India Along with Bangladesh, Brazil and Colombia for IPR on Genetic Resources and Traditional Knowledge

[ABS News Service/05.08.2026]

Geneva – Four World Trade Organization members – Bangladesh, Brazil, Colombia and India – have brought several issues concerning intellectual property for development in the realm of genetic resources and associated traditional knowledge to the center stage.

Emphasizing “the importance of continued exchanges on these issues,” the four countries acknowledged that “progress in the multilateral system depends on constructive engagement across different perspectives and on a shared commitment to strengthening the international intellectual property system to support both innovation and sustainable development.”

Ahead of the WTO’s Trade-related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights Council meeting, held on July 22–23, the four countries convened a brainstorming session on July 21 to highlight “the value of maintaining an open dialogue among international organizations, governments, academia, the private sector and civil society on issues at the intersection of intellectual property, biodiversity and sustainable development.”

In a document (IP/C/W/743) issued on July 24, the four countries stated that the event “brought together representatives of WTO Members, international organizations, academia, the private sector and civil society to exchange views on recent developments concerning genetic resources (GR) and associated traditional knowledge (ATK), with particular attention to the adoption of the WIPO (World Intellectual Property Organization) Treaty on Intellectual Property, Genetic Resources and Associated Traditional Knowledge (GRATK Treaty) and its relevance for the broader international intellectual property system.”

Program

They noted that “together in person and online more than 100 participants have joined the event,” in what was described as a “very precise, well-disciplined and item-specific, along with relevant sectoral practical experience sharing from Brazil and India.”

The four countries indicated that “the programme was designed into three segments like opening, two panels discussion and way forward.”

During the opening session, participants “underscored the importance of continued dialogue among Members and stakeholders on issues at the intersection of intellectual property, biodiversity and sustainable development.”

Even though biodiversity-related issues are often given short shrift at the WTO, the four countries said “the successful conclusion of the WIPO’s GRATK Treaty demonstrated that multilateral cooperation remains capable of producing meaningful outcomes on technically and politically complex issues.”

In addition, the event provided an opportunity for exchanging “perspectives” as well as identifying “areas of complementarity among the three main international legal frameworks.”

According to the document circulated by the four countries, the “first panel explored the multilateral dimension of the issue through presentations from representatives from the World Trade Organization (WTO), the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) and the secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD).”

A WTO official from the TRIPS Division “provided an overview of the evolution of discussions on GR and ATK in the Council for TRIPS.”

The official said “these discussions originated in the Committee on Trade and Environment in 1995, later became part of the review of Article 27.3(b) of the TRIPS Agreement, and received a formal mandate by the 2001 Doha Ministerial Declaration.”

The WTO official outlined that “the two main approaches advanced by Members over the years included proposals centered on national access and benefit-sharing legislation and those advocating an international disclosure requirement.”