Plant Breeders' Rights Act, 2016. Country/Territory Pakistan Document type Legislation Date 2016 Source FAO, FAOLEX Long titleAn Act to encourage the development of new plant varieties and to protect the rights of breeders of such varieties. Subject Cultivated plants Keyword Breeders' rights/farmers' rights Certification Planting material/seeds Institution Plant variety Agricultural development Registration Offences/penalties Authorization/permit Basic legislation Plant production Intellectual property rights/patents Geographical area Asia, Asia and the Pacific, Indian Ocean, South Asian Seas, Southern Asia Entry into force notes This Act enters into force at once except the provisions of section 10. Abstract This Act, consising of 49 sections divided into nine Chapters, provides for encouraging the development of new plant varieties and to protect the rights of breeders of such varieties. The Registry shall perform the following functions, namely: a) to facilitate protection of new plant varieties subject to such terms and conditions and in the manner as may be prescribed; b) to issue certificates under this Act; c) to ensure the maintenance of the register of protected plant varieties; d) to promote the development of new varieties of plants, by such measures as it thinks fit, and to protect the rights of the farmers and breeders as provided under this Act; e) to manage characterization and documentation of varieties protected under this Act; f) to collect statistics with regard to plant varieties, including the contribution of any person at any time in the evolution or development of any plant variety, in Pakistan or in any Other country, for compilation and publication; and g) to take all actions necessary for its smooth functioning. The Act is divided as follows: Preliminary (Chap I); Administration (including: Plant Breeders' Rights Registry; functions and composition of the Registry (Chap II); Application for Protection (including: granting of plant breeders' rights; criteria for protection of plant breeders' rights; right to apply for a certificate, etc. (Chap III); The Certificate of Plant Breeders' Rights (Chap IV); Surrender, Revocation, Rectification or Correction of Register (including : revocation of certificate; payment of annual fee and forfeiture of certificate (Chap V); Benefit Sharing (Chap VI); Compulsory License (Chap VII); Infringement, Offences and Penalties (Chap VIII); Miscellaneous (Chap IX). Full text English Website www.na.gov.pk