And now:Ish <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> writes: Resent-Date: Tue, 23 Feb 1999 03:12:46 -0800 X-Sender: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Date: Tue, 23 Feb 1999 19:06:31 +0800 To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] From: GRAIN Los Banos Subject: [BIO-IPR] Trade, Intellectual Property, Food and Biodiversity BIO-IPR resource pointer ________________________________________________________ AUTHOR: Geoff Tansey TITLE: Trade, Intellectual Property, Food and Biodiversity: Key issues and options for the 1999 review of Article 27.3(b)of the TRIPS Agreement PUBLISHER: Quaker Peace and Service, London DATE: February 1999 URL: http://www.quaker.org/quno NOTE: For further information and follow-up in using the paper, contact Brewster Grace at: <[EMAIL PROTECTED] >. Key points are presented below. ________________________________________________________ Trade, Intellectual Property, Food and Biodiversity Key issues and options for the 1999 review of Article 27.3(b)of the TRIPS Agreement A Discussion Paper by Geoff Tansey published by Quaker Peace & Service, London, February 1999. There is a growing debate about how intellectual property rights, such as patents, will affect food, farming, and biodiversity, in particular, through the Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) at the World Trade Organisation and other agreements. This 24 page discussion paper reviews the complexities and uncertainties surrounding the impact of the current multilateral Intellectual Property Rights (IPRs) regime, on plants and animals, on plant variety protection systems, and on food security and agricultural biodiversity. It concludes that these ambiguities caution against any strengthening of such rights at this time. KEY POINTS: Section 1 examines the nature of IPRs, their origin and role in market economies, and the balance they represent between providing incentives to create knowledge and the desirability of disseminating knowledge freely for everyone�s benefit. Section 2 examines the clause in the TRIPS Agreement - Article 27.3(b) � that permits exceptions from patentability for plants, animals and biological processes, and includes the requirement for a sui generis system of IP protection for plant varieties or use of patents or both. Section 3 considers the key issues for the 1999 review of Article 27.3(b) � its scope, review options, the different positions being taken by various countries, and the relationship between the review and other international obligations, notably those under the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) and International Undertaking on Plant Genetic Resources (IU). Section 4 looks at some: moral and ethical issues including concerns about patents on lifeforms, the nature of invention, risks to democracy and, the lack of equity in the international negotiations. economic issues concerning technology transfer and R&D priorities. environmental issues relating to the links between patents and the rapid development of genetic engineering. potentially socially disruptive effects on local farming systems through rapid changes in the economic structure. Section 5 discusses the potential for practical short-term assistance in the review process and some longer-term issues for Official Development Assistance (ODA) Section 6 covers brief conclusions and recommendations including provision of short - term policy development assistance for developing countries, both in capitals and in Geneva, as well as suggestions for wide-ranging national stakeholder consultations on the issues raised by IPRs protection on lifeforms. Contacts: QPS Brewster Grace (QUNO representative) <[EMAIL PROTECTED] Geoff Tansey (author) <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> _________________________________________________________ ABOUT THIS LISTSERVER -- BIO-IPR is an irregular listserver put out by Genetic Resources Action International (GRAIN). Its purpose is to circulate information about recent developments in the field of intellectual property rights related to biodiversity & associated knowledge. BIO-IPR is a strictly non-commercial and educational service for nonprofit organisations and individuals active in the struggle against IPRs on life. HOW TO PARTICIPATE -- To get on the mailing list, send the word "subscribe" (no quotes) as the subject of an email message to <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>. To get off the list, send the word "unsubscribe" instead. To submit material to the list, address your message to <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>. A note with further details about BIO-IPR is sent to all subscribers. ABOUT GRAIN -- For general information about GRAIN, you may visit our wwwsite http://www.grain.org or send an email to <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>. &&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&& Tsonkwadiyonrat (We are ONE Spirit) Unenh onhwa' Awayaton http://www.tdi.net/ishgooda/ &&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&
