Lists of issues

Overview

At its tenth session, the WIPO Intergovernmental Committee (IGC) identified ten key questions relating to the protection of traditional cultural expressions/expressions of folklore (TCEs/EoF) and relating to the protection of traditional knowledge (TK). The IGC established a commentary process regarding these issues, which took place between its tenth and eleventh sessions. The Committee then undertook an extensive review of the issues and commissioned factual extractions of the comments and viewpoints made on these issues, see documents WIPO/GRTKF/IC/12/4(b) and WIPO/GRTKF/IC/12/5(b).

This page provides:

  • lists of the two sets of issues on protection of TCEs and TK
  • links to the comments received on the issues in accordance with the decision at the tenth session.
     
Issues on Traditional Cultural Expressions/Expressions of Folklore Issues on Traditional Knowledge
1. Definition of traditional cultural expressions (TCEs)/expressions of folklore (EoF) that should be protected. 1. Definition of traditional knowledge that should be protected.
2. Who should benefit from any such protection or who hold the rights to protectable TCEs/EoF? 2. Who should benefit from any such protection or who hold the rights to protectable traditional knowledge?
3. What objective is sought to be achieved through according intellectual property protection (economic rights, moral rights)? 3. What objective is sought to be achieved through according intellectual property protection (economic rights, moral rights)?
4. What forms of behavior in relation to the protectable TCEs/EoF should be considered unacceptable/illegal? 4. What forms of behavior in relation to the protectable traditional knowledge should be considered unacceptable/illegal?
5. Should there be any exceptions or limitations to rights attaching to protectable TCEs/EoF? 5. Should there be any exceptions or limitations to rights attaching to protectable traditional knowledge?
6. For how long should protection be accorded? 6. For how long should protection be accorded?
7. To what extent do existing IPRs already afford protection? What gaps need to be filled? 7. To what extent do existing IPRs already afford protection? What gaps need to be filled?
8. What sanctions or penalties should apply to behavior or acts considered to unacceptable/illegal? 8. What sanctions or penalties should apply to behavior or acts considered to unacceptable/illegal?
9. Which issues should be dealt with internationally and which nationally, or what division should be made between international regulation and national regulation? 9. Which issues should be dealt with internationally and which nationally, or what division should be made between international regulation and national regulation?
10. How should foreign rights holders/beneficiaries be treated? 10. How should foreign rights holders/beneficiaries be treated?

 

Comments received

Comments on the issues have been received from members of the Committee and from accredited observers. The following table provides links to the comments, in the form received. These comments have been incorporated in working documents WIPO/GRTKF/IC/11/4(a) (TCEs) and WIPO/GRTKF/IC/11/5(a) (TK) on the Collation of Written Comments on the List of Issues. All documents below are in PDF format.

Comments received from Comments on TK Comments on TCEs/folklore Comments on TK & TCEs/folklore
Brazil      EN
China   EN  
Colombia     EN
European Union EN EN  
Ghana     EN
Guatemala     EN
Hungary     EN
Japan EN EN  
Kyrgyz Republic     EN
Latvia EN    
Mexico   EN  
New Zealand     EN
Nicaragua     EN
Norway EN EN  
Qatar     EN
Switzerland EN    
Tunisia EN    
USA     EN
       
Eurasian Patent Office EN    
       
FILAIE   EN  
ICC EN    
IFPMA EN    
IPA     EN
IPO EN    
Ogiek Community     EN
RAIPON     EN

Traditional Knowledge, Genetic Resources and Traditional Cultural Expressions/Folklore

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