Freedom of Information legislation puts UPOV's Restricted Area in question

by APBREBES

UPOV does not make all its documents accessible to the public, but UPOV member states that have freedom of information legislation provide access to Restricted Area documents.

UPOV keeps meeting documents restricted to its member states, a policy unknown in other international organisations, not even UPOV's host organisation WIPO. However, many countries have a freedom of information legislation, whereby government administration files – with some restrictions - are to be made accessible and can be made publicly available, for example on a website. APBREBES now makes UPOV Consultative Council documents available here.

It is hoped that UPOV bodies will soon decide to lift the unnecessary restriction.