The Hindu Business Line : EU upholds ruling revoking neem patent for US co

THE fungicidal properties of the neem tree have been public knowledge in India for several centuries. This was endorsed by the European Patent office, which upheld a decision to revoke in its entirety a patent on the fungicidal product derived from seeds of the neem.

The European Patent Office had originally granted the patent to the US Department of Agriculture and multinational W.R. Grace in 1995 before revoking it in 2000 after India appealed against the patent.

However, the American company appealed against the patent revocation.

India, led by Ms Vandana Shiva, Head of the Research Foundation for Science, Technology and Ecology, along with the International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movement and Green Party in European Parliament have been actively campaigning for freeing neem from patents.

Ms Shiva presented evidence to support that use of neem in varied forms is part of traditional Indian knowledge and not a novel product. Along with this, research papers by two scientists were also placed.

The Indian Government had earlier challenged in the US a patent on another Indian plant, turmeric for its medicinal qualities. The patent for this was also revoked.

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