Terms of Use

Updated on: June 3, 2025

General acknowledgment before you register

The data transmitted using UPOV PRISMA does not constitute the official application for a breeder’s right. The authority entrusted with the task of granting breeders’ rights (PBR authority) retains full responsibility in relation to the requirements concerning the filing of applications and grants of breeders’ rights in accordance with the legislation of the member of the Union concerned.

Reference in these terms of use to the term “PBR authority” should be understood as covering also the term “PVP Office”.

Specific acknowledgment for PVP Offices

The PBR authority agrees to these terms of use and agrees to follow the user guide for the PVP Offices for application data transmitted using UPOV PRISMA.

In particular, the PBR authority agrees to the following:

Be part of UPOV PRISMA
Provide the Office of the Union with the most recent and updated application forms (including Technical Questionnaire)
Provide the Office of the Union with relevant verified translations (if applicable)
Complete the “Information for applicants” (PVP Office procedures) to be made available for applicants and provide updates as necessary
Test and check the output forms during the relevant Test campaigns
Specify all documents required for accepting a completed application and ensure all required information can be provided in UPOV PRISMA (with an exception for the electronic signature, if appropriate)
Accept application data submitted via UPOV PRISMA without the need for further data or information (except for signature)(1)
Accept application data by machine-to-machine data transfer or as provided and presented in the output format (PDF), or provide a stylesheet or information that should be displayed on the PDF to be acceptable (e.g. logo)
Inform the Office of the Union of any changes or updates in the application forms (including Technical Questionnaire) and accept data according to the earlier version until UPOV PRISMA is updated - UPOV PRISMA will be updated at the next release or within 6 months following notification thereof, whatever is the sooner(2)
Acknowledge receipt in UPOV PRISMA of any application data submitted via UPOV PRISMA within 7 days(3)
PVP Office not to charge a higher application fee when receiving application data through UPOV PRISMA
Communicate information to applicants on the possibility to use UPOV PRISMA
Permit UPOV to disclose data about the number and crop types of applications received via UPOV PRISMA (no data on individual application will be disclosed)

Disclaimer for the Community Plant Variety Office of the European Union (CPVO): The CPVO accepts to make all best efforts so that the required information submitted through UPOV PRISMA can be accepted by the CPVO in due time. EU plant variety rights applications will only be accepted if all requirements under the applicable legislation are complied with.

1) In the case of the CPVO, France and the Netherlands, additional useful information, including TQ characteristics for some crops, may need to be provided to the relevant PVP Office by the applicant after the data is submitted via UPOV PRISMA. TO BE MODIFIED (should be smaller)

2) In the case of the CPVO, if the data submitted under an earlier version of an application form or technical questionnaire is not sufficient for the purpose of filing an application for an EU plant variety right, the applicant will be asked by the CPVO to complement with the data required. TO BE MODIFIED (should be smaller)

3) In the case of the African Intellectual Property Organization (OAPI), CPVO, France and the Netherlands, the acknowledgement of receipt will be made by their own system and according to the applicable legislation. TO BE MODIFIED (should be smaller)

Specific acknowledgment for UPOV PRISMA users

The user of UPOV PRISMA agrees to these terms of use and agrees to follow the user guide for breeders for application data transmitted using UPOV PRISMA. The user of UPOV PRISMA retains full responsibility in relation to the completeness and accuracy of the data transmitted using the UPOV PRISMA, including the requirements to obtain a filing date. For matters concerning those requirements, users of UPOV PRISMA should contact the relevant PBR authority.

By registering for, and subsequently accessing or using UPOV PRISMA, you acknowledge that you have read, accepted and agreed to these Terms of Use and agree to follow the User Guides, as updated from time to time and published in the UPOV PRISMA webpage.

In accessing and using the UPOV PRISMA, you agree:

to use UPOV PRISMA strictly in accordance with these Terms of Use and User Guides, as updated from time to time and published in the UPOV PRISMA webpage;
to provide true and correct information in connection with UPOV PRISMA, including application data made via UPOV PRISMA;
not to falsely represent your company/organization/in your use of UPOV PRISMA; and
to respect third parties rights.

