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South Centre Side Event - Eleventh Session of the WIPO GRTKF, 9 July, 2007

 


 

Towards an International Sui Generis Regime for the Protection of Traditional Knowledge

 

The Innovation and Access to Knowledge Programme (IAKP) of the South Centre held on July 9th 2007 a panel discussion at the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) as a side event to the Eleventh Session of the Intergovernmental Committee on Intellectual Property and Genetic Resources, Traditional Knowledge and Folklore (GRTKF).

 

Background and Objective

 

Many developing countries with the support of their indigenous and traditional communities seek to negotiate and conclude an international binding instrument to provide sui generis protection for traditional knowledge (TK) within the WIPO. However, discussion on the international sui generis regime in the GRTKF remains limited.

 

The objective of the panel will be to identify possible elements for an international system that would provide alternative sui generis TK protection. To this aim, the panel will discuss two interrelated questions:

 

  • What are the key obstacles of the current intellectual property system to provide protection for traditional knowledge?

  • What are the alternatives to an international sui generis regime on traditional knowledge protection?

Agenda

Speakers’ Biographies

 

Presentations

 

  1. Inadequacy of Patent Regime on Traditional Knowledge Protection - A Diagnosis of 13-year Traditional Medicinal Knowledge Patent Experience in China, Dr. Xuan Li.

  2. TIP Right: A Proposal for a Sui Generis Right for Traditional Knowledge Protection, Prof. Thomas Cottier.

  3. Future Pathways Towards A Sui Generis Regime on Traditional Knowledge Protection, Mr. David Vivas-Eugui.

© 2006, South Centre, Geneva, Switzerland