WIPO’s Intergovernmental Committee on Intellectual Property and Genetic Resources, Traditional Knowledge and Folklore met for its sixth session from 15-19 March 2004, in Geneva, Switzerland, convening for the first time since the WIPO General Assembly provided it with a renewed mandate.

The Committee’s renewed mandate calls for accelerating its work and focusing on the international dimension, without prejudice to other international processes. It excludes outcome for the Committee’s work and raises the possible development of an international instrument or instruments.
During the meeting, the Committee agreed on the development of the building blocks for the protection of traditional knowledge and expressions of folklore or traditional cultural expressions. It approved the development of an overview of policy objectives and core principles for protection of traditional knowledge and of folklore, and an outline of the policy options and legal mechanisms, and an analysis of their implications.
The African Group submitted a text on objectives, principles and elements of an international instrument or instruments. This proposal received widespread support as a framework for the Committee’s work.
Regarding the defensive protection of traditional knowledge against illegitimate patenting, the Committee initiated work on how different traditional knowledge systems, including orally-based knowledge systems, can be recognized and applied in the patent examination process.
The Committee also discussed the need and practical steps to enhance the participation of indigenous and local communities in its work. Identifying lack of funding for participation as a major impediment for effective participation, it agreed to look at possible structures for a distinct voluntary fund and appealed to voluntary donors to immediately support the participation of representatives of accredited community organizations. The meeting’s final press release is available at: http://www.wipo.int/edocs/prdocs/en/2004/wipo_pr_2004_378.html