WORLD TRADE IP/C/W/78/Add.3
15September 1997
ORGANIZATION(97-3633)
Original: English Council forTrade-Related Aspects
ofIntellectual Property Rights
TECHNICAL COOPERATION ACTIVITIES: INFORMATION FROM
OTHER INTERGOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS
Addendum
Food andAgriculture Organization
Thepresent document reproduces theupdated information ontechnical andfinancial cooperation
activities relevant totheimplementation oftheTRIPS Agreement, which hasbeenreceived fromthe
FAO bymeans ofacommunication, dated 1September 1997.
_______________
FAO'SASSISTANCE TODEVELOPING COUNTRIES INFIELDS RELATED TOTRIPS
1. FAO'sareas ofexpertise andTRIPS
FAOprovides technical advice andassistance toitsmember countries, particularly developing
countries, onawiderange offoodandagricultural topics. These include advice andassistance on
foodquality andsafety, animal health andproduction, plant protection andquarantine activities and
general advice onagricultural production andtrade, including information onagricultural policy and
incentives forproduction andtrade. Theagreements adopted inthecontext oftheUruguay Round
require technical assistance tobeprovided todeveloping countries inmany areas which fallwithin
FAO'sexpertise, andinwhich theOrganization hasextensive experience. FAO'smain interest and
technical expertise onTRIPS relate tointellectual property rights overplant varieties, animal breeds
andrelated technologies andgermplasm.
2. FAO Commission onGenetic Resources forFood andAgriculture
FAO'sCommission onGenetic Resources forFood andAgriculture (CGRFA) istheonly
permanent United Nations intergovernmental forum dealing specifically withmatters related tothe
conservation andutilization ofgenetic resources forfoodandagriculture, andrelated technologies.
Itwasestablished in1983, astheCommission onPlantGenetic Resources. The1995FAOConference
broadened theCommission 'smandate tocover allcomponents ofgenetic resources ofinterest tofood
andagriculture.
TheCommission established working groups onplant genetic resources, andonfarmanimal
genetic resources, in1997. Theworking group onfarmanimal genetic resources wasgiven thetask
offurthering thedevelopment oftheGlobal Strategy fortheManagement ofFarm Animal Genetic
Resources, covering bothtechnical andpolicy aspects oftheconservation andsustainable useoffarm
animal genetic resources, which willinclude aspects oftheregulation ofaccess andexchange, intellectual
property rights, andtrade. Theworking group onplant genetic resources wastoexamine the
implementation oftheglobal PlanofAction (described below) andrelated follow-up activities.IP/C/W/78/Add.3
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3. Plant Breeders 'Rights andFarmers 'Rights
TheCommission monitors theimplementation oftheInternational Undertaking onPlantGenetic
Resources, anon-binding international agreement adopted byanFAOConference Resolution in1983.
Currently, 154countries andtheEuropean Community aremembers oftheCGRFA. Through the
CGRFA, FAO members havebeeninvolved innegotiations concerning plant genetic resources for
foodandagriculture, andrelated technologies, particularly inthecontext oftherefinement ofthe
International Undertaking onPlant Genetic Resources, through aseries ofagreed interpretations, and
complementary resolutions. Inparticular, three FAO Conference Resolutions, unanimously adopted
in1989 and1991, simultaneously andinparallel recognized Plant Breeders 'Rights1andFarmers '
Rights.2
UNCED 'sAgenda 21,under Chapter 14,subsequently requested therealization ofFarmers '
Rights. Intergovernmental negotiations arecurrently underway, intheCGRFA, fortherevision of
theInternational Undertaking onPlantGenetic Resources (Conference Resolution 7/93), covering inter
aliaaccess toplant genetic resources forfoodandagriculture, andrelated technologies, andthe
realization ofFarmers 'Rights.
During these negotiations, countries arediscussing possible systems ofintellectual property
rights, including patenting and"effective suigeneris systems", thatwould beinlinewith, andfully
compatible withtheprovisions oftheTRIPS Agreement, andwiththeConvention onBiological
Diversity. Inaddition, theCGRFA isalsonegotiating acodeofConduct onBiotechnology, including
acomponent onintellectual property rights.
These intergovernmental negotiations areverytimely, inthelightofArticle 27.3(b) ofthe
TRIPS Agreement, which requires thatallmembers "shall provide fortheprotection ofplantvarieties
either bypatents orbyaneffective suigeneris system orbyanycombination thereof".
Inthiscontext, during theround ofnegotiations, attheSeventh Session oftheCGRFA in
May1997, many countries presented proposals fortherealization ofFarmers 'Rights which included
provisions forthedevelopment ofsuigeneris systems thatwould provide incentives forinformal
innovators, suchasfarmers andcommunities supplying plant genetic resources (andtheircountries),
tohavearighttoashare ofthebenefits derived fromtheirutilization. Many delegations recognized
theconnections withtheprovisions oftheTRIPS Agreement. These proposals arereflected inthe
Report oftheCommission andinthenegotiating draft oftheInternational Undertaking. FAO (in
collaboration, asappropriate, withtheInternational PlantGenetic Resources Institute (IPGRI) andother
technical bodies) hasprovided theCommission withvarious technical studies andanalyses ofrelevant
topics,includingthismatter,tofacilitatethenegotiationsfortherevisionoftheInternationalUndertaking.
These studies could bemade available totheTRIPS Council, ifrequested.3Thenegotiations forthe
1Asprovided forunder UPOV 1978 (International Union fortheProtection ofNew Varieties ofPlants).
2According totheFAO member countries (Resolution 5/89), "Farmers 'rights mean rights arising fromthepast,present
andfuture contributions offarmers inconserving, improving andmaking available plant genetic resources, particularly those
inthecentres ofdiversity/origin".
3Background Study Paper No.1:Theappropriation ofthebenefits ofplantgenetic resources foragriculture: aneconomic
analysis ofthealternative mechanisms forbiodiversity conservation (only inEnglish).
Background Study Paper No.2:Sovereign andproperty rights overplant genetic resources (only inEnglish).
(continued...)IP/C/W/78/Add.3
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revision oftheInternational Undertaking willcontinue atanextraordinary session oftheCommission
tobeconvened laterin1997 orearly in1998.
4. TheFourth International Technical Conference onPlant Genetic Resources forFood and
Agriculture: outcome andfollow-up
TheFourth International Technical Conference onPlant Genetic Resources metinLeipzig,
Germany, from17to23June1996, andwasattended by150countries and54intergovernmental and
non-governmental organizations. TheConference wasconvened attherequest oftheFAOCommission
onGenetic Resources forFood andAgriculture, andwasendorsed inAgenda 21oftheUnited Nations
Conference onEnvironment andDevelopment, andattheNairobi conference fortheAdoption ofthe
Agreed Textoftheconvention onBiological Diversity. TheConference adopted theGlobal Planof
action fortheConservation andSustainable Utilization ofPlant Genetic Resources andtheLeipzig
Declaration. Italsoconsidered thefirstReport ontheState oftheWorld 'sPlant Genetic Resources.
TheReport ontheState oftheWorld 'sPlant Genetic Resources ,waswelcomed as"thefirst
comprehensive worldwide assessment ofthestateofplant genetic resources conservation anduse".
TheReport identified theurgent priorities which areaddressed inthePlan. TheReport andthePlan
aretwomajor elements oftheFAOGlobal System fortheConservation andUtilization ofPlantGenetic
Resources. (Aswithother documents, theReport andthePlancould bemade available totheTRIPS
Council, ifrequested.4)
TheGlobal Plan ofAction wasprepared through aparticipatory, country-driven process,
involving awidevariety ofstake-holders: governments, non-governmental andindustry organizations,
andindividual scientists. Atotalof158governments prepared Country Reports, assessing thestatus
oftheirplantgenetic resources, aswellastheircapacity tocareforandutilize theseresources. Twelve
regional andsubregional meetings wereheld, where governments considered regional problems and
opportunities, andmade recommendations forthePlan.
TheGlobal PlanofAction recognizes that"certain policy, legalandinstitutional issues, inter
alia,thoserelated toownership, intellectual property rights, exchange, transfer andtradeinplantgenetic
resources,areconfrontingnationalprogrammesincreasingly.Coordinationisneededtoprovidenational
programmes withinformation onthese issues andtoassess theimpact ofinternational developments
3(...continued)
Background Study Paper No.3:Providing Farmers 'Rights through insituconservation ofcropgenetic resources (only
inEnglish).
Backgr ound StudyPaper No.4:Identifyinggeneticresourcesandtheirorigin:Thecapabilitiesandlimitationsofmodern
biochemical andlegal systems (only inEnglish).
Background Study Paper No.5:Información sobre lascolecciones exsituconservadas enjardines botánicos (only
inSpanish, butafullsummary inEnglish isprovided).
Background Study Paper No.6:Mejora genética paramantener ladiversidad enloscultivos agrícolas (only inSpanish,
butsummaries inEnglish andFrench areprovided).
Background Study Paper No.7:Contribución alaestimación delainterdependencia delospaíses enmateria derecursos
genéticos (only inSpanish, withanEnglish summary asanAddendum ).
Anumber ofother important studies arecurrently inpreparation forforthcoming Sessions oftheCommission.
4They mayalsobeaccessed atwebsite <<http://web.icppgr.fao.org/ >>, ontheInternet.IP/C/W/78/Add.3
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inthese fields ontheconservation andexchange ofplant genetic resources, andtoincorporate new
research developments, asappropriate, intonational systems andpractices".5
TheLeipzig Declaration commits thegovernments present totaking thenecessary steps to
implement theGlobal PlanofAction .Through theDeclaration, theConference stressed theneedto
enlist thewidest possible participation initsimplementation, andreaffirmed that"funds should bemade
available tofinance theimplementation, bydeveloping countries andcountries witheconomies in
transition, oftheGlobal Plan ofAction ".Accordingly, theConference requested thatthemajor
multilateral andbilateral funding anddevelopment institutions beinvited toexamine ways andmeans
ofsupporting theimplementation ofthePlan.
ThePlanalsorecommends thatgovernments andtheirnational agricultural research systems
should "consider legislative measures which allow distribution andcommercialization of
landraces/farmers'varietiesandobsoletevarieties,ifthymeetthesamedistributionandcommercialization
criteria fordisease, pests, health andtheenvironment, asconventional orregistered varieties".6
FAOhasreported theoutcome oftheConference tomajor international, regional andnational
bodies dealing withfoodandagriculture, andinvited theirmember constituencies topromote andtake
part, asappropriate, intheimplementation ofthePlan.Countries willmonitor andoversee the
implementation oftheGlobal PlanofAction through theCommission onGenetic Resources forFood
andAgriculture.
5. Technical assistance toFAO members forlegislation
FAO advises itsmembers inrelation totheir plant andanimal breeding, andseedand
reproductivemateriallegislation,regulationsandsystems.Throughcooperationbetweentheappropriate
technical departments andtheFAOLegal Office, developing countries areprovided withabroad range
oflegaladvice onagriculture andrenewable natural resources management, including reviewing and
providing advice about theadequacy ofnational lawsandregulations inthefieldoffoodtrade, and
intellectual property rights related toplant andanimal breeding.
FAOassistsmembercountriesinthedefinitionofcriteriafortheformulationandimplementation
ofregional andnational seedpolicies andprogrammes, including cooperation between developed and
developing countries. Itcovers variety evaluation, description, maintenance andreplacement, and
bothtechnical andlegal aspects ofseedquality control andvariety protection, inrelation toPlant
Breeders 'Rights, andother seedtechnology matters. Inthefieldofseeds, andinparticular the
development andrelease ofnewimproved foodcropvarieties, many responsibilities which usedto
bevested invarious government institutions andagencies arenowincreasingly moving intothehands
oftheprivate sector. Inmany cases, relevant national economic policy decisions havenotyetbeen
backed bytheadoption ofnewandpertinent legal frameworks. Furthermore, asaconsequence of
theirmembership totheWorld Trade Organization, countries willneedtoformulate legislation toprotect
plant varieties inlinewithArticle 27.3(b) ofthe1994 TRIPS Agreement.
Thefocus ofFAO'swork inthisregard istoassist national authorities toanalyse theirneeds
andidentify appropriate policy options; toformulate orrevise therelevant national legislation; and
toadvise onthestructure andfunctions oftheinstitutions involved. FAO'sexperience overmany
5Global Plan ofAction ,para. 237.
6Global Plan ofAction ,para. 203(e).IP/C/W/78/Add.3
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years hasshown thatjustice cannot bedone totheparticular needs andcircumstances ofindividual
countries bytheoretical studies ormodel laws.
FAO'sapproach totechnical assistance inthelegaladvice andlegislative drafting, including
inrelation toplant andanimal production andconservation, normally comprises thefollowing steps,
involving therelevant technical divisions ofFAO (andtheirtechnical experts andconsultants inthe
field), inclose collaboration withthenational authorities:
- review andanalysis ofthestatutory instruments inforce(ordraftbillsalready prepared
bythegovernment) andoftheinstitutional framework;
- identification ofthespecific objectives, tobeattained bymeans oftheproposed
legislation, inthelightofthegovernment 'spriorities;
- elaboration ofadraftactandregulations, oramendments totheexisting legislation;
and
- submission ofrecommendations, andtheir discussion with therelevant national
authorities.
FAO hasalsosupported anumber ofworkshops andmeetings onmatters relevant toplant
varietal protection. InMay1996, forexample, FAOprovided assistance totheSwaminathan Research
Foundation inIndia, foraTechnical Workshop onaImplementation Framework forFarmers 'Rights.
(TheSwedish International Development Authority (SIDA) alsosupported thisconsultation.) The
Workshop wasattended byinternational experts, including representatives fromtheWTO andUPOV
Secretariats. Theproceedings havenowbeenpublished, under thetitle,"Agrobiodiversity andFarmers '
Rights".
Inthefollowing list,relevant examples aregiven ofprojects under which FAO isproviding
technical assistance todeveloping countries.
Examples ofFAO Technical Assistance Projects7
Caribbean Region
In1995, theFAO Trust Fund project, GCP/RLA/108/ITA, "Improved Seed Production,
CARICOM Countries andSuriname", contributed tothedrafting ofamodel SeedActfortheregion
andofadraftPlant Breeders 'Rights Act,which thegovernments arenowconsidering.
Chile
Aproject isbeing prepared forsupport byFAO'sTechnical Cooperation Programme, with
theobjective ofstrengthening Chile'snational programme fortheconservation andsustainable use
ofplant genetic resources forfoodandagriculture; oneobjective covers thepreparation ofadraft
instrument toregulate collection, conservation, exchange andutilization ofplantgenetic resources for
foodandagriculture.
7Crops arethelargest sector inFAO'soverall technical assistance programme, funded byUNdonor agencies, Trust
Fundswithcooper atinggover nment s,ofFAO'sownTechni calCooper ationProgramme. In1993, forexampl e,cropsaccount ed
for24% (US$ 498,793,000) ofthetotalvalue ofongoing projects (US$ 2,150,000,000). These figures present thetotal
budget ofongoing projects, overtheirwhole life,notannual expenditure; in1993 alone, expenditure onallprojects was
US$306,000,000. Asubstantialnumber ofsuchprojectsinvolvegeneticresources,andbreeding,under oneaspect oranother.IP/C/W/78/Add.3
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China
In1994, theFAO/World Bank Cooperative Programme prepared aproject forWorld Bank
Funding, based onthecommercialization ofanumber ofprovincial seedcompanies, andtheintroduction
ofasupporting policy environment, including theestablishment ofasystem ofplant breeders 'rights
thatconforms totherequirements oftheGATT Uruguay Round. TheUS$185.5 million project was
approved bytheWorld Bank inJune1996, andincludes atechnical assistance component foradvising
onvariety protection systems.
Democratic Republic oftheCongo (ex-Zaire)
Under aprevious phase oftheFAO/UNDP project, ZAI/92/002, "Assistance àlaproduction
semencière", aseedlawwasdrafted, which iscurrently being considered bythegovernment.
ElSalvador
In1994, aproject under FAO'sTechnical Cooperation Programme, TCP/ELS/4452, "Apoyo
alareestrucutración delorganismo certificador desemillas", assisted theGovernment, interalia,in
drafting aproposal onseedlegislation.
Georgia
UndertheFAOTechnicalCooperationProgrammeproject,TCP/GEO/6711,aninterdisciplinary
mission willassist theauthorities tobuildupanational seedindustry development programme, including
therelevant lawandregulations.
India
Under itsTechnical Cooperation Programme FAOin1991, FAOprovided technical assistance
toIndia onPlant Breeder 'sRights, which wasaninput tothedevelopment ofdraftnational legislation
onplant varieties: theproposed legislation maycome fordiscussion intheIndian Parliament during
1997/98.
Kyrgyz Republic
Inlