Ideas Offered For IP And Genetic Resources In WIPO Committee

A new paper from the International Centre for Trade and Sustainable Development (ICTSD) offers ideas on addressing misappropriation of genetic resources and traditional knowledge at the World Intellectual Property Organization.

The WIPO Intergovernmental Committee on Genetic Resources, Traditional Knowledge and Folklore (IGC) meets this week, from 14-22 February.

The paper, “Bridging the Gap on Intellectual Property and Genetic Resources in WIPO’s Intergovernmental Committee (IGC),” by David Vivas-Eugui (Issue Paper No. 34) is available here.

The paper looks at the different fora in which these issues have been addressed in recent years, with an acceleration in the past two years in the IGC.

“Against this background,” ICTSD said in a release, “this issue paper examines at length the range of measures and options discussed in the IGC especially biodiversity disclosure requirements and databases. It also considers the binding or non-binding nature of the instrument(s) that might emerge from the IGC and their different implications. In connection to all these aspects, the paper makes recommendations regarding processes, substance and existing research gaps that could contribute towards advancing the IGC’s deliberations.”