Southern States - Kerala   

WIPO to help India on IPR issues

By Our Staff Reporter

KOCHI NOV. 11. The World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO) would initiate new steps to strengthen its ongoing co-operation with India in the area of intellectual property rights (IPR) issues.

The regional seminar held here for countries in Asia and the Pacific would contribute significantly to the process of opening up new vistas in the area of IPR, Narendra K.Sabharwal, senior director, Cooperation for Development Bureau for Asia and the Pacific, WIPO, said here today.

Mr. Sabharwal was speaking at the three-day seminar on "Intellectual Property and Genetic Resources, Traditional Knowledge and Folklore'' here today.

The seminar was jointly organised by WIPO, the Ministry of Human Resources Development and the Cochin University of Science and Technology (Cusat).

Mr. Sabharwal said that WIPO had been an active partner in assisting India's efforts to modernise its intellectual property systems.

The organisation would continue its ongoing relationship with the country by exploring intellectual property issues relating to traditional knowledge, access to genetic resources and protection of expressions of folklore, he said.

He said that efforts by the country in creating a traditional knowledge digital library (TKDL) had already won international acclaim from the international community.

WIPO had recently organised a colloquium for the judiciary on IPR. The organisation was also instrumental in organising workshops and training programmes for small and medium enterprises, jurists, traders and professionals from diverse fields, he said.

Mr. Sabharwal said that WIPO would extend its co-operation to the Government by providing experts for modernisation of the Indian patent office and Trade Marks Registry. WIPO would also help in the modernisation of the design wing of the patent office, he said.

He said that the Inter-governmental committee on Intellectual Property and Genetic Resources, Traditional Knowledge and Folklore, established in September 2000, would initiate work in intellectual property issues in three areas.

These include access to genetic resources and benefit-sharing, protection of traditional knowledge and protection of expressions of folklore, he said.

He said that the committee had decided to develop an online database of IP clauses for contractual agreements on access to genetic resources and benefit-sharing.

Efforts had also been made to develop a technical study on disclosure of requirements related to genetic resources in patent applications, he said.

Mr. Sabharwal said the committee had also decided to undertake extensive work to revive existing criteria for effective integration of documentation of disclosed traditional knowledge into searchable prior art.

In the area of folklore, the committee had decided to analyse national experience with the protection of expressions of folklore and to develop a handbook on legal protection of expressions of traditional culture.

WIPO also appreciated India's efforts in revamping its legislative framework in the areas of trademarks, geographical indications, industrial design, patents, copyright, integrated circuits, plant variety, farmers rights protection and information technology.

The organisation had also identified the level of awareness and activity in the area of intellectual property visible among industry and commerce, attorneys and other user interests in the country.

The WIPO Worldwide Academy (WWA) has also associated in various efforts by the Union Government in the area of IPR.

The academy has also conducted intensive programmes on IP and genetic resources, traditional knowledge and folklore under its Global Intellectual Property issues programme.

The seminar held here today discussed various topics related to IPR. Antony S. Taubman, Director and Head, Traditional Knowledge division, spoke on "Intellectual Property and Genetic Resources, Traditional Knowledge and Folklore-International Perspectives''.

Shakeel Bhatti, senior programme officer, Genetic Resources, Biotechnology and Associated Traditional Knowledge section, Global Intellectual property issued division, WIPO, spoke on "Protection of Traditional Knowledge using Intellectual Property and Contract Systems''.

Discussions were also held on "Role of National Intellectual Property Office in the protection of Intellectual Property and Traditional Knowledge'', "Protection of Traditional Knowledge using Sui Generis Systems'' and "Intellectual Property in Contracts and Agreements or Access to Genetic Resources and benefit-sharing''.

Delegates from various foreign countries are attending the seminar. The seminar will conclude on November 13.

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Southern States

News: Front Page | National | Southern States | Other States | International | Opinion | Business | Sport | Miscellaneous |
Advts: Classifieds | Employment | Obituary |

Stories in this Section

• 'Excise dept. poorly equipped'
• Patjoshi to stay on as Commissioner
• Gear up for early LS polls: Murali
• Cusat paper valuation: Govt. seeks report
• `Beware of bio-piracy, biotech, GM rice'
• WIPO to help India on IPR issues
• Organic farming catches up despite hurdles
• Stop Govt.-bashing, Murali tells party leaders

Copyright © 2002, The Hindu. Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of The Hindu