notifies its decision on grant of a plant variety protection certificate, the registrant shall have the following rights:
(a) To amend or supplement the application without changing the nature of the application;
(b) To request the recording of changes of the registrant's name or address;
(c) To request the recording of a change of registrant due to assignment of the application pursuant to a contract or as a result of inheritance or bequest.
2. The person requesting the conduct of the procedures stipulated in clause 1 of this article must pay fees and charges.
Article 180. Withdrawal of applications for registration for protection
1. Before the relevant State administrative body for rights to plant varieties decides or refuses to grant a plant variety protection certificate, the registrant may withdraw the application. A request for withdrawal of an application must be made in writing.
2. From the moment a registrant withdraws an application for registration for protection, all subsequent procedures related to such application shall cease; and fees and charges already paid for procedures which have not yet been carried out shall be refunded at the request of the registrant.
Article 181. Opinions of third parties on the grant of a plant variety protection certificate
As from the date of publication of an application for registration for protection of a plant variety in a specialized magazine on plant varieties up until before a decision on grant of a plant variety protection certificate is issued, any third party shall be permitted to provide an opinion to the State administrative body for rights to plant varieties challenging the grant of such plant variety protection certificate. An opinion must be made in writing and accompanied by documents and evidence to support it.
Article 182. Refusal to grant a plant variety protection certificate
An application for registration for protection shall be rejected and the grant of a plant variety protection certificate refused where the relevant plant variety fails to satisfy the conditions stipulated in articles 176 and 178 of this Law. In a case of refusal to grant a plant variety protection certificate, the State administrative body for rights to plant varieties shall carry out the following procedures:
1. Notify the intended refusal to grant a plant variety protection certificate, clearly stating the reasons therefor and setting a time-limit for the registrant to correct errors or oppose the intended refusal.
2. Notify the refusal to grant a plant variety protection certificate where the registrant fails to correct errors and makes no opposition to the intended refusal stipulated in clause 1 of this article.
3. Carry out the procedures stipulated in article 183 of this Law where the registrant has corrected errors or made a justifiable opposition to the intended refusal stipulated in clause 1 of this article.
Article 183. Grant of plant variety protection certificates
Where an application for registration for protection is not rejected as provided for in article 182 of this Law and the registrant pays the fee, the State administrative body for rights to plant varieties shall issue a decision granting a plant variety protection certificate and shall record it in the National Register of Protected Plant Varieties.
Article 184 Complaints about the grant or the refusal to grant a plant variety protection certificate
1. The registrant and any third party shall have the right to lodge a complaint about the decision or the refusal to grant a plant variety protection certificate.
2. The resolution of complaints about a decision or refusal to grant a plant variety protection certificate shall comply with the law on complaints and denunciations.
Chapter XIV
CONTENTS OF AND LIMITATIONS ON RIGHTS TO PLANT VARIETIES
Section 1. CONTENTS OF RIGHTS TO PLANT VARIETIES
Article 185. Rights of breeders of plant varieties
The breeder of a plant variety shall have the following rights:
1. To have his or her name as the breeder recorded in the plant variety protection certificate, the National Register of Protected Plant Varieties, and published documents on the plant variety.
2. To receive remuneration pursuant to the provisions of clause 1(a) of article 191 of this Law.
Article 186. Rights of protection certificate holders
1. A protection certificate holder shall have the right to exercise or authorize others to exercise the following rights to reproductive materials of a protected plant variety:
(a) To conduct production or propagation;
(b) To process the reproductive materials for the purpose of propagation;
(c) To offer the reproductive materials for sale;
(d) To sell the reproductive materials or to conduct other marketing activities;
(dd) To export the reproductive materials;
(e) To import the reproductive materials;
(g) To stock reproductive materials for the purposes specified in sub-clauses (a) to (e) inclusive of this clause.
2. To prevent others from using the plant variety according to the provisions of article 188 of this Law.
3. To bequeath or transfer the rights to the plant variety according to the provisions of Chapter XV of this Law.
Article 187. Extension of rights of protection certificate holders
The rights of a protection certificate holder shall be extended to the following plant varieties:
1. Plant varieties which originate from the protected plant variety, except where such protected plant variety itself originates from another protected plant variety.
2. A plant variety shall be deemed to originate from a protected plant variety if such plant variety still retains the expression of the essential characteristics resulting from the genotype or combination of genotypes of the protected variety, except for differences resulting from an impact on the protected variety.
3. Plant varieties which are not definitely distinct from the protected plant variety.
4. Plant varieties, the production of which requires the repeated use of the protected plant variety.
Article 188. Acts constituting an infringement of the right to a plant variety
The following acts shall be deemed an infringement of the rights of a protection certificate holder:
1. Exploiting or using rights of such protection certificate holder without his or her permission.
2. Using a plant variety denomination which is identical or similar to a denomination protected for a plant variety of the same species or a species closely linked to the protected plant variety.
3. Using a protected plant variety without paying remuneration in accordance with article 189 of this Law.
Article 189. Provisional rights to plant varieties
1. Provisional rights to a plant variety means rights of the registrant for protection of such plant variety, which arise from the date of publication of the application for registration for protection until the date of grant of the plant variety protection certificate. Where a plant variety protection certificate is not granted for such plant variety, the protection registrant shall not [no longer] have these provisional rights.
2. Where the registrant is aware of the fact that the plant variety registered for protection is being used by another person for commercial purposes, the plant variety protection registrant may notify in writing such user of the fact that an application for registration for protection of the plant variety has been filed, clearly specifying the filing date and the date of publication of such application, so that the user may either stop using or continue using the plant variety.
3. Where a user who has been notified in accordance with clause 2 of this article continues using the plant variety, the plant variety protection certificate holder shall have the right, upon the grant of the certificate, to demand such plant variety user pay compensation equivalent to the licensing price of such plant variety within the corresponding use scope and duration.
Section 2. LIMITATIONS ON RIGHTS TO PLANT VARIETIES
Article 190. Limitations on rights of plant variety protection certificate holders
1. The following acts shall not be deemed an infringement of the right to a protected plant variety:
(a) Using the plant variety for personal and non-commercial purposes;
(b) Using the plant variety for cross-breeding for scientific research purposes;
(c) Using the plant variety to create new plant varieties distinct from the protected plant varieties;
(d) Using harvested materials of the protected plant variety by an individual production household for self-propagation and cultivation in the next season on the land area belonging to such household.
2. The right to a plant variety shall not be applicable to acts related to materials of the protected plant variety which are sold on or otherwise brought onto the domestic or overseas market by the protection certificate holder or his or her licensee, except for the following acts:
(a) Acts relating to further propagation of such plant variety;
(b) Acts relating to export of reproductive materials of such plant variety to countries where the genus or species of such plant variety is not protected, except where such materials are exported for consumption purposes.
Article 191. Obligations of protection certificate holders and breeders of plant varieties
1. A protection certificate holder shall have the following obligations:
(a) To pay remuneration to the breeder of the plant variety as agreed upon; in the absence of such agreement, the remuneration level must comply with the provisions of law;
(b) To pay the fee for maintenance of validity of the plant variety protection certificate in accordance with regulations;
(c) To preserve the protected plant variety, to supply reproductive materials of the protected plant variety to the State administrative body for rights to plant varieties, and to maintain the stability of the protected plant variety in accordance with regulations.
2. The breeder of a plant variety shall be obliged to help the protection certificate holder to maintain reproductive materials of the protected plant variety.
Chapter XV
TRANSFER OF RIGHTS TO PLANT VARIETIES
Article 192. Licensing of plant varieties
1. Licensing of a plant variety means permission from the protection certificate holder to another person to conduct one or more acts within the holder's right to use the plant variety.
2. Where the right to use a plant variety is under co-ownership, the licensing of such plant variety to another person must be consented to by all co-owners.
3. The licensing of a plant variety must be effected in the form of a written contract.
4. A plant variety licensing contract must not contain terms which unreasonably restrict the rights of the licensee, particularly restrictions neither deriving from nor aimed at protecting the rights of the licensor to the licensed plant variety.
Article 193. Rights of parties to a licensing contract
1. The licensor shall have the right to permit or not permit the licensee to sub-license to a third party.
2. The licensee shall have the following rights:
(a) To license the use right to a third party if so permitted by the licensor;
(b) To request the licensor to take necessary and appropriate measures to prevent infringement by a third party causing loss and damage to the licensee;
(c) To take necessary measures to prevent a third party's infringements if, within a time-limit of three months from the date of receipt of the request stipulated in sub-clause (b) above, the licensor fails to act as requested.
