A look back at the 55th session of the UPOV TWA in Seoul
The 55th session of the UPOV Technical Working Party for Agricultural Crops (TWA) was held in Seoul, Republic of Korea, from 15 to 18 June 2026.
Discussions focused on several key topics shaping the future of DUS examinations, including the revision of Test Guidelines (notably the completion of the fodder beet TG revision), as well as the development of new technologies for DUS testing, such as image analysis and the use of molecular markers.
The exchanges confirmed members’ strong commitment to the international harmonization of procedures, while also highlighting challenges related to the simplification, transparency and funding of new approaches and digital tools.
The session also marked the final meeting chaired by Ľubomír Bašta (Slovakia). Anne-Lise Corbel (GEVES, France) has been proposed as the next Chair of the TWA group.
The next TWA session will take place in Ghana from 21 to 24 June 2027.
