Category Environment

Year Ahead In IP, Biotech, Biodiversity: A Trio Fuelling Debates, Opportunities In 2013

The coming year promises to be very interesting at the intersection of intellectual property with biotechnology and biodiversity. Patentability of human genes in the United States, of conventionally bred plants in Europe, plant breeders' rights and the management of regulatory authorisations when patents on genetic traits expire, the future of genetically modified organisms in developing countries, and the usual resistance they are meeting from civil society and famers' groups are some of the issues that will continue to feed debates – and potentially create opportunities - in 2013.

Draft Text On Protection Of Genetic Resources On Its Way To WIPO Assembly

At the end of a weeklong drafting exercise, World Intellectual Property Organization delegates have produced a text on the protection of genetic resources that appears to be headed to the organisation's annual General Assembly next September. And some members hope that a high-level meeting will be convened in the course of 2014 to agree on an international instrument or instruments protecting genetic resources against misappropriation.

WIPO Update: Improved Text On Genetic Resources; Disclosure Still Undecided

The second revision of a text on the protection of genetic resources was provided to the World Intellectual Property Organization country delegates this morning. The document, which has been streamlined by facilitators, contains a number of bracketed text, showing divergences which will require further work, including resolving how to track origin of genetic material in patent applications.

Genetic Origin In Food And Agriculture Difficult To Identify, Say Seed Treaty Officials

Global food security lies in the capacity to access and contribute to a wide pool of genetic material, the chair of the United Nations treaty on plant genetic material said on the margin of this week’s World Intellectual Property Organization meeting on the protection of genetic resources. But the origin of this genetic material is often impossible to determine, particularly for crops, the treaty secretary said.

Indigenous Peoples Rights’ Reaffirmed By UN Rapporteur, Panellists, At WIPO

The United Nations Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Indigenous People, James Anaya, was invited to speak at the opening of the World Intellectual Property Committee on Intellectual Property and Genetic Resources, Traditional Knowledge and Folklore (IGC) yesterday. Along with other indigenous peoples representatives, he called for more participation of indigenous peoples in the process and a focus on the protection of their traditional knowledge, while WIPO raised alarm on the almost thorough depletion of the voluntary fund allowing the participation of indigenous peoples.

Genetic Resources And Traditional Knowledge : Getting The Rules Right For Agriculture: A Key Challenge For WIPO’s IGC

An essential relationship exists among the conservation, development and use of genetic resources, sustainable agriculture and food security. There is an equally essential relationship between the conservation, development and use of genetic resources and small scale-farmers. The strength and effectiveness of any treaty addressing IP and genetic resources depends on the meaningful participation of small-scale farmers, and those that can represent them, as in the treaty deliberations continuing next week at WIPO, write Susan Bragdon and Lynn Finnegan.

IP-Watch Looks At The Year Ahead In International IP Policy

What will 2013 bring for international intellectual property and innovation policy?

In the coming Intellectual Property Watch series for subscribers, our expert writers take a look at the top global policy issues and events in copyright, public health, legal battles, food security/biotech/biodiversity, trade, development, internet governance and more.