workshop3.docx

workshop3.docx

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workshop3

CommissiononIntellectualPropertyRights

Workshop3:

GeneticResources,Gene-basedInventionsandAgriculture

19thNovember2001

Participants:

MichaelBlakeney（UniversityofLondon）,LindaBrown（DFID）,PeterButton（UPOV）,JohnMugabe（ACTS）,PatrickMulvany（ITDG）,DwijenRangnekar（UniversityofLondon）,SumanSahai（GeneCampaign）,CliveStannard（FAO）,GeoffTansey（Consultant）,RuchiTripathi（ActionAid）.

Commissioners:

SandyThomas（Chair）,DanielAlexander,CarlosCorreaandRameshMashelkar.

Secretariat:

CharlesClift,TomPengelly,PhilThorpe,RobFitter.

Summary:

Thefirstsessionoftheworkshopcomprisedpresentationsbytheauthorsofthetwostudypaperscommissionedonthistopic,followedbyaresponsebyadiscussantandageneraldiscussionofthepaper.ThefirstPaperbyBlakeneyfocusedonrecommendationsregardingTRIPSArticle27.3（b）,andpromptedadiscussionontheunderstandingofTRIPSinthiscontextanditsrelationshipwiththeCBD.Thesecondpaper,byRangnekar,reviewedtheevidenceavailableontheimpactsofIPRsonagriculturaldevelopmentandinitiatedadebateonsuigenerisoptionsforPVPandtheiraccessimplications.ThesecondsessionlookedintoissuessuchastheflexibilitieswithinTRIPS,suigenerisalternatives,foodsecurityandtheglobalagriculturalsystem,andtechnologicalR&Dinthepublicandprivatesectors.Thethirdsessiondealtwiththerelationshipsbetweenthevariousinternationalagreementsconcerninggeneticresources,theirimplementationandimpactonaccesstothecommonresourcebase.Disclosureoforiginwasafurthermajortopicofdebate.Thefinalsessiondrewtogetherthedifferentstrandsoftheworkshopdiscussions,highlightingthemostimportantareasforthecommissiontoconcentrateonandsuggestingpotentialrecommendation.

Glossary

ACTSAfricanCentreforTechnologyStudies

CBDConventiononBiologicalDiversity

CGIARConsultativeGroupforInternationalAgriculturalResearch

COFABConventionofFarmersandBreeders

DFIDDepartmentforInternationalDevelopment（UK）

DUSThecriteriaforPVP:

Distinctiveness,UniformityandStability

EPCEuropeanPatentConvention

FAOFoodandAgricultureOrganisation（UN）

GFARTheGlobalForumonAgriculturalResearch

GMGeneticModification

GURTSGeneticUseRestrictionTechnologies

IPIntellectualProperty

IPRIntellectualPropertyRights

ISNARInternationalServiceforNationalAgriculturalResearch

ITDGIntermediateTechnologyDevelopmentGroup

ITPGRInternationalTreatyonPlantGeneticResources（FAO）

IUPGRInternationalUndertakingonPlantGeneticResources（FAO）

LDCLeastdevelopedcountry

MNCMulti-nationalcompany

MTAMaterialtransferagreement

OAUOrganisationofAfricanUnity

PPPPublic–PrivatePartnership

PVPPlantVarietyProtection

R&DResearchandDevelopment

TKTraditionalKnowledge

TRIPSAgreementonTrade-RelatedAspectsofIntellectualPropertyRights（WTO）

UPOVUnionInternationalepourlaProtectiondesObtentionsVegetales（InternationalUnionfortheProtectionofNewVarietiesofPlants）

WTOWorldTradeOrganisation

Session1:

Presentationanddiscussionofthestudypapers

BlakeneyPresentation

ProfessorBlakeneyputforwardthefollowingpropositionsasameanstostimulatediscussion:

TheLinkBetweenArticle27.3（b）andDevelopment

Recommendations

a.Reviewtheimpactofbiotechpatentsonagriculturalresearchindevelopingcountries.

b.Reviewthebreadthofclaimspermittedinbiotechpatenting.

c.ReviewtheextentoftheutilisationofSoutherngeneticresourcesandpublicgermplasmcollections（e.g.theCGIARcollection）.

d.EstablishanInternationalInstitutetoprovidetechnicalassistancetodevelopingcountriesongeneticresourcesmanagement.

TechnicalIssuesRelatingtoPatentandPlantVarietyProtectionUnderArt.27.3（b）

Recommendations

a.Preservetherightofanycountrytoexcludeplantsandanyparts,includinggenesequencesandfragments,frompatentability.

b.Adoptclearrulesindicatingthatnaturallyoccurringplantmaterials,includinggenesandgenesequences,shouldnotbepatentable.

c.Definethenoveltyrequirementtoexcludefrompatenting,anysubjectmatterwhichisavailabletothepublicasawrittendescription,usedinindigenouscommunities,orinagermplasmcollection.

d.Establishcommitmentsbygovernmentsnottogrant,ortocancel,IPRsonmaterialsobtainedfrominternationalgermplasmcollectionswheresuchmaterialsareinviolationofanyMaterialTransferAgreements.

e.DefineplantvarietiesunderArticle27.3（b）topermitadualsystemofprotectionwhichincludesbothmodernaswellasfarmers'varieties.

f.Allowanexceptionforexperimentationonpatentedplantmaterials.

