4-Patents: Web page of UK Commission on Intellectual Property Rights

[GENET <genetnl@xs4all.be>]

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TITLE:  Web page of UK Commission on Intellectual Property Rights
SOURCE: Commission on Intellectual Property Rights, UK
ΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚhttp://www.iprcommission.org
DATE:   August 2001

------------------ archive: http://www.gene.ch/genet.html ------------------


The Commission on Intellectual Property Rights website is now fully 
operational at:

http://www.iprcommission.org

The Commission on Intellectual Property Rights (CIPR) is an initiative of 
the UK Government, financed by the Department for International Development 
(DFID). It is looking at how national and international intellectual 
property rules and practices might be improved to take greater account of 
the needs and interests of poor people and developing countries. The idea 
of creating the CIPR originated in the UK Government's White Paper on 
International Development "Eliminating World Poverty: Making Globalisation 
Work for the Poor" published in December 2000. The aim is for the 
Commission to report by March 2002.

We hope the website will be a means of communication with the far-flung and 
diverse constituency interested in this subject, and a way for the 
Commission and this community to exchange views. Amongst other things, on 
the site you will find details of past and forthcoming commission events 
and summaries of studies being undertaken. In particular we hope to run a 
series of moderated on-line debates in a couple of months' time. But we 
would also value your comments on any issues relating to intellectual 
property rights and development at any time. These can be submitted at 
http://www.iprcommission.org/submit.asp, and published submissions can be 
viewed at www.iprcommission.org/submissions.asp.

If you submit views we ask you to register (only very basic information is 
required). On registering you will also be asked if you want to join any of 
the e-mail lists so that we can keep you informed at irregular intervals 
about Commission activities in your area of interest. Although you do not 
need to register to view any part of the site, we would encourage you to do 
so, as we will then know who is interested in our work. You can register at 
http://www.iprcommission.org/register.asp

This is a one off mailshot, and you will not receive further correspondence 
from us unless you specifically request it. If you wish to communicate 
directly with us, rather than through our website, the e-mail address is:

ipr@iprcommission.org

Please forward this e-mail to others on your networks, who may not have 
received it directly. Apologies if you receive this more than once.

Regards

CIPR SECRETARIAT

*****

Study Areas: Genetic Resources, Agriculture and Traditional Knowledge.

This study area will investigate the issues that concern the exploitation 
and protection of genetic, agricultural and traditional knowledge 
resources, and the rights of the source communities.

- The present systems of plant variety protection used in developing 
countries, either through UPOV or sui-generis systems, and whether these 
are suitable for developing country needs.

- The impacts of the implementation of TRIPS, in terms of the effect on 
innovation and cost of agricultural technology, seed saving and sharing, 
and incentives for pro poor biotechnological research.

- The potential conflicts between TRIPS and the CBD over access the genetic 
resources and benefit sharing, and possible amendments or modifications the 
international IPR regulations.

- The problems of 'biopiracy'; whether IPRs can provide adequate protection 
for the genetic resources and traditional knowledge of communities in 
developing countries, and are a suitable and equitable system for ensuring 
that these groups share in the benefits of the exploitation of their 
genetic resources.

- The situation regarding the patenting of human genetic information, the 
consequences of these practices for developing countries, and the issue of 
consent of people donating or sharing donated genetic material.



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|                   GENET                     |
| European NGO Network on Genetic Engineering |
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