Board for plant varieties

What Board for plant varieties does

The Board for Plant Varieties (Raad voor Plantenrassen) is an independent Dutch administrative body (zelfstandig bestuursorgaan/ZBO) established under the 2005 Seeds and Planting Materials Act and the only authority in the Netherlands authorized to grant plant breeders' rights and admit plant varieties and forest stands to national and EU catalogues. The underlying plant breeders' rights system dates to 1942 and operates within the international framework of the UPOV Convention (1961), coordinated with the Community Plant Variety Office (CPVO) in Angers for European-level protection. The Board has 7 employees and is administratively supported by Team Support, a unit within Naktuinbouw.

The Board's core offerings are statutory IP and registration services rather than commercial products. These comprise the National Variety Register (NRR), national and European plant breeders' rights processing, 10-year prolongation services, and an online application module integrated with the MyNaktuinbouw platform. Technical examinations — Distinctness, Uniformity, and Stability (DUS) testing and Value for Cultivation and Use (VCU) testing — are conducted by Naktuinbouw's Variety Testing Department and by bilateral partners in other UPOV-authorized countries. DNA profiling techniques (AFLP, SSR, SNP) are used as aids in DUS research for pre-selection of reference material and management of reference collections. Specialized procedures cover organically grown varieties (EU directives 2022/1647 and 2022/1648), landrace and conservation varieties (2008/62, 2009/145), authorization for pre-registration marketing (2004/842/EC), and forestry stands (1999/105/EEC).

Revenue is derived from cost-recovering application, examination, and prolongation fees approved annually by the Minister of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality; no annual maintenance fees are charged for national plant breeders' rights. The Board serves plant breeders (growers, discoverers, developers), variety maintainers, forestry sector entities, and traders in conservation and amateur varieties, all within the Netherlands with EU-wide recognition via CPVO cooperation. Marketing is limited to official Gazette publications in the Staatscourant, the public website, and direct correspondence with applicants. Strategic partners include Naktuinbouw, CGN, NAK, CPVO, and UPOV.

Name

Board for plant varieties

Legal name

Raad voor Plantenrassen

Website

https://raadvoorplantenrassen.nl

Company type

Private

Founded year

1942

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Board for Plant Varieties (Raad voor Plantenrassen) is the Dutch independent government authority that grants plant breeders' rights and admits plant varieties and forest stands to national and EU catalogues, serving breeders, maintainers, and forestry entities under the 2005 Seeds and Planting Materials Act and the UPOV Convention.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Plant variety registration and intellectual property protection

NAICS

Regulation of Agricultural Marketing and Commodities (926140), Regulation of Agricultural Marketing and Commodities (92614), Forest Nurseries and Gathering of Forest Products (113210)

SIC

Patent Owners & Lessors (6794), Forestry (800)

akta.pro primary industry

Seed Licensing & IP/Royalty Management (AFAGAIAL)

akta.pro secondary industries

Plant Breeding & Variety Development (Conventional) (AFAGAIAF), Registered Seed Production (AFAGAIAB), Seed Testing, Treatment & Certification Services (AFAMADAI), Forest Seed Orchards & Breeding Programs (AFAMADAB)

Keywords

• Plant breeders rights
• Plant variety registration
• National variety register
• DUS testing services
• Variety denomination approval

Headquarters

HQ city

Roelofarendsveen

HQ country

Netherlands

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D

Pricing tiers

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

The Board for Plant Varieties (Raad voor Plantenrassen) grants national plant breeders' rights and admits plant varieties and forestry stands to the National Variety Register in the Netherlands. It processes applications for intellectual property protection for new plant varieties, administers 10-year registration renewals, approves variety denominations, and coordinates technical DUS and VCU testing through Naktuinbouw. Services are delivered to plant breeders, research institutes, and seed companies operating under the UPOV Convention and EU regulations.

