FYI in the U.S. you can get a utility patent on any variety. Its not specific to the GMO. Patents differ from regular PVP (plant variety protection) in that they restrict others using it in breeding efforts.

The major difference is varieties are not patentable in the EU but GMO are.

Of course the varieties were intended for countries that do not enforce U.S. or E.U. intellectual property laws anyways. So it was not possible for Monsanto to collect royalties on golden rice in the target market.

That announcement was them trying to put a positive marketing spin on it. "Oh we won't attempt to seek royalties on a product in countries we can't collect royalties in..."