Developments concerning the Community Plant Variety Office of the European Union (CPVO) online application system Meeting on the development of a prototype electronic form Geneva, 20 March 2013 Jean Maison 1

Introduction The Office released its on-line application system in March 2010 For a limited number of species, which gradually increased System first available in English; French, Dutch and German added in 2012 CPVO online application system

Introduction System developed internally with the help of an external company Technical basis: Open Source software and Oracle Database. Feedback from applicants are regularly taken into account and implemented.  Tests phases  Meetings with breeders’ associations CPVO online application system

Introduction Promotion of the system is a key issue:  Mailing to all CPVO applicants, system mentioned in communications to applicants  Announcement on the web site of the Office  Presentation of the system to CPVO applicants at the occasion of visits or meetings  Workshops in NL, FR, DE  Reports in newsletters, annual reports, breeders association meetings CPVO online application system

General characteristics of the forms: Linear forms Generated each time they are called on the screen, from a database of questions  Easy and centralized update for questions in common to all forms  Each question can be translated in various languages CPVO online application system

General characteristics of the forms: A few features illustrating the user friendliness  Possibility to fold – unfold questions  Possibility to save data, validate them Controls on replies to questions CPVO online application system

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General characteristics of the forms: A few features illustrating the user friendliness  Auto completion  Search in the internal client database  Possibility to append documents CPVO online application system

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General characteristics of the forms: A few features illustrating the user friendliness  Less forms: proposal for a denomination included in the main application form CPVO online application system

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General characteristics of the forms: A few features illustrating the user friendliness  Shorter form, hidden questions if not necessary  Confidential option at various places  Combo boxes CPVO online application system

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General characteristics of the forms: A few features illustrating the user friendliness  Online help, coming from the protocol CPVO online application system

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General characteristics of the forms: A few features illustrating the user friendliness  Automatic checks, preventing from sending the form CPVO online application system

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General characteristics of the forms: A few features illustrating the user friendliness  Simple signature system  Login & password  Names dradted CPVO online application system

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Some statistics 27

Evolution of the number of on-line applications

Proportion of on line applications per crop sector in 2012

Proportion of on line applications per country

Future developments: More e-technical questionnaires available (currently about 100) Promotion of the system:  Targeted to clients not using the system Investigations on possibilities to share the system The application form and the technical questionnaire

Sharing the system with National authorities 32

Making the system available has always been the intention of the Office Pilot project defining the various issues to be considered Sharing the system with National authorities

In particular  Applications for PVR or NLI would be made via the National web site or via a centralised web site  The main elements of the corporate identity of participating National Authorities could be taken over Sharing the system with National authorities

37Structured exchange of Data 3 Select an existing application in a procedure and transfer it to another procedure National set of questions CPVO set of questions Authorities National set of questions Form 1 Country 2 Procedure PBR National listing CPVO set of questions Core set of questions

In particular  The starting point for forms would be a core set of questions but National authorities, including CPVO would have the possibility to add and manage an additional set of question  Possibilities of translation  The e-signatures system of the CPVO could be taken over, or it would be up to each National Authority to develop its own system Sharing the system with National authorities

In particular  National Authorities would receive applications in pdf format or similar in a first phase Sharing the system with National authorities

A pilot project was set up with GEVES for Maize and lettuce and NAKT for tomato and lettuce, with the objectives  to assess the conditions (technical, IT involvement, financial) under which the project could be enlarged to other species to other countries Sharing the system with National authorities

A pilot project was set up with GEVES for Maize and lettuce and NAKT for tomato and lettuce, with the objectives  On a technical point of view, this pilot project revealed The need to review the core questions The need to develop the system for more complex VCU questions Sharing the system with National authorities

Current status of the pilot project:  On a IT point of view, this pilot project revealed Need to move database to a new server (done) The current Back-Office program has been updated Scalability concerns if numerous Offices join the project ►need to move the back office to a web based system Core code now identical for CPVO online apps website and pilot project in order to reduce maintenance Sharing the system with National authorities

Current status of the pilot project:  New version of the website released 13/03/2013 Several new features, some not yet used Multiple TQs (parental lines in case of hybrids) Logical link between AF and TQ possible Sorting on all tables of the web site  Next steps: Participating offices need to create their final forms a.s.a.p. (before 1 st April) Selected clients will perform test applications in April/May Opening to the public foreseen in June Sharing the system with National authorities

In the medium term, it is the objective of the Office to set up an electronic exchange of data that can be downloaded directly in examination offices databases in future.  The XML project  Cooperation with OHIM  Standard ST 96 not fully stabilized yet Sharing the system with National authorities

Thank you for your attention 45