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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