The World Intellectual Prpperty Organization (WIPO) announced today the approval of the new WIPO Treaty on Intellectual Property, Genetic Resources and Associated Traditional Knowledge .
«This is the first WIPO Treaty to address the interface between intellectual property, genetic resources and traditional knowledge and the first WIPO Treaty to include provisions specifically for Indigenous Peoples as well as local communities«, stated the WIPO in its press released.
The Treaty, once it enters into force with 15 contracting parties, will establish in international law a new disclosure requirement for patent applicants whose inventions are based on genetic resources and/or associated traditional knowledge: «Broadly, where a claimed invention in a patent application is based on genetic resources, each contracting party shall require applicants to disclose the country of origin or source of the genetic resources. Where the claimed invention in a patent application is based on traditional knowledge associated with genetic resources, each contracting party shall require applicants to disclose the Indigenous Peoples or local community, as applicable, who provided the traditional knowledge», indicated WIPO.
The negotiations of this treaty started 25 years ago and were succesfully concluded in the framework of the Diplomatic Conference on Genetic Resources and Associated Traditional Knowledge, organized in Geneva, from 13 to 24 May, 2024. Indigenous Peoples delegates – represented by the Indigenous Caucus – participated of the negotiations and the conference.
Access the full text of the treaty here.