Using UPOV PRISMA

The date and time of receipt of data submitted electronically using UPOV PRISMA is the local date and time in the selected PBR authority at the time when the data was submitted via UPOV PRISMA. When the data is completed and submitted electronically, the data is transferred directly to the selected PBR authority. The date and time of submission will appear in the confirmation email sent to you. This information will also appear in the dashboard in UPOV PRISMA. If a confirmation email is not received you should contact the UPOV PRISMA team at prisma@upov.int. The same International Reference Number will be assigned to application data submitted for the same variety.

Operation of UPOV PRISMA

UPOV PRISMA has been implemented in a technical environment which is designed to provide high availability and to be reasonably fault tolerant.

You acknowledge and agree that your use of UPOV PRISMA on an “as is, as available” basis. UPOV makes no representation and gives no warranty that the service provided via UPOV PRISMA will meet your requirements, be uninterrupted, timely or error-free. You should promptly notify the UPOV PRISMA team at prisma@upov.int if you discover or suspect any error or malfunction in UPOV PRISMA. The UPOV PRISMA team will attempt to inform you as soon as possible of any outage that might materially affect your normal use of UPOV PRISMA. However, UPOV will not be liable for delay to transactions or disruptions to your operations, or those of your PVP Office/organization/company arising directly or indirectly from any such outage. It is in your best interest to ensure that you have adequate contingency plans to protect the integrity of your business operations and those of your organization/company and to ensure you and your organization/company can proceed despite any disruption or delay occurring in respect of UPOV PRISMA.

UPOV may alter, suspend or decommission UPOV PRISMA at any time without giving reasons. Where possible, the UPOV PRISMA team will attempt to give a reasonable prior notice of any such action. You should promptly notify the UPOV PRISMA team at prisma@upov.int if you discover or suspect any error or malfunction in UPOV PRISMA. In such an event, you agree to promptly provide to the UPOV PRISMA team information and details regarding any error or malfunction of UPOV PRISMA to the extent reasonably necessary to identify, confirm, investigate and rectify any such errors or difficulties (including where relevant any details of your operating environment or that of your PVP Office/ organization/company).

Access and password

When you register in UPOV PRISMA, through WIPO Account, you need to provide a username and password that can later be used to log on to the UPOV PRISMA secure facilities. This username and password is linked to your WIPO account and consequently allows you to access UPOV PRISMA.

Encryption together with your username and passwords ensures the confidentiality, integrity and authenticity of your application data. It is your responsibility to protect your password from disclosure to unauthorized individuals. Registered PVP Offices/organizations/companies should only allow authorized individuals access to the username and password. Do not distribute or publish, in any form, this information to unauthorized individuals.

You agree to:

be responsible for all activities that occur under your username and password;
maintain the confidentiality of your password;
change your password on a regular basis;
not save your password on the computer that you are using to access UPOV PRISMA;
change your password if it becomes known to unauthorized persons;
inform the UPOV PRISMA team at prisma@upov.int if you leave your registered PVP Office/organization/company;
contact the UPOV PRISMA team at prisma@upov.int if your username or password have been lost, stolen or otherwise compromised; and
log out at the end of each session. Your session will expire automatically after two hours or after one hour idle time.

Security

The Information Security controls within UPOV PRISMA will be based upon the ISO/IEC 27001/2 controls frameworks as relevant. These controls may be supplemented from other control frameworks as applicable. The Information Risk Management framework, which is defined within the ISMS Manual, is derived from the ISO/IEC 27005 Standard for Information Risk Management, and is aligned with the Organizational Enterprise Risk Management framework.

It is a condition of you using UPOV PRISMA that you must not:

tamper with other accounts, or commit unauthorized intrusion into any part of UPOV PRISMA;
attempt to bypass any security controls;
use UPOV PRISMA in a manner that encumbers disk space, processors or other system resources;
make deliberate attempts to interfere with the functionality of UPOV PRISMA, overload UPOV PRISMA or attempt to disable a host;
attempt to use UPOV PRISMA without authorization; and
transmit any file with malicious content.

