Category Traditional and Indigenous Knowledge

WIPO Publishes Expert Paper On Documenting Traditional Medical Knowledge

The World Intellectual Property Organization recently published a paper entitled, “Documenting Traditional Medical Knowledge.” Withthe growing use of traditional and alternative medicines in developed countries, their importance in developing countries' health systems and the multi-billion dollar potential of benefits for companies, “documenting and protecting these medicines is becoming a greater priority,” the document states.

EU’s Nagoya Protocol Ratification: How It Works

The European Union Council of Ministers on 14 April adopted a decision approving the ratification of a protocol meant to facilitate access to genetic resources and to provide the fair sharing of commercial benefits with provider countries. The target date for ratification is July 2014, according to the EU.

UPOV Publishes List Of FAQs As Part Of Communications Strategy

The International Union for the Protection of New Varieties of Plants (UPOV), an enigma organisation to some, has published a list of answers to frequently asked questions on its website.

UPOV Approves ARIPO Draft Legislation Spreading Plant Variety Protection To Africa

The African Regional Intellectual Property Office last week obtained a positive decision at the international level on its draft law to protect new varieties of plants. Amid protest from civil society, the regional office now has to adopt the draft law and has said it would convene a diplomatic conference (high-level negotiation) in 2014 in order to do so.

UN Indigenous Rights Expert Says ‘Redskins’ Name A “Hurtful Reminder” Of Past Mistreatment

ames Anaya, United Nations special rapporteur on the rights of indigenous peoples, today called on the owners of the Washington Redskins Football team to recognise that the name ‘Redskins’ constitutes a “hurtful reminder” of the “long history of mistreatment of Native American people in the United States.”

Protection Of Folklore Joins TK, GR On Way To WIPO General Assembly

After two weeks of drafting articles of potential international instruments aimed at protecting traditional knowledge and folklore from misappropriation, World Intellectual Property Organization delegates agreed to forward the revised texts for the consideration of the General Assembly in September.

Protection Of Folklore In Draft International Instrument Under Discussion At WIPO

World Intellectual Property Organization delegates this week are trying to refine draft articles relating to the protection of traditional cultural expressions (folklore) that could form the basis for an international instrument. Delegates also are considering the connection of the issue to traditional knowledge.

Revised Text On TK Protection On Its Way To WIPO Assembly

Just like the draft text on the protection of genetic resources last month, a set of draft articles on the protection of traditional knowledge have cleared a hurdle and will be forwarded to the World Intellectual Property Organization General Assembly next autumn.

New Draft Text At WIPO On Protection Of Traditional Knowledge

This morning, the World Intellectual Property Organization committee on traditional knowledge issued a revised set of draft articles of an international instrument aimed at protecting traditional knowledge against misappropriation.