Training seminar on intellectual property and biodiversity for Andean negotiators

The Andean Development Corporation (CAF) and the General Secretariat of the Andean Community (CAN) are promoting training for Andean negotiators in the area of the intellectual property of biological and genetic resources, through the organization of a seminar-workshop on The Relationship between the Trade-Related Intellectual Property Agreements and the Convention on Biological Diversity.

The CAF executive presidency and the Andean Community General Secretariat are holding the joint seminar-workshop in the CAF headquarters in Caracas from today until Saturday 14. The event aims to open a space for exchange of information and perceptions in preparation for the sessions of the Council on Trade-Related Intellectual Property Agreements (TRIPS); the Committee on Genetic Resources, Intellectual Property, Traditional Knowledge and Folklore of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO); and the meeting of the Commission on Phytogenetic Resources of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). The workshop is designed to motivate the negotiators to set up a joint work program for 2002-2003 to contribute technical elements and common contexts.

The seminar will also examine Andean Decisions 391/96 and 486/00 and their relationship to the International Treaty on Phytogenetic Resources for Food and Agriculture and the TRIPS agreements, respectively. Support will also be given for the negotiating sessions in October in the framework of the FTAA and the FAO Phytogenetic Resources Commission, as well as the WIPO Committee on Access to Genetic Resources, Intellectual Property, Traditional Knowledge and Folklore in December.

The workshop is aimed at the group of negotiators from the Andean Community with responsibility for the multilateral negotiations of the TRIPS Council, the Convention on Biological Diversity and the WIPO Committee on Access to Genetic Resources, Intellectual Property and Traditional Knowledge.

International experts will present the key elements of discussion to the negotiators in the form of recommendations, who will then examine in detail the presentations, with the backing of the Andean Community Secretariat.

With this workshop, the CAF and the Andean Community are offering the five member countries an opportunity to improve understanding of these issues and prepare or adapt the instructions issued to their WTO missions.