US Would-Be GI Wins Solidarity Award From European GI Producers 28/10/2010 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment European proponents of geographical indications have granted an award to a Hawaiian coffee lacking GI protection as a sign of solidarity with the producers, they said. Europe is a prominent actor in this type of intellectual property right on products linked to a specific regions, and the French government along with a GI lobby group last week held an informational event geared towards Africa.
Bell Tolls For Biodiversity Benefit-Sharing Treaty 28/10/2010 by Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment Today the negotiating group on a protocol aimed at stopping biopiracy and rewarding countries providing genetic resources had to admit, hours from the end of the high-level meeting of the UN Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), that it has not reached an agreement on the draft text. The president of the convention gave them one more deadline of midnight in Nagoya, Japan, before ministers gather for the last time tomorrow.
Ministers Arrive To Help Reach Outcome At UN Convention On Biodiversity 27/10/2010 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment As ministers arrived in Nagoya, Japan, for the high-level segment of the UN Convention on Biological Diversity today, negotiators kept trying to reach consensus on remaining agenda items, such as a strategic plan, or an international legal instrument to prevent biopiracy and ensure the fair and equitable sharing of benefits accrued from the use of genetic resources.
Biodiversity Benefit-Sharing Treaty Negotiators Tackle New Text As Clock Ticks 26/10/2010 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment Another grace period has been given to negotiators trying feverishly to find agreement this week in Nagoya, Japan on an international instrument protecting countries against unlawful appropriation of their genetic resources and ensuring the fair sharing of benefits arising from the use of those resources. The delegates are to present their text Wednesday to the UN Convention on Biological Diversity meeting so that it can be approved by ministers.
Protocol on ABS Could Further Impoverish Indigenous Peoples, Groups Claim 26/10/2010 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment Indigenous peoples today walked out of the ongoing negotiations at the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity in Nagoya, Japan, according to an indigenous representative. Indigenous Peoples are being left with a bitter taste from the draft text of a protocol intended to protect against misappropriation of genetic resources and ensure the sharing of the benefits which arise from use of those resources under discussion by negotiators who may not hold the views of those peoples. The latest version of the draft protocol was issued today
Climate-Ready Crop Patents Present Danger For Biodiversity, Group Says 26/10/2010 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch 4 Comments NAGOYA, JAPAN – A civil society group this week warned government officials gathered here against patents on “climate-ready” crops and what they characterised as an attempt to obtain an exclusive monopoly over plant gene sequences. The group asked states at the United Nations biodiversity conference to recognise that such patents are a threat to biodiversity and to the fair and equitable sharing of the benefits arising from the utilisation of genetic resources.
Negotiators Persist On Biodiversity Benefit-Sharing Treaty Despite Slipping Deadlines 24/10/2010 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment NAGOYA, JAPAN – The monumental statue in the courtyard of the Nagoya Congress Center, featuring a warrior on his horse, could be an illustration of the work of the group of officials charged with negotiating a much-anticipated international treaty to protect genetic resources from misappropriation and justly reward provider countries. Meeting over the weekend, they could not find consensus on the text and will have to request another deadline from the United Nations meeting on biodiversity on Monday.
New Draft Biodiversity Treaty Text Shows Much Work Remains; Co-Chairs Hopeful 23/10/2010 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment NAGOYA, JAPAN – In weekend attire, delegates in charge of negotiating an international binding instrument protecting countries against misappropriation of their genetic resources arrived at Nagoya Congress Center on Saturday afternoon to take up a new draft text with a day and a half to solve remaining issues.
Biodiversity Negotiators Move Treaty Text Forward; Deadline Pushed To Monday 22/10/2010 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment NAGOYA, JAPAN – Officials negotiating this week on an international agreement to stop misuse of genetic resources appear to have reached minimal consensus on additional articles of the draft text under negotiation, though many specific areas of disagreement were resolved, they said. A Friday deadline for completion was pushed to Monday in the hope they can resolve deeper differences on fundamental issues such as traditional knowledge and compliance.
Indigenous Groups Allege Canadian Obstructionism To Biodiversity ABS Protocol 21/10/2010 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment NAGOYA, JAPAN – With the clock ticking and less than a day to go before a draft of a legally binding instrument to prevent biopiracy is due to be presented to the assembly of a major United Nations meeting on biodiversity, delegations kept trying to find acceptable language, with different echoes coming from the negotiating room. Meanwhile, Canadian indigenous people convened a press briefing today (21 October) to charge that Canada was trying to block the negotiations and deny their human rights.