TechnicalIssuesRelatingtotheSuiGenerisProtectionofPlantVarieties

SuigenerisOptions

a.LandracesshouldbeexcludedfromIPprotection.

b.Materialingermplasmcollectionsshouldbeprotectedthroughpublication,andcollectedmaterialsprotectedbymaterialtransferagreements.

c.Formedicinalplants,acertificateofnoveltyshouldberequiredforPVP.

d.PVPshouldnotbeobtainedforwildspecies.

e.AfterpurchasethePVPrightwillbeexhaustedandanyfurthertransactionswiththeseedwillbepermissible.

EthicalIssuesRelatingtothePatentabilityofLifeforms

Recommendations

a.ConsultstakeholdersontheethicalimpactofIPRsonlivingmaterials.

b.DeveloppolicyguidelinesforIPofficesonthebalancingofpublicandprivateinterestsintheareaofbiotechnology.

RelationshipofArticle27.3（b）totheConservationandSustainableUseofGeneticMaterial

Recommendations

a.TheCBDbegrantedobserverstatusontheCouncilforTRIPS.

RelationshipofArticle27.3（b）withtheConceptsofTraditionalKnowledgeandFarmers’Rights.

Recommendations

a.SuigenerispossibilitiesforFarmersRightslegislation（c.f.AfricanModel）.

b.Developoptionsforseedsavingfordifferentcategoriesoffarmers.

c.Establishacentralfundfromwhichthebreederispaidonthebasisoftheareagrown,andinexchange,farmersarepermittedtosave,exchangeandtradetheseedfromtheprotectedvarietyonanon-commercialbasis.

d.Provideassistancetodevelopingcountriesinformulatinglegislationtoassistfarmersincontributingtotheevolution,conservation,improvementandsustainableuseofplantgeneticresourcesforfoodandagriculture.

e.Formulatemeasuresforcreditfacilitiesandmarketprovisionsgoverningfarmers'accesstoplantgeneticresourcesforenhancingtraditionalgeneticresources,developmenttheexchangesystems.

Discussant

ApotentialproblemforimplementingtheArticleisthatitrunscountertoelementsoftheEuropeanBiotechnologyDirectiveandcouldthereforebedifficultforEuropeangovernmentstoagreeto.

InresponsetomanyoftherecommendationsmadetotheCommission,itwasunclearwhowouldbeabletoundertaketheextensivereviewingsuggested.TheCommisionhaslimitedtimetoprepareitsreportandisunlikelytobeabletoaddresstheserecommendations.Otherinitiatives,suchastheconversionoftheInternationalUndertakingtoaTreaty,werestartingtodealwithissuesrelatingarticle27.3（b）withdevelopment,andISNARisdevelopingtechnicalassistanceregimes.TheCommissionshouldfocusonwhatiscanachieveinitstimeframe.

ItwasrecognisedthatthereislittleunderstandingintheinternationalcommunityoftheTRIPS27.3（b）,andtheCommissioncouldplayanimportantrolebyexplainingclearlythedifferentinterpretationoptionsandflexibilities（suchastheimportanceofaresearchexemption）,andthemeaningofphrases（suchasnon-biologicalprocesses）.DefiningtermsintheArticleneedstobeveryprecise,qualifyingtermslike’plants‘with‘astheyexistinnature’.QuestionswereraisedabouttheexclusionoflandracesintheArticle,andtheeffectthishasonthelevelofprotectionbyIPorfromIP（throughrestrictedaccess）.Clarificationwasrecommended.

Thediscussantagreedwiththeethicalissuesraisedinthepresentation,especiallyinregardtostakeholderinvolvement.

Discussion

TherelationshipbetweenTRIPSandtheCBDisthoughttobeconflictingbysomedevelopingcountries.HowevertheCBDonlyreferstoIPinawaythatdoesnotjeopardisetheobjectivesoftheCBD,andtheflexibilitiesinthetwoagreementsmeanthattheycanbeimplementedtoeithercomplementorconflict,asrequired.Butwhatevertheinterpretation,theremustbeprecisionindeterminingwheretherearepossibleconflicts.

Theuseof‘disclosureoforiginofmaterials’asarequirementforIPapplicationcouldbeheldbysometoconflictwithTRIPS,whichstatesthatonlythestandardthreerequirements;novelty,non-obviousnessandindustrialapplicability,needbemet.Andifnaturallyoccurringmaterialisnotpatentable,whyshouldtheisolationofpartsofthatmaterialbegroundsforgrantingapatent?

TheFAOInternationalTreatyonPlantGeneticResourcesforFoodandAgriculture（ITPGR）isinharmonywiththeCBD,coveringthespecificneedsofagricultureandholdsthemiddlegroundbetweentheCBD（environmental）andTRIPS（trade）.Article9dealsspecificallywithFarmers’Rights.

RangnekarPresentation

EvidencefromDevelopedCountries

ThereisevidenceofonlyamodestandunevenimpactofPVPonR&Dinvestmentacrosscropsandcompanies.EvidencefromtheUSsuggestsoldercompaniesaremoresuccessfulataccumulatingknowledgeresourcesandmajormarketcropsaresubjecttothemostintenseIPfocus.

Evidencesuggestsincreasesinnumberofvarietiesreleased,butissuesconcerningvarietalqualityandplannedobsolescenceremain.Andthereseemstobenolinkbetweenrateofprotectionofvarietiesandnumberrel