    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: William J. Clinton (1995, Book II)]
    [September 5, 1995]
    [Pages 1309-1310]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    Message to the Senate Transmitting the International Convention for the
    Protection of New Varieties of Plants
    September 5, 1995

    To the Senate of the United States:
        I transmit herewith for Senate advice and consent to ratification
    the International Convention for the Protection of New Varieties of
    Plants of December 2, 1961, as Revised at Geneva on November 10, 1972,
    on October 23, 1978, and on March 19, 1991, and signed by the United
    States on October 25, 1991 (hereinafter ``the 1991 Act of the UPOV
    Convention''). I transmit for the information of the Senate, the report
    of the Department of State with respect to the Convention.
        Ratification of the Convention is in the best interests of the
    United States. It demonstrates a domestic commitment to effective
    protection for intellectual property in the important field of plant
    breeding. It is also consistent with United States foreign policy of
    encouraging other countries to provide adequate and effective
    intellectual property protection, including that for plant varieties.
        I recommend, therefore, that the Senate give early and favorable
    consideration to the 1991 Act of the UPOV Convention and give its advice

    [[Page 1310]]

    and consent to ratification subject to a reservation under Article
    35(2), which allows parties to the existing Convention (the 1978 Act) to
    retain their present patent systems for certain varieties of plants.

                                                          William J. Clinton

    The White House,

    September 5, 1995.