Plant breeders' rights are a form of intellectual property designed specifically to protect new varieties of plants. Plant breeders' rights entitle the holder to prevent anyone unauthorized production or reproduction (multiplication), conditioning for the purpose of propagation, offering for sale, selling or other marketing, exporting, importing or stocking for any of the purposes mentioned. The holder of rights can authorise others to carry out these acts on whatever terms and conditions the holder wishes to impose, subject to the safeguard of compulsory licensing.

D Young & Co offers advisory and consultancy services relating to all aspects of the protection of plant variety and plant breeders’ rights, including the preparation of applications for such rights both nationally and internationally at the European Community Plant Variety Office in France.