Traditional Knowledge Laws: Norway

Trigger of Disclosure

Section 8b.

If an invention concerns or uses biological material, the patent application shall include information on the country from which the inventor collected or received the material (the providing country). If it follows from the national law in the providing country that access to biological material shall be subject to prior consent, the application shall state whether such consent has been obtained.

If the providing country is not the same as the country of origin of the biological material, the application shall also state the country of origin. The country of origin means the country from which the material was collected from its natural environment. If the national law in the country of origin requires that access to biological material shall be subject to prior consent, the application shall state whether such consent has been obtained. If the information set out in this subsection is not known, the applicant shall state that.

The duty to disclose information under the first and second paragraphs applies even where the inventor has altered the structure of the received material. The duty to disclose information does not apply to biological material derived from the human body.

Breach of the duty to disclose information is subject to penalty in accordance with the General Civil Penal Code § 166. The duty to disclose information is without prejudice to the processing of patent applications or the validity of rights arising from granted patents.

Content of Disclosure

Section 8b.

If an invention concerns or uses biological material, the patent application shall include information on the country from which the inventor collected or received the material (the providing country). If it follows from the national law in the providing country that access to biological material shall be subject to prior consent, the application shall state whether such consent has been obtained.

If the providing country is not the same as the country of origin of the biological material, the application shall also state the country of origin. The country of origin means the country from which the material was collected from its natural environment. If the national law in the country of origin requires that access to biological material shall be subject to prior consent, the application shall state whether such consent has been obtained. If the information set out in this subsection is not known, the applicant shall state that.

The duty to disclose information under the first and second paragraphs applies even where the inventor has altered the structure of the received material. The duty to disclose information does not apply to biological material derived from the human body.

Breach of the duty to disclose information is subject to penalty in accordance with the General Civil Penal Code § 166. The duty to disclose information is without prejudice to the processing of patent applications or the validity of rights arising from granted patents.

Exceptions and Limitations

Section 8b.

If an invention concerns or uses biological material, the patent application shall include information on the country from which the inventor collected or received the material (the providing country).  If it follows from the national law in the providing country that access to biological material shall be subject to prior consent, the application shall state whether such consent has been obtained.

If the providing country is not the same as the country of origin of the biological material, the application shall also state the country of origin. The country of origin means the country from which the material was collected from its natural environment.  If the national law in the country of origin requires that access to biological material shall be subject to prior consent, the application shall state whether such consent has been obtained. If the information set out in this subsection is not known, the applicant shall state that.

The duty to disclose information under the first and second paragraphs applies even where the inventor has altered the structure of the received material. The duty to disclose information does not apply to biological material derived from the human body.

Breach of the duty to disclose information is subject to penalty in accordance with the General Civil Penal Code § 166. The duty to disclose information is without prejudice to the processing of patent applications or the validity of rights arising from granted patents. 

Consequences of Non-Compliance

Section 8b.

If an invention concerns or uses biological material, the patent application shall include information on the country from which the inventor collected or received the material (the providing country).  If it follows from the national law in the providing country that access to biological material shall be subject to prior consent, the application shall state whether such consent has been obtained.

If the providing country is not the same as the country of origin of the biological material, the application shall also state the country of origin. The country of origin means the country from which the material was collected from its natural environment.  If the national law in the country of origin requires that access to biological material shall be subject to prior consent, the application shall state whether such consent has been obtained. If the information set out in this subsection is not known, the applicant shall state that.

The duty to disclose information under the first and second paragraphs applies even where the inventor has altered the structure of the received material. The duty to disclose information does not apply to biological material derived from the human body.

Breach of the duty to disclose information is subject to penalty in accordance with the General Civil Penal Code § 166. The duty to disclose information is without prejudice to the processing of patent applications or the validity of rights arising from granted patents.