Agri-food Law Seminar 2026

We are excited to announce that our annual Agri-food Law Seminar will return to Brussels on 5 June 2026! 

Programme

12:00 – 13:00 Welcome and lunch

13:00 – 13:40 “ New frontiers in plant breeding IP: landmark decisions and regulatory shifts you need to know”

This session will address the impact of the following important developments in the area of plant breeding IP over the past couple of months:

• the fate of “NGT plant” patents under the freshly (Council) adopted EU NGT Regulation;
• the implications of the EU Court’s Cripps Pink ruling for novelty assessments under plant variety rights law;
• the UK Nadorcott decision on essentially derived varieties (and harvested material),

as well as any other hot topics that may arise between now and the seminar.

by Philippe de Jong (partner at ALTIUS)

13:45 – 14:25 “The fate of harvested material under plant variety rights law following the 2026 UPOV Expert Study”

During this presentation, we will hear from one of the expert-authors of the study, Mr Huib Ghijsen, how harvested material was intended to be protected under UPOV 1991, whether the current UPOV Explanatory Note on harvested material is fit for purpose, how the provision on harvested material ties in with that on exhaustion, and how courts have dealt with cases on these topics. The presentation will also offer a privileged insight on the study approach adopted by the authors when they embarked on their mission.

by Huib Ghijsen (expert UPOV study on harvested material; member of the CPVO Board of Appeal)

14:30 – 15:00  “Patenting plant-related inventions after Pepper – an update from the European Patent Office”

In recent history, many plant related inventions have become unpatentable in Europe: from plant varieties, to breeding methods based on crossing and selection, to the products resulting therefrom. This session will focus on what is still patentable: from isolated plant genes or gene components, to genome edited traits, to technical breeding methods and downstream products. These developments will be illustrated by real-life examples from recent EPO practice, including the mutant barley and watermelon patent cases.

by Liesbet Paemen (patent attorney at De Clercq and Partners)

15:05 – 15:40 Coffee break

15:40 – 16:10 “Don’t be scared of tomorrow’s food – The science behind what we grow”

The speaker for this session, Dr Ruben Vanholme, is a researcher in plant biotechnology at the VIB and University of Ghent, and has recently published a book entitled (in English translation) “DNA in dire straits – how genetics is changing our food and how to notice it on your plate“. During his presentation, Dr Vanholme will shed light insights on the link between DNA and sustainable food production. Topics will include the impact of plant genetics on food safety, the artificial distinction between ‘natural’ and ‘synthetic’, bio pesticides, and the protein shift.

by Ruben Vanholme (author and researcher at VIB-UGent Center for Plant Systems Biology)

16:15 – 16:45 “A brave new world for EU agri-food? What the Food & Feed Safety Omnibus and Biotech Act could mean for industry”

Tailored to industry professionals’ needs, this presentation explores two big EU initiatives: the Food & Feed Safety Omnibus and Biotech Act. The speaker will walk attendees through the most relevant elements of these proposals (such as the envisaged centralised regulatory data protection system for plant protection products and the simplification of various regulatory procedures), leaving them with a better understanding of a hallmark of the European Commission’s efforts to boost the competitiveness of the agri-food industry.

by Bart Junior Bollen (lawyer at ALTIUS)

16:50 – 17:20 “Food Denomination – when products outgrow their names”

When meat is not quite meat, milk not quite milk, and spirits lose their spirit, the language of food begins to shift. Traditional denominations are being stretched by innovation and consumer demand. Regulators and courts are now forced to redraw the lines. This presentation explores how naming struggles are reshaping food law, and what happens when products outgrow the words designed to contain them.

by Bregt Raus (lawyer at ALTIUS)

17:25 – 18:30 Q&A and closing aperitif

When?

Friday 5 June from 12:00 until 18:30. 

Where?

ALTIUS Offices – Tour & Taxis, Royal Depot, 4th floor, Havenlaan 86C 1000 Brussels 

Practical information

The event is free of charge and will be held in English.

Attendance is by invitation only.

If you wish to confirm your participation, please click the registration button.

If you are unable to attend, you are welcome to recommend a colleague within your organisation by sharing their contact details with us.

For questions or more practical information, please contact events@altius.com. 

We very much look forward to seeing you soon,

The ALTIUS Agri-food team