TWN Info Service on Intellectual Property Issues (Apr25/03)
22 April 2025
Third World Network

Civil Society and Farmers’ Groups Urge Developing Country Parties to the Plant Treaty to Reject Inequitable Amendment Proposals

Dear friends and colleagues,

Please find below a letter signed by 146 organisations from around the world — including civil society groups and farmers’ organisations — expressing serious concerns over inequitable amendments proposed to the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture (Plant Treaty). The letter unequivocally calls for the rejection of these amendment proposals.

The letter has been sent to developing country delegations that participated in the 13th meeting of the Ad Hoc Open-Ended Working Group to Enhance the Functioning of the Multilateral System of Access and Benefit-Sharing, which concluded during the first week of April 2025.

However, the Working Group did not discuss the proposed text amendments to the Plant Treaty, which aim solely to expand the scope of plant genetic resources (including seeds and other propagating materials) covered under the Treaty’s Multilateral ABS System. These proposals are expected to be taken up for discussion at the next meeting, scheduled to take place in Peru from 7–11 July 2025.

See the letter here in English, French and Spanish

With best wishes,

Third World Network