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December 5, 2007
New IP proposals in WTO
From Intellectual Property Watch comes this update - Members Seek To Raise TRIPs Amendments In WTO Negotiations:
World Trade Organization members seeking changes to international rules on trade and intellectual property rights moved this week to include the debate on their proposals in an upcoming deadline for the broader trade negotiations at the WTO. But opponents continued to resist moving the issues to negotiation.
At issue is a proposal to raise the level of trade protection for geographical indications (distinctive products named for places) on a variety of products to the level already enjoyed by wines and spirits, and a separate proposal to require the disclosure of the origin of biological resources and traditional knowledge in patent applications.
It continues to be unclear whether the Doha Round of trade negotiations will ever be concluded. The IP issues are not the major hold ups. By themselves, it doesn't look like these proposals are necessarily going to go anywhere. But the dynamics of these negotiations are such that the IP proposals could become trading chips for other issues. And, as the IP Watch story points out, they are being raised in the context of an overarching “single undertaking” negotiation. So, while not yet becoming the tail that wags the dog, IP issues are still in play in the negotiations.
Posted by Ken Jarboe at December 5, 2007 11:01 AM
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