RED DE PROPIEDAD INTELLECTUAL E INDUSTRIALEN LATINOAMÉRICA

PILA-Network is a project co-funded by the European Union in the framework of the ALFA programme

MODULE2IP BASICS

Traditional Knowledge

TRADITIONAL KNOWLEDGE

KNOWLEDGEKNOWLEDGE

VALUESTATE OF

MANAGEMENTLEVEL OF PUBLIC

OWNERSHIP

PLANT VARIETY PROTECTION

TWO MAIN INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY TWO MAIN INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY REGIMESREGIMES

•PATENT RIGHTS

•SUI GENERIS SYSTEM (PLANT VARIETY LAW)

TRADITIONAL KNOWLEDGE

NARROW SENSENARROW SENSE

TK may include

• environmental• agricultural• medicinal knowledge• knowledge associated with

genetic resources

WIDE SENSEWIDE SENSE(TK IN A NARROW SENSE + SOME COMPONENTS OF TCE)

TK may include

• agricultural knowledge

• scientific knowledge

• technical knowledge

• ecological knowledge

• medicinal knowledge (including medicines and remedies)

• biodiversity-related knowledge

• TCE in the form of music, dance, song, handicrafts, designs, stories and artwork, elements of languages, such as names, geographical indications and symbols

•movable cultural properties.

NATURE OF TK

•Traditional

•Passed between generations

•Holistic

•Not produced systematically

•Dinamic

EXAMPLES OF TK

• jamujamu which is traditional Indonesian herbal medicine

• plaoplao noinoi used in Thailand for the treatment of ulcers

• Indian neem treeneem tree used for medicinal treatment

• OlmakutikutiOlmakutikuti which is a traditional herb for treating sexually transmitted diseases

• turmericturmeric used in India for wound-healing

• qanatqanat which is water system in Iran for sustainable irrigation

• aflajaflaj which is water system in Oman and Yemen for sustainable irrigation

• j’oubliej’oublie used in Cameroon and Gabon as a sweetener

• ayahuascaayahuasca used in Amazon basin for sacred religious and healing purposes

PURPOSE OF TK PROTECTION

• promote a sense of national cohesion and identity

• preserve and conserve TK

• protect the dignity of holders of TK

• recognize the rights of TK holders to maintain control, protect and develop their TK

• prevent of unauthorized TK use by others (protect against misuse or misappropriation)

• encourage and promote TK-based innovations

SYSTEMS OF TK PROTECTION

1. IPRs

PROTECTION STARTEGIESPROTECTION STARTEGIES

i. Positive protection Preventing the unauthorized or illegitimate use of TK

ii. Defensive protectionPreventing the acquisition of IPR over TK

2. SUI GENERIS SYSTEM

SYSTEMS OF TK PROTECTION

OHER LEGAL CONCEPTS• Prior informed consent• Unfair competition• Equitable benefit sharing

INTERNATIONAL ACTS - EXAMPLES• Convention on Biological Diversity• United Nation Convention to Combat Desertification• International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food

and Agriculture

RIGHT HOLDERS

RIGHT HOLDERS OF TK

AN INDIVIDUALMULTIPLE

INDIVIDUALSWHOLE

COMMUNITY

COMMERCIALIZATION OF TK

Indian neem tree is used as an antiseptics, antimicrobials treatment of urinary disorders, diarrhoea, fever and bronchitis, skin diseases, septic sores, infected burns, hypertension and inflammatory diseases.

Sorce (informations about neem tree and the photo): J. Cornborough, Neem: An Ancient Cure for a Modern World, Positive Health Online,

www.positivehealth.com/article-view.php?articleid=756

COMMERCIALIZATION OF TK

TWO EXAMPLES OF EXPLOITATION OF neem tree IN MODERN COSMETICS AND MEDICINE BY TREEPLUS COMPANY

1. Neemplus®Lotion usuf for dermatitis, all dry skin disorders, eczema

2. Neemplus®Capsules taken to feel

stronger

Source (informations and photos): www.treeplus.co.uk/neem_plus_products.htm;

www.treeplus.co.uk/neem_plus_lotion.htm; www.treeplus.co.uk/neem_plus_capsules.htm

COMMERCIALIZATION OF TK

URUKU TREE serves the Brazilian Yawanawa tribe e.g. as an insect repellant or to produce uruku pigment.

Source (photo): www.library.thinkquest.org/04oct/01873/amaz.htm

URUKU PIGMENT is exploited by the company Aveda Corporation (today part of Estée Lauder Companies Inc.) as an ingredient of different kind of cosmetics

Photo taken by Faith Lawless, source: www.makeup.about.com/od/whatsnew/fr/AvedaUruku.htm

MONOPOLIZATION OF TK THROUGH IPRs

1. The plao noi case

2. The ayahuasca case

3. The taumatin case

4. The neem tree case

BIOPIRACY – unauthorized use of TK

FORMS OF ILLEGAL BEHAVIOR

ILLEGAL ACTS

i. Acts prohibited under IPR laws

ii. Acts prohibited under sui generis laws

MISAPPROPRIATION

SANCTIONS – different forms

WIPO INTERGOVERNMENTAL COMMITTEE ON INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY AND GENETIC RESOURCES, TRADITIONAL KNOWLEDGE AND FOLKLORE

20002000 – ESTABLISHMENT

MAIN OBJECTIVEMAIN OBJECTIVE - RESEARCH ON THE PRESERVATION AND PROTECTION OF TK

DRAFT PROVISIONSDRAFT PROVISIONS FOR THE PROTECTION OF TK AGAINST MISAPPROPRIATION AND MISUSE

RED DE PROPIEDAD INTELLECTUAL E INDUSTRIALEN LATINOAMÉRICA

PILA-Network is a project co-funded by the European Union in the framework of the ALFA programme

Thank you for your attentionwww.pila-network.org

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