Monitoring

The effective management and security of UPOV PRISMA requires that usage is routinely monitored and analyzed for evidence of misuse and attempted or actual security breaches. You consent to this monitoring being undertaken by UPOV PRISMA team in connection with your use of UPOV PRISMA.

Payment of fees

The payment of UPOV PRISMA fee for all users of UPOV PRISMA should be done online following the instructions provided in the payment gateway.

The following link contains the list of PBR authorities that have requested that the application fee be paid using UPOV PRISMA. In such a case the payment of UPOV PRISMA fee and the application fee should be all done online following the instructions provided in the payment gateway.

For the other PBR authorities, the application fee is to be paid directly to the PBR authorities.

The applicable payments are made through the payment gateway by credit card or bank transfer.

Unless otherwise indicated, the payment of the UPOV PRISMA fee is in Swiss francs (CHF).

For those PBR authorities that have requested that the application fee be paid using UPOV PRISMA please consult the following link for the applicable currency.

The transfer of money concerning the application fee to the PBR authority will be effected as soon as possible but may take a few days after receiving the money from the user.

The application data is transferred to the selected PBR authority without waiting for the transfer of money concerning the UPOV PRISMA fee and/or application fee, if applicable. As provided in the acknowledgement above, the user of UPOV PRISMA is responsible for fulfilling the requirements concerning the filing of applications and grants of breeders’ rights in accordance with the legislation of the member of the Union concerned.

Online payment confirmation is provided by the payment gateway and Finance Department will issue an invoice and a payment receipt within 10 working days.

Once application data has been transferred to the selected PBR authority, the UPOV PRISMA fee and any applicable application fees are considered due and are non-refundable.

If an error is made during submission, the user may submit a written request for reimbursement or invoice cancellation. This request must be received within one month of the submission date. The request must include a detailed justification for the error and the reason for requesting a reimbursement or invoice cancellation.

UPOV PRISMA will evaluate requests for reimbursement or invoice cancellation on a case-by-case basis. Approval will depend on the justification provided and the status of the application process with the PBR authority.

Requests for reimbursement or invoice cancellation should be sent to the UPOV PRISMA support team at prisma@upov.int

Support

The UPOV PRISMA team will ordinarily provide business and technical support for the UPOV PRISMA from 9 am to 5 pm, Geneva time, Monday to Friday (excluding UPOV official holidays and shut-down periods as specified on the UPOV PRISMA website).

Termination of use

You may inactivate your registration with UPOV PRISMA at any time through the user role management interface.

UPOV may immediately terminate your registration, access to and use of UPOV PRISMA by notice to you, if it determines that you have breached any of these Terms of Use.

UPOV may also suspend, and/or terminate your registration, use of or access to UPOV PRISMA for its own reasons and without any fault on your part provided that in such circumstances the UPOV PRISMA team will attempt to give you a reasonable time prior written notice of such suspension, termination where it considers that this is appropriate in its absolute discretion.

UPOV will not transfer any application data from you via UPOV PRISMA after the date of termination.

Settlement of disputes and applicable law

Users of UPOV PRISMA shall make their best efforts to amicably settle any dispute arising out of the use of UPOV PRISMA. If not settled amicably within sixty days after receipt by one Party of the other Party's written request for such amicable settlement, the dispute may be referred by either Party to arbitration in accordance with the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL) Arbitration Rules then in force. The appointing authority shall be the Secretary General of the Permanent Court of Arbitration. The place of arbitration shall be Geneva, Switzerland. The language to be used in the arbitral proceedings shall be English or French. The decisions of the arbitral tribunal shall be based on general principles of international commercial law. The arbitral tribunal shall have no authority to award punitive damages and no authority to award interest in excess of the London Inter-Bank Offered Rate (LIBOR) then prevailing, and any such interest shall be simple interest only. The Parties shall be bound by any arbitration award rendered as a result of such arbitration as the final adjudication of such a dispute.

Privileges and immunities

Nothing in or relating to the use of UPOV PRISMA shall be deemed a waiver, express or implied, of any of the privileges and immunities of UPOV.