At the TRIPS Council meeting, which took place from 4-6 June 2003 in Geneva, Switzerland, discussions were held on the review of article 27.3(b) of the TRIPS Agreement, on intellectual property and traditional knowledge, and on the relation between TRIPS and the Convention on Biological Diversity.

The meeting addressed a new paper by the Africa Group reiterating their demand that patents on all life forms and living processes be prohibited, that countries be able to use a sui generis system of their choice, and that traditional knowledge be better protected. The meeting also considered a paper by a group of developing countries elaborating on their earlier proposal that TRIPS require patent applications involving genetic materials or traditional knowledge to disclose the country of origin accompanied by evidence of prior informed consent and benefit sharing arrangements. Participants further discussed a paper by Switzerland that proposed a mechanism for enabling disclosure of source through the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO). More information is available online from TWN Info Service on WTO Issues, 3 June 2003 at: http://www.twnside.org.sg/title/twninfo21.htm