Judgment of the General Court of 29 April 2026 – Romagnoli Fratelli v CPVO (Melrose)

(Case T-573/24)  (1)

(Plant varieties - Grant of a Community plant variety right for the potato variety Melrose - Failure to pay the annual fee on time - Cancellation of right - Application for restitutio in integrum - Competence of the Board of Appeal - Concept of ‘particular circumstances’ - Conditions for notification of decisions and communications of the CPVO)

(C/2026/3057)

Language of the case: English

Parties

Applicant: Romagnoli Fratelli SpA (Bologna, Italy) (represented by: E. Truffo and A. Iurato, lawyers)

Defendant: Community Plant Variety Office (represented by: M. García-Moncó Fuente, M. Fortin, A. Christ and A. Pontecorvi, acting as Agents)

Re:

By its action under Article 263 TFEU, the applicant seeks annulment of the decision of the Board of Appeal of the Community Plant Variety Office (CPVO) of 3 August 2024 (Case A001/2023).

Operative part of the judgment

The Court:

1.	Dismisses the action;

2.	Orders Romagnoli Fratelli SpA to pay the costs.

---

(1)   OJ C, C/2025/918, 17.2.2025.