Disclosure requirements : ensuring mutual supportiveness between the WTO TRIPS agreement and the CBD

There is an urgent need for concrete steps to foster the mutual supportiveness of the objectives embodied in the Convention on Biological Diversity and multilateral trade rules under the World Trade Organization. Intellectual property is one area of debate where such efforts could be undertaken. More specifically, the question of including requirements to disclose the origin or legal provenance of genetic resources and traditional knowledge into intellectual property rights applications has begun to surface in national, regional and international discussions and negotiations. Written by a wide variety of leading thinkers in the field, the compilation of short essays and articles included in this publication provide technical input and proposals which should serve to build an analytical foundation to promote and stimulate legislative, regulatory and policy processes on disclosure at the national and international levels.