The International Union for the Protection of New Varieties of Plants (UPOV) is an intergovernmental organization established by the International Convention for the Protection of New Varieties of Plants. UPOV’s mission is to provide and promote an effective system of plant variety protection, encouraging the development of new varieties of plants for the benefit of society. The UPOV Convention was adopted in Paris in 1961 and revised in 1972, 1978 and 1991.
Member States and Organizations
| # | Member State / Organization | Membership Date | Latest Act |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | African Intellectual Property Organization (OAPI) | July 10, 2014 | 1991 Act |
| 2 | Albania | October 15, 2005 | 1991 Act |
| 3 | Argentina | December 25, 1994 | 1978 Act |
| 4 | Armenia | March 2, 2024 | 1991 Act |
| 5 | Australia | March 1, 1989 | 1991 Act |
| 6 | Austria | July 14, 1994 | 1991 Act |
| 7 | Azerbaijan | December 9, 2004 | 1991 Act |
| 8 | Belarus | January 5, 2003 | 1991 Act |
| 9 | Belgium | December 5, 1976 | 1991 Act |
| 10 | Bolivia (Plurinational State of) | May 21, 1999 | 1978 Act |
| 11 | Bosnia and Herzegovina | November 10, 2017 | 1991 Act |
| 12 | Brazil | May 23, 1999 | 1978 Act |
| 13 | Bulgaria | April 24, 1998 | 1991 Act |
| 14 | Canada | March 4, 1991 | 1991 Act |
| 15 | Chile | January 5, 1996 | 1978 Act |
| 16 | China | April 23, 1999 | 1978 Act |
| 17 | Colombia | September 13, 1996 | 1978 Act |
| 18 | Costa Rica | January 12, 2009 | 1991 Act |
| 19 | Croatia | September 1, 2001 | 1991 Act |
| 20 | Czech Republic | January 1, 1993 | 1991 Act |
| 21 | Denmark | October 6, 1968 | 1991 Act |
| 22 | Dominican Republic | June 16, 2007 | 1991 Act |
| 23 | Ecuador | August 8, 1997 | 1978 Act |
| 24 | Egypt | December 1, 2019 | 1991 Act |
| 25 | Estonia | September 24, 2000 | 1991 Act |
| 26 | European Union | July 29, 2005 | 1991 Act |
| 27 | Finland | April 16, 1993 | 1991 Act |
| 28 | France | October 3, 1971 | 1991 Act |
| 29 | Georgia | November 29, 2008 | 1991 Act |
| 30 | Germany | August 10, 1968 | 1991 Act |
| 31 | Ghana | December 3, 2021 | 1991 Act |
| 32 | Hungary | April 16, 1983 | 1991 Act |
| 33 | Iceland | May 3, 2006 | 1991 Act |
| 34 | Ireland | November 8, 1981 | 1991 Act |
| 35 | Israel | December 12, 1979 | 1991 Act |
| 36 | Italy | July 1, 1977 | 1978 Act |
| 37 | Japan | September 3, 1982 | 1991 Act |
| 38 | Jordan | October 24, 2004 | 1991 Act |
| 39 | Kenya | May 13, 1999 | 1991 Act |
| 40 | Kyrgyzstan | June 26, 2000 | 1991 Act |
| 41 | Latvia | August 30, 2002 | 1991 Act |
| 42 | Lithuania | December 10, 2003 | 1991 Act |
| 43 | Mexico | August 9, 1997 | 1978 Act |
| 44 | Montenegro | September 24, 2015 | 1991 Act |
| 45 | Morocco | October 8, 2006 | 1991 Act |
| 46 | Netherlands (Kingdom of the) | August 10, 1968 | 1991 Act |
| 47 | New Zealand | November 8, 1981 | 1978 Act |
| 48 | Nicaragua | September 6, 2001 | 1978 Act |
| 49 | Nigeria | March 27, 2025 | 1991 Act |
| 50 | North Macedonia | May 4, 2011 | 1991 Act |
| 51 | Norway | September 13, 1993 | 1978 Act |
| 52 | Oman | November 22, 2009 | 1991 Act |
| 53 | Panama | May 23, 1999 | 1991 Act |
| 54 | Paraguay | February 8, 1997 | 1978 Act |
| 55 | Peru | August 8, 2011 | 1991 Act |
| 56 | Poland | November 11, 1989 | 1991 Act |
| 57 | Portugal | October 14, 1995 | 1978 Act |
| 58 | Republic of Korea | January 7, 2002 | 1991 Act |
| 59 | Republic of Moldova | October 28, 1998 | 1991 Act |
| 60 | Romania | March 16, 2001 | 1991 Act |
| 61 | Russian Federation | April 24, 1998 | 1991 Act |
| 62 | Saint Vincent and the Grenadines | March 22, 2021 | 1991 Act |
| 63 | Serbia | January 5, 2013 | 1991 Act |
| 64 | Singapore | July 30, 2004 | 1991 Act |
| 65 | Slovakia | January 1, 1993 | 1991 Act |
| 66 | Slovenia | July 29, 1999 | 1991 Act |
| 67 | South Africa | November 6, 1977 | 1978 Act |
| 68 | Spain | May 18, 1980 | 1991 Act |
| 69 | Sweden | December 17, 1971 | 1991 Act |
| 70 | Switzerland | July 10, 1977 | 1991 Act |
| 71 | Trinidad and Tobago | January 30, 1998 | 1978 Act |
| 72 | Tunisia | August 31, 2003 | 1991 Act |
| 73 | Türkiye | November 18, 2007 | 1991 Act |
| 74 | Ukraine | November 3, 1995 | 1991 Act |
| 75 | United Kingdom | August 10, 1968 | 1991 Act |
| 76 | United Republic of Tanzania | November 22, 2015 | 1991 Act |
| 77 | United States of America | November 8, 1981 | 1991 Act |
| 78 | Uruguay | November 13, 1994 | 1978 Act |
| 79 | Uzbekistan | November 14, 2004 | 1991 Act |
| 80 | Viet Nam | December 24, 2006 | 1991 Act |
Notes
- African Intellectual Property Organization (OAPI) operates a plant breeders’ rights system covering the territory of its 17 member States: Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Comoros, Congo, Cote d’Ivoire, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Senegal, Togo.
- Belgium joined with a notification under Article 34(2) of the 1978 Act.
- China declared that the 1978 Act is not applicable to Hong Kong, China.
- Denmark declared that the Convention of 1961, the Additional Act of 1972, the 1978 Act and the 1991 Act are not applicable to Greenland and the Faroe Islands.
- European Union operates a plant breeders’ rights system covering the territory of its 27 member States: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands (Kingdom of), Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden.
- Netherlands (Kingdom of the) ratification is for the Kingdom in Europe.
- United Kingdom extended the application of the 1991 Act to the territory of the Isle of Man with effect from April 25, 2023.
- United States of America has a reservation pursuant to Article 35(2) of the 1991 Act.
- “1978 Act” refers to the Act of October 23, 1978 of the International Convention for the Protection of New Varieties of Plants; “1991 Act” refers to the Act of March 19, 1991 of the Convention.