Product overview

The Board for Plant Varieties operates a comprehensive regulatory platform for plant variety protection and registration in the Netherlands. The core offering consists of the National Variety Register (NRR) combined with national plant breeders' rights services, complemented by EU-level plant breeders' rights through CPVO. The platform includes supporting modules for prolongation of registration (10-year renewal), online application processing, DUS testing protocols, VCU testing for agricultural crops, technical questionnaires, and specialized procedures for forestry crops, organic varieties, conservation varieties, and authorization. The system connects with CPVO's online application system and maintains integration with the EU FOREMATIS database for forestry propagating material.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• National Variety Register (NRR) The publicly accessible Dutch National Variety Register recording all varieties admitted in the Netherlands with or without plant breeders' rights, maintained by the Board for Plant Varieties. Used by breeders, seed companies, researchers, and government authorities to verify variety status and protection.
• National Plant Breeders' Rights Intellectual property protection for new plant varieties granted under the 2005 Seeds and Planting Materials Act, based on UPOV Convention standards. Protects varieties for 25 years (30 years for bulb crops, woody plants and vines) and is targeted at plant breeders, research institutes, and seed companies.
• European Plant Breeders' Rights (Community Plant Variety Rights) Community plant variety rights valid throughout the European Union, managed centrally by CPVO in Angers. The Board assists Dutch applicants in obtaining EU-wide variety protection. Targeted at plant breeders and seed companies seeking EU market access.
• Prolongation of Registration Ten-year renewal service for vegetable and agricultural varieties registered in the NRR, allowing maintainers to extend their variety registrations. Targeted at variety maintainers, with invitations sent two years before registration expiry and cost-recovering fees.
• Online Application Module Digital platform for submitting applications for plant breeders' rights and variety listing, integrated with MyNaktuinbouw. As of 30 June 2026, a harmonized CPVO-Board form simplifies the application process for both systems. Used by plant breeders and seed companies.
• Forestry Crops Registration Registration of varieties and stands of forest propagating material under EU-Forestry Directive 1999/105/EEC, including admission to the FOREMATIS EU database. Applications are submitted via the Centre for Genetic Resources Netherlands (CGN). Targeted at forestry sector entities and estate managers.
• Landrace, Hobby Market and Conservation Varieties Registration Special registration procedures for traditional landraces, hobby market varieties, and conservation varieties with adapted uniformity requirements under EU directives 2008/62 and 2009/145. Targeted at conservation organizations, heritage seed traders, and amateur variety dealers.
• Organic Varieties Procedure Special admission procedure for organically grown varieties of vegetable and agricultural crops with adapted uniformity requirements under EU directives 2022/1647 and 2022/1648. Targeted at organic seed companies and organic breeding programs.
• Authorization (Beproevingszaadregeling) Authorization scheme allowing marketing of material from varieties not yet officially tested, with pending DUS examination, for vegetable and agricultural crops under EU directive 2004/842/EC. Granted by NAK. Targeted at seed companies needing early market access for candidate varieties.
• Variety Denomination Services Testing and approval of variety names according to CPVO guidelines, including a 3-month objection period and final establishment. Targeted at plant breeders and seed companies submitting varieties for registration.

Quantifiable outcome

• Plant breeders can protect new varieties for 25 years (30 years for bulb crops, woody plants and vines), enabling return on investment in breeding programs that typically take 10-15 years.
• +1 more outcomes

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• NaktuinbouwcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNaktuinbouw's Variety Testing Department carries out technical DUS examinations for the Board. They also provide administrative and procedural support through Team Support, which is part of Naktuinbouw. Naktuinbouw is the primary examination authority for vegetable and ornamental crops in the Netherlands.
• Centre for Genetic Resources Netherlands (CGN)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCGN handles forestry crop applications and performs external quality assessments of forest stands. Applications for forestry crops are submitted to CGN via application forms.
• NAK (Nederlandse Algemene Kwaliteitsdienst voor Siergewassen)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNAK grants authorisation for agricultural crops under the EU directive 2004/842/EC, allowing marketing of material of varieties not yet officially tested.
• Community Plant Variety Office (CPVO)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCPVO is the EU body based in Angers that administers community plant variety rights. The Board works with CPVO for European-level protection and follows CPVO guidelines for variety denominations. DUS examinations for European plant breeders' rights are determined by CPVO.
• UPOV (International Union for the Protection of New Varieties of Plants)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUPOV is the international convention organization in Geneva that provides the legal framework for plant variety protection. The Netherlands is a member, and the Board operates under UPOV regulations.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Naktuinbouw: Dutch inspection service for horticultural crops that performs DUS testing and hosts Team Support for the Board. Directly comparable as the technical examination counterpart to the Board's administrative and legal decisions.
• Bundessortenamt (Federal Plant Variety Office, Germany): Germany's national plant variety office responsible for granting plant breeders' rights and registering varieties. Directly comparable as a peer national authority operating under the same UPOV and EU framework, with similar DUS/VCU testing functions.
• GEVES (Groupe d'Étude et de Contrôle des Variétés et des Semences, France): France's national variety and seed study and control group, performing DUS and VCU testing for the French plant breeders' rights authority. Directly comparable in technical examination and registration support role.

Others

• UPOV (International Union for the Protection of New Varieties of Plants): International Geneva-based convention organization that provides the legal framework for plant variety protection. Comparable as the umbrella institution that defines the rules the Board implements at the national level.
• European Patent Office (EPO): Administers European patents with relevance to plant biotechnology innovations. Comparable as an adjacent IP authority whose patent decisions can interact with plant variety rights on technical inventions.
• European Seed Association (Euroseeds): Brussels-based trade association representing the European seed industry. Comparable as a stakeholder and policy counterpart whose members (breeders) are the Board's primary applicant base.

Regional players

• Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA, UK): UK body responsible for national listing and plant variety rights administration post-Brexit. Comparable as a peer non-EU national PBR authority now operating outside CPVO with its own bilateral arrangements.
• Oficina Española de Variedades Vegetales (OEVV, Spain): Spanish plant variety office under INIA responsible for variety registration and plant breeders' rights. Comparable as another EU national PBR authority executing the same UPOV-based framework in a different geography.
• PVPO (Plant Variety Protection Office, USDA): US plant variety protection office issuing PVP certificates under the UPOV 1991 framework. Comparable as a peer national PVR authority serving a different geographic jurisdiction with overlapping scope and examination logic.

Broad incumbents

• Community Plant Variety Office (CPVO): EU-level plant variety rights authority based in Angers that grants community plant variety rights valid across all EU member states. Comparable as the supranational overlay above the Dutch Board, with which it works on examination referral and the 2026 harmonized application form.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/raadvoorplantenrassen

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Board for plant varieties