Message to the Senate Transmitting the International Convention for the Protection of New Varieties of Plants

To the Senate of the United States:

I transmit herewith for Senate advice and consent to ratification the International Convention for the Protection of New Varieties of Plants of December 2, 1961, as Revised at Geneva on November 10, 1972, on October 23, 1978, and on March 19, 1991, and signed by the United States on October 25, 1991 (hereinafter "the 1991 Act of the UPOV Convention"). I transmit for the information of the Senate, the report of the Department of State with respect to the Convention.

Ratification of the Convention is in the best interests of the United States. It demonstrates a domestic commitment to effective protection for intellectual property in the important field of plant breeding. It is also consistent with United States foreign policy of encouraging other countries to provide adequate and effective intellectual property protection, including that for plant varieties.

I recommend, therefore, that the Senate give early and favorable consideration to the 1991 Act of the UPOV Convention and give its advice and consent to ratification subject to a reservation under Article 35(2), which allows parties to the existing Convention (the 1978 Act) to retain their present patent systems for certain varieties of plants.

WILLIAM J. CLINTON

The White House, September 5, 1995.