Portal of Online Databases and Registries of Traditional Knowledge and Genetic Resources

This Portal was established by the Intergovernmental Committee on Intellectual Property and Genetic Resources, Traditional Knowledge and Folklore (IGC) at its third session and is linked to the Clearing House Mechanism of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD). The purpose of the Portal is to facilitate the study of intellectual property (IP) issues related to traditional knowledge (TK) and genetic resources databases and registries. The samples of such databases listed in Section A below have been compiled by WIPO Member States and linked to this Portal at their request. Background information about the Portal is provided in documents WIPO/GRTKF/IC/3/6 and WIPO/GRTKF/IC/3/17.

Please note that the Portal only lists TK-related databases which are already publicly available and, in most cases, already published on-line. WIPO has not collected, or compiled, TK data information itself, and is fully aware and respectful of on-going debate and concerns regarding the implications for TK holders of the collection and possible publication of otherwise secret and confidential TK. One practical way that WIPO is working to address such concerns is the development, with TK holders, of an IP Management Toolkit, which will address the IP implications of the documentation of TK.

The Portal is a work-in-progress. Additional, relevant contributions, and any comments, may be e-mailed to: grtkf@wipo.int.

The databases listed are for general informational use only, and their presence in this Inventory is not to be viewed as an endorsement by WIPO of any products or information contained in a individual database entry. Some databases are operated on a commercial basis and access may be subject to registration and payment of a subscription fee.

 

Databases and Registries Compiled by WIPO Member States

 

Databases and Registries Compiled by International Initiatives