The protection of traditional intangible assets - in particular genetic resources, traditional knowledge and traditional cultural expressions - has been discussed with increasing vigor for some time. The issue is creation of new property rights that are so far unknown under the “classic” system of intellectual property rights. Genetic resources and associated knowledge (e.g. about the effects and use of herbal active ingredients in medicine) but also traditional cultural expressions (sometimes referred to as “folklore”, e.g. music and art of indigenous peoples) are only incompletely protected under the current system of IP law. The WIPO has therefore been negotiating extensions and additions to international intellectual property law for some time within the framework of the Intergovernmental Committee on Intellectual Property, Genetic Resources, Traditional Knowledge and Traditional Cultural Expressions. Similar discussions are developing around the protection of so-called country names and nation brands as trademarks.
In his presentation, Professor Dornis provides an overview of the status quo of the relevant legal regulations at international, regional and national levels, of the scientific discussion and of the ongoing negotiations at WIPO.
More information can be found here:
www.wolterskluwer.com/de-de/solutions/koelner-symposium/programm
