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Whereas it is recognized that technical difficulties in potato breeding require expenditure of research activities for a long period in comparison with the overwhelming majority of all the other agricultural crops; whereas, in addition, experience on the market has shown that a new potato variety reveals its commercial value only in the long term in comparison with those agricultural species requiring also long-term research activities; whereas, for these reasons, an equitable refunding of the research activities is only possible at a fairly late stage of the protection in comparison with the other agricultural crops; Whereas, in order to establish a legal environment conducive to achieving such equitable refunding, an extension of the initial duration of a Community plant variety right by a further five years in the case of potatoes is the most appropriate measure; Whereas such extension should apply to all valid Community plant variety rights which were granted prior to the entry into force of this Regulation or which will be granted in future unless such a right is duly surrendered by the holder or terminated by a decision of the Community Plant Variety Office;

Whereas the period of extension should be reduced if a national property right or rights in respect of the same variety has or have been effective in a Member State prior to the grant of a Community plant variety right and, accordingly, would have allowed a breeder already to take advantage of his variety; whereas a comparable principle was already laid down under the transitional provisions of Article 116 of Regulation (EC) No 2100/94, HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION: