TRIPS-plus must stop by GRAIN | 15 Mar 2003 The European Union caught in blatant contradictions - This month, a new bilateral agreement between the EU and Lebanon entered into force. Under this treaty, Lebanon must join UPOV within the next four years. If this is championing farmers' rights to save seeds, then something is really messed up. The European Union caught in blatant contradictions - This month, a new bilateral agreement between the EU and Lebanon entered into force. Under this treaty, Lebanon must join UPOV within the next four years. If this is championing farmers' rights to save seeds, then something is really messed up.