Peasants' Rights and Seeds: What's at Stake for Europe by | 21 Apr 2006 A report on the European Seminar on Seeds, held in Poitiers, France, November 2005. It contains the workshop results and proposals on: Access to and management of biodiversity; Obstacles in norms and marketing; Research and production methods, and Contamination of seeds by GMOs. A report on the European Seminar on Seeds, held in Poitiers, France, November 2005. It contains the workshop results and proposals on: Access to and management of biodiversity; Obstacles in norms and marketing; Research and production methods, and Contamination of seeds by GMOs.
Bellagio brief: Livestock biodiversity, indigenous knowledge & IPR by GRAIN | 14 Apr 2006 BIO-IPR (1997-2009)
The top-down global response to bird flu by GRAIN | 12 Apr 2006 The global response to bird flu is devastating small farmers and biodiversity. A new report from GRAIN looks at the power politics behind this global response and its consequences for the poor. The report, building on a previous GRAIN briefing on bird flu from March 2006, finds that the agencies of the United Nations at the forefront of the international response to the virus, the World Health Organisation and the Food and Agriculture Organisation, are pursuing top-down strategies for wiping out bird flu that in-turn are wiping out the foundations for long term, pro-poor solutions in the process. The global response to bird flu is devastating small farmers and biodiversity. A new report from GRAIN looks at the power politics behind this global response and its consequences for the poor. The report, building on a previous GRAIN briefing on bird flu from March 2006, finds that the agencies of the United Nations at the forefront of the international response to the virus, the World Health Organisation and the Food and Agriculture Organisation, are pursuing top-down strategies for wiping out bird flu that in-turn are wiping out the foundations for long term, pro-poor solutions in the process.
Article 27.3(b), relationship between the TRIPS Agreement and the CBD, and the protection of traditional knowledge and folklore by USA | 13 Mar 2006
FTAs: Trading away traditional knowledge by GRAIN in collaboration with Dr Silvia Rodríguez Cervantes | 9 Mar 2006 Traditional knowledge is increasingly popping up in bilateral and regional free trade agreements. What's going on? Traditional knowledge has come up in a dozen or so free trade agreements (FTAs) over the last couple of years. In numerous cases, specific provisions on traditional knowledge were signed. The pattern at play is simple. When facing the US, trade negotiators concerned about "biopiracy" try to put limits on when and how researchers and corporations can get patents on biodiversity or traditional knowledge in the United States. When the US is not involved, governments carve out space to define their own legal systems of "rights" to traditional knowledge. In all cases, however, FTAs are framing traditional knowledge as intellectual property – a commodity to be bought and sold on the global market. Traditional knowledge is increasingly popping up in bilateral and regional free trade agreements. What's going on? Traditional knowledge has come up in a dozen or so free trade agreements (FTAs) over the last couple of years. In numerous cases, specific provisions on traditional knowledge were signed. The pattern at play is simple. When facing the US, trade negotiators concerned about "biopiracy" try to put limits on when and how researchers and corporations can get patents on biodiversity or traditional knowledge in the United States. When the US is not involved, governments carve out space to define their own legal systems of "rights" to traditional knowledge. In all cases, however, FTAs are framing traditional knowledge as intellectual property – a commodity to be bought and sold on the global market.
The relationship between the TRIPS Agreement and the Convention on Biological Diversity - Summary of issues raised and points made by WTO TRIPS Council Secretariat | 9 Mar 2006
Review of the provisions of Article 27.3(b) - summary of issues raised and points made by WTO TRIPS Council Secretariat | 9 Mar 2006