Citation, commencement and extent1

Interpretation2

• “the 1977 Act” means the Patents Act 1977 M1;

• “the 1997 Act” means the Plant Varieties Act 1997 M2;

• “biotechnological invention” has the meaning given by section 130 of the 1977 Act;

• “Breeders’ regulations” means the Plant Breeders’ Regulations as extended and applied by regulation 23, unless and until the Ministers exercise their powers under sections 24, 26(2)(a), 28, 29, 44 and 48(1) of the 1997 Act as extended by regulation 21, at which time “Breeders’ regulations” shall refer to the regulations so made and in force;

• F1...

• “Comptroller General of Patents” means the Comptroller-General of Patents, Designs and Trade Marks appointed under section 63(1) of the Patents and Designs Act 1907 M3;

• “compulsory patent licence” means a licence ordered to be granted by the controllers under regulation 6;

• “compulsory plant variety licence” means a licence granted by the controllers under regulation 13;

• “Controller of Plant Variety Rights” means the officer appointed under section 2(1) of the 1997 Act;

• “controllers” means the Controller of Plant Variety Rights and the Comptroller General of Patents acting jointly in accordance with the provisions of these Regulations;

• F2...

• “court” means—

  1. a

     in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, the Patents Court of the High Court,

  2. b

     in Scotland, the Court of Session;

• “Ministers” has the meaning given by section 49 of the 1997 Act;

• “new plant variety” means the plant variety produced, or to be produced as the case may be, by using an invention protected by a patent;

• “patent” has the meaning given by section 130 of the 1977 Act;

• “Patents (Fees) Rules” means the fee payable under the Patents (Fees) Rules 1998 M4 in force immediately before the coming into force of these Regulations;

• “Patents Rules” means the Patents Rules 1995 M5 in force immediately before the coming into force of these Regulations;

• “plant breeders’ fee” means the fee payable under the Plant Breeders’ (Fees) Regulations as extended and applied by regulation 25, unless and until the Ministers exercise their powers to make regulations under sections 29 and 48(1) of the 1997 Act as extended by regulation 21 and prescribe a fee, at which time “plant breeders’ fee” shall mean that fee in respect of applications under these Regulations;

• “Plant Breeders’ (Fees) Regulations” mean the Plant Breeders’ Rights (Fees) Regulations 1998 M6 in force immediately before the coming into force of these Regulations;

• “Plant Breeders’ Regulations” means the Plant Breeders’ Rights Regulations 1998 M7 in force immediately before the coming into force of these Regulations;

• F3“plant breeders’ right” means—

  1. a

     any right granted under, or having effect as if granted under, section 3 of the 1997 Act (including existing rights as defined by section 40(4) of that Act); and

  2. b

     any right which by virtue of regulation 3 of the Plant Breeders’ Rights (Amendment etc.) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019 is treated as if it were a plant breeders’ right granted in accordance with the 1997 Act and as if the variety were registered in accordance with regulations under section 18(1)(c) of the 1997 Act;

• “plant variety” has the meaning given by paragraph 11 of Schedule A2 to the 1977 Act M8;

• “prescribed fee” means the fee payable under the Patents (Fees) Rules as extended and applied by regulation 24, unless and until the Secretary of State exercises her powers to make rules under section 123 of the 1977 Act as extended by regulation 20 and prescribes a fee, at which time “prescribed fee” shall mean that fee in respect of applications under these Regulations;

• “rules” means the Patents Rules as extended and applied by regulation 22, unless and until the Secretary of State exercises her powers under section 123 of the 1977 Act as extended by regulation 20, at which time “rules” shall refer to the rules so made and in force;

• “Tribunal” means the Plant Varieties and Seeds Tribunal referred to in section 42 of the 1997 Act; and

• “UK” means England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.