Commonwealth Consolidated Acts Commonwealth Consolidated ActsAct No. 110 of 1994 as amended
This compilation was prepared on 27 March 2007
taking into account amendments up to Act No. 106 of 2006
The text of any of those
amendments not in force
on that date is appended in the Notes section
The operation of amendments that
have been incorporated may be
affected by application provisions that are set out in the Notes section
Prepared by the Office of
Legislative Drafting and Publishing,
Attorney‑General's Department,
Canberra
Contents
Part 1--Preliminary 1
1............ Short title [see Note 1] ....................................................................... 1
2............ Commencement [see Note 1] .............................................................. 1
3............ Definitions .......................................................................................... 1
4............ Definition of essentially derived varieties .......................................... 6
5............ Definition of breeding ......................................................................... 6
6............ Genetic modification ........................................................................... 6
8............ Approved persons .............................................................................. 6
9............ Act to bind Crown .............................................................................. 7
9A......... Application of the Criminal Code ...................................................... 7
10.......... Extent of Act ...................................................................................... 7
Part 2--Plant breeder's right 8
11.......... General nature of PBR ........................................................................ 8
12.......... Extension of PBR to cover essentially derived varieties .................... 8
13.......... Extension of PBR to cover certain dependent plant varieties ............ 9
14.......... Extension of PBR to harvested material in certain circumstances ...... 9
15.......... Extension of PBR to products obtained from harvested material in certain circumstances 10
16.......... Certain acts done for private, experimental or breeding purposes do not infringe PBR 10
17.......... Conditioning and use of farm saved seed does not infringe PBR ..... 10
18.......... Restriction on grantee's rights in certain circumstances ................... 11
19.......... Reasonable public access to plant varieties covered by PBR ........... 12
20.......... PBR is personal property ................................................................ 14
21.......... Registrar must be notified of an assignment of PBR ........................ 14
22.......... Duration of PBR ............................................................................... 15
23.......... Exhaustion of PBR ........................................................................... 16
Part 3--Application for plant breeder's right 18
Division 1--The making of the application 18
24.......... Right to apply for PBR .................................................................... 18
25.......... Right to apply for PBR is personal property .................................. 18
26.......... Form of application for PBR ............................................................ 18
27.......... Names of new plant varieties ........................................................... 20
28.......... Applications to be given priority dates ............................................ 21
29.......... Priority dates arising from foreign application ................................. 22
30.......... Acceptance or rejection of applications ........................................... 22
31.......... Requests for variation of application ............................................... 23
32.......... Notification of decisions on requests to vary application ................ 24
33.......... Withdrawal of application ................................................................ 25
Division 2--Dealing with the application after its acceptance 26
34.......... Detailed description in support of application to be given to Secretary 26
35.......... Objection to application for PBR ..................................................... 27
36.......... Inspection of applications and objections ........................................ 28
37.......... Test growing of plant varieties ......................................................... 28
38.......... Characteristics of plant varieties bred or test grown outside Australia 31
Division 3--Provisional protection 33
39.......... Provisional protection ...................................................................... 33
Division 4--Essential derivation 35
40.......... Applications for declarations of essential derivation ....................... 35
41.......... Test growing associated with applications for declarations of essential derivation 38
Part 4--The grant and revocation of Plant Breeder's Right 40
Division 1--Grant of Plant Breeder's Right 40
42.......... PBR not to be granted in excluded varieties ..................................... 40
43.......... Registrable plant varieties ................................................................. 40
44.......... Grant of PBR .................................................................................... 43
45.......... Grant of PBR to be exclusive ........................................................... 45
46.......... Grant of PBR to be entered on Register ........................................... 45
47.......... Notice of grant of PBR ..................................................................... 46
48.......... Effect of grant of PBR ...................................................................... 46
49.......... PBR may be subject to conditions ................................................... 47
Division 2--Revocation of Plant Breeder's Right or declaration of essential derivation 48
50.......... Revocation of PBR ........................................................................... 48
51.......... Entry of particulars of revocation .................................................... 50
52.......... Surrender of PBR .............................................................................. 50
Part 5--Enforcement of Plant Breeder's Right 51
53.......... Infringement of PBR ......................................................................... 51
54.......... Actions for infringement ................................................................... 51