Article 194. Assignment of rights to plant varieties
1. Assignment of rights to a plant variety means the transfer by the plant variety protection certificate holder to the assignee of all rights to such plant variety. The assignee shall become the plant variety protection certificate holder from the date of registration of the assignment contract with the State administrative body for rights to plant varieties in accordance with procedures stipulated by law.
2. Where rights to a plant variety are under joint ownership, the assignment of such rights to another person must be consented to by all co-owners.
3. The assignment of rights to a plant variety must be effected in the form of written contract.
Article 195. Bases and conditions for compulsory licensing of plant varieties
1. In the following cases, the rights to use a plant variety may be licensed to another organization or individual pursuant to a decision of the competent State body defined in clause 1 of article 196 of this Law without permission from the protection certificate holder or his or her exclusive licensee (hereinafter referred to as the holder of the exclusive right to use the plant variety):
(a) The use of such plant variety is for the public interest and non-commercial purposes, or in service of national defence and security, food security and nutrition of the people or to meet other urgent social needs;
(b) The persons having the need and capacity to use such plant variety fail to reach agreement with the holder of the exclusive right to use such plant variety on the entry into a licensing contract though they have made best efforts within a reasonable period of time to negotiate a satisfactory price and commercial conditions;
(c) The holder of the exclusive right to use such plant variety is deemed to have conducted anti- competitive practices prohibited by the law on competition.
2. The holder of the exclusive right to use a plant variety may request termination of the use right when the bases for licensing stipulated in clause 1 of this article cease to exist and are unlikely to recur, provided that termination of such use right will not be prejudicial to the licensee.
3. The right to use a plant variety licensed pursuant to a decision of a competent State body must satisfy the following conditions:
(a) Such licensed use right is non-exclusive;
(b) Such licensed use right is limited within a scope and duration sufficient to attain the licensing objective, and is largely for the domestic market except for the case stipulated in sub-clause (c) of clause 1 of this article;
(c) The licensee must not assign the use right to another person, except where the assignment is made together with the transfer of the business establishment of the licensee, and the licensee must not sub-license to others;
(d) The licensee must pay adequate compensation to the holder of the exclusive right to use the plant variety, taking into account the economic value of such use right in each specific case and in compliance with the compensation rate bracket promulgated by the Government.
4. The Government shall specify cases of compulsory licensing of plant varieties and the compensation rate bracket stipulated in sub-clause (d) of clause 3 of this article.
Article 196. Authority and procedures for licensing of plant varieties pursuant to compulsory decisions
1. The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development shall issue decisions on licensing of plant varieties in the domains over which such Ministry exercises State management on the basis of considering licensing requests for the cases stipulated in clause 1 of article 195 of this Law.
Ministries and ministerial equivalent bodies shall, after consulting the opinion of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, issue decisions on licensing of plant varieties in domains under their respective management for the cases stipulated in clause 1 of article 195 of this Law.
2. Plant variety licensing decisions must set the use scope and conditions in compliance with the provisions of clause 3 of article 195 of this Law.
3. The State body competent to issue a decision licensing a plant variety must promptly notify such decision to the holder of the exclusive right to use the plant variety in question.
4. Decisions on licensing of plant varieties or refusal to license plant varieties may be the subject of complaints lodged or lawsuits instituted in accordance with law.
5. The Government shall provide detailed guidelines on the procedures for compulsory licensing of plant varieties as stipulated in this article.
Article 197. Rights of protection certificate holders in cases of compulsory licensing of plant varieties
A protection certificate holder subject to compulsorily licensing of the plant variety shall have the following rights:
1. To receive compensation corresponding to the economic value of the licensed use right or equivalent to the licensing price under a contract with an equivalent scope and term.
2. To request the State administrative body for rights to plant varieties to amend, terminate validity of or invalidate the compulsory licensing when the conditions for such compulsory licensing no longer exist and when such amendment, termination of validity or invalidation will not cause loss and damage to the licensees who derived their right from the compulsory licensing.
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