55.......... Declarations as to non‑infringement ................................................. 52
56.......... Jurisdiction of Court ......................................................................... 53
57.......... Innocent infringement ....................................................................... 53
Part 6--Administration 55
58.......... Registrar of Plant Breeder's Rights .................................................. 55
59.......... Delegation ......................................................................................... 55
60.......... Certain persons not to acquire PBR ................................................. 56
61.......... Register of Plant Varieties ................................................................ 57
62.......... Inspection of Register ....................................................................... 57
Part 7--Plant Breeder's Rights Advisory Committee 58
63.......... Establishment of Advisory Committee ............................................ 58
64.......... Membership of Advisory Committee .............................................. 58
65.......... Remuneration and allowances ........................................................... 60
66.......... Disclosure of interests ...................................................................... 60
67.......... Meetings ........................................................................................... 60
Part 8--Miscellaneous 62
68.......... Public notices .................................................................................... 62
69.......... Notices inviting submissions in respect of certain regulations ......... 62
70.......... Genetic resource centres ................................................................... 63
71.......... The herbarium ................................................................................... 63
72.......... Agents may act in matters relating to PBR ...................................... 63
73.......... Service of documents ........................................................................ 63
74.......... Infringement offences ....................................................................... 64
75.......... Offences other than infringement offences ....................................... 64
76.......... Conduct by directors, servants and agents ....................................... 65
76A....... Doing act when PBR office reopens after end of period otherwise provided for doing act 66
77.......... Applications for review .................................................................... 67
78.......... Repeal ............................................................................................... 69
79.......... Compensation for acquisition of property ....................................... 69
80.......... Regulations ....................................................................................... 69
Part 9--Transitional 71
81.......... Definitions ........................................................................................ 71
82.......... Plant variety rights under old Act to be treated as PBR under this Act 71
83.......... Applications for plant variety rights lodged and criminal proceedings begun before commencing day 72
84.......... Other applications and proceedings under old Act .......................... 72
85.......... Transitional arrangements for membership and functions of Advisory Committee 72
86.......... Register of Plant Varieties ................................................................ 73
Schedule 1 74
Chapter I: Definitions ................................................................................. 74
Chapter II: General Obligations of the Contracting Parties ......................... 74
Chapter III: Conditions for the Grant of the Breeder's Right ..................... 74
Chapter IV: Application for the Grant of the Breeder's Right ................... 74
Chapter V: The Rights of the Breeder ......................................................... 74
Chapter VI: Variety Denomination ............................................................. 75
Chapter VII: Nullity and Cancellation of the Breeder's Right .................... 75
Chapter VIII: The Union ............................................................................... 75
Chapter IX: Implementation of the Convention; Other Agreements .......... 75
Chapter X: Final Provisions ....................................................................... 75
Notes 97
Notes to
the
Plant Breeder's Rights Act 1994 Note 1 The Plant Breeder's Rights Act 1994 as shown in this
compilation comprises Act No. 110, 1994 amended as indicated in the Tables
below. For all relevant information pertaining to application, saving
or transitional provisions see Table A. Table of Acts
|
Act |
Number |
Date |
Date of commencement |
Application, saving or transitional provisions |
|
110, 1994 |
5 Sept 1994 |
10 Nov 1994: (see Gazette 1994, No. S392) |
|
|
|
Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry Legislation Amendment Act (No. 1) 1999 |
4, 1999 |
31 Mar 1999 |
31 Mar 1999 |
-- |
|
Public Employment (Consequential and Transitional) Amendment Act 1999 |
146, 1999 |
11 Nov 1999 |
Schedule 1 (item 733): 5 Dec 1999 (see Gazette 1999, No. S584) (a) |
-- |
|
Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry Legislation Amendment Act (No. 2) 1999 |
170, 1999 |
10 Dec 1999 |
Schedule 1: Royal Assent: (b) |
Sch. 1 (item 7) |
|
Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry Legislation Amendment (Application of Criminal Code) Act 2001 |
115, 2001 |
18 Sept 2001 |
16 Oct 2001 |
S. 4 |
|
148, 2002 |
19 Dec 2002 |
20 Dec 2002 |
Sch. 1 (items |
|
|
106, 2006 |
27 Sept 2006 |
Schedule 11 (items 1, 2), Schedule 14
and Schedule 15 (items 2, 3): 28 Sept 2006 |
Sch. 11 (item 2), Sch. 14 (item 3) and Sch. 15 (item 3) |
(a) The Plant Breeder's Rights Act 1994 was amended by Schedule 1 (item 733) only of the Public Employment (Consequential and Transitional) Amendment Act 1999, subsections 2(1) and (2) of which provide as follows:
(1) In this Act, commencing time means the time when the Public Service Act 1999 commences.
(2) Subject to this section, this Act commences at the commencing time.
(b) The Plant Breeder's Rights Act 1994 was amended by Schedule 1 only of the Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry Legislation Amendment Act (No. 2) 1999, subsection 2(1) of which provides as follows:
(1) Subject to this section, this Act commences on the day on which it receives the Royal Assent.
Table of Amendments
|
ad. = added or inserted am. = amended rep. = repealed rs. = repealed and substituted |
|
|
Provision affected |
How affected |
|
Part 1 |
|
|
am. No. 4, 1999; No. 148, 2002; No. 106, 2006 |
|
|
S. 7...................................... |
rep. No. 106, 2006 |
|
ad. No. 115, 2001 |
|
|
Part 2 |
|
|
am. No. 148, 2002 |
|
|
rs. No. 148, 2002 |
|
|
am. No. 170, 1999 |
|
|
am. No. 148, 2002 |
|
|
Part 3 |
|
|
Division 1 |
|
|
am. No. 148, 2002 |
|
|
am. No. 4, 1999; No. 148, 2002 |
|
|
am. No. 106, 2006 |
|
|
am. No. 148, 2002 |
|
|
am. No. 148, 2002 |
|
|
Division 2 |
|
|
am. No. 148, 2002 |
|
|
am. No. 170, 1999 |
|
|
am. No. 148, 2002 |
|
|
am. No. 170, 1999; No. 148, 2002 |
|
|
Division 3 |
|
|
am. No. 148, 2002 |
|
|
Part 4 |
|
|
Division 1 |
|
|
am. No. 170, 1999; No. 148, 2002 |
|
|
am. No. 148, 2002 |
|
|
am. No. 148, 2002 |
|
|
Division 2 |
|
|
am. No. 170, 1999; No. 148, 2002 |
|
|
Part 5 |
|
|
am. No. 4, 1999 |
|
|
am. No. 148, 2002 |
|
|
Part 6 |
|
|
am. No. 146, 1999 |
|
|
|
rs. No. 106, 2006 |
|
am. Nos. 4 and 170, 1999 |
|
|
am. No. 4, 1999 |
|
|
Part 7 |
|
|
am. No. 148, 2002 |
|
|
am. No. 148, 2002 |
|
|
am. No. 148, 2002 |
|
|
am. No. 148, 2002 |
|
|
Part 8 |
|
|
am. No. 115, 2001 |
|
|
ad. No. 106, 2006 |
|
|
am. No. 148, 2002 |
|
|
am. No. 170, 1999 |
|
|
Schedule 1 |
|
|
Schedule 1.......................... |
am. No. 148, 2002 |
Table A
Application, saving or transitional provisions
Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry Legislation Amendment Act (No. 2) 1999 (No. 170, 1999)
Schedule 1
7 Transitional provision
(1) If:
(a) a person first sold a plant variety in the territory of a contracting party other than Australia after 9 November 1988 and before 10 November 1990; and
(b) the person lodged an application for PBR under the Plant Breeder's Rights Act 1994 more than 4 years but less than 6 years after the date of that first sale; and
(c) the application was rejected only because of the operation of subsection 43(6) of that Act;
then, despite the terms of that subsection and subject to subitem (2), the Registrar may further consider that application as if the sales of that plant variety occurring after 9 November 1988 but more than 4 years before the application had not taken place.
(2) Subitem (1) does not apply in relation to an application referred to in that subitem unless the applicant in relation to that application, or any successor in title to that applicant, notifies the Registrar, in writing, to take action under this item in relation to that application within 6 months after the commencement of this item.
Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry Legislation Amendment (Application of Criminal Code) Act 2001 (No. 115, 2001)
4 Application of amendments
(1) Each amendment made by this Act applies to acts and omissions that take place after the amendment commences.
(2) For the purposes of this section, if an act or omission is alleged to have taken place between 2 dates, one before and one on or after the day on which a particular amendment commences, the act or omission is alleged to have taken place before the amendment commences.
Plant Breeder's Rights Amendment Act 2002 (No. 148, 2002)
Schedule 1
39 Application of item 4
The amendment made by item 4 applies in relation to an act done on or after the commencement of that item.
40 Application of item 16
The amendment made by item 16 applies in relation to:
(a) an application made before the commencement of that item, if the applicant has not paid the examination fee in respect of the application; and
(b) an application made on or after the commencement of that item.
41 Application of items 18, 19 and 31
The amendments made by items 18, 19 and 31 apply in relation to a decision that there should be a test growing or further test growing that is made on or after the commencement of those items.
42 Application of item 20
The amendment made by item 20 applies in relation to a test growing begun on or after the commencement of that item.
43 Application of items 21 and 22
The amendments made by items 21 and 22 apply in relation to:
(a) an application made, but not disposed of, before the commencement of those items; and
(b) an application made on or after the commencement of those items.
44 Application of items 23, 25, 26 and 28
The amendments made by items 23, 25, 26 and 28 apply in relation to a sale that occurs on or after the commencement of those items.
45 Application of item 27
The amendment made by item 27 applies in relation to an application made before, on or after the commencement of that item.
Intellectual Property Laws Amendment Act 2006 (No. 106, 2006)
Schedule 11
The amendment of the Plant Breeder's Rights Act 1994 made by this Schedule applies in relation to applications lodged after the commencement of the amendment.
Schedule 14
3 Transitional provision
(1) A form that, just before the commencement of this Schedule, was approved under section 7 of the Plant Breeder's Rights Act 1994 has effect as if it had been approved, on that commencement, for the purposes of each provision of that Act to which the form is relevant, by the Secretary of the Department administering that Act.
(2) This item does not prevent the Secretary from approving another form for the purposes of a provision of that Act.
Schedule 15
3 Saving
(1) A delegation in force under section 59 of the Plant Breeder's Rights Act 1994 immediately before the commencement of this Schedule has effect on and after that commencement as if it had been made on that commencement.
(2) This item does not prevent the revocation or variation of the delegation after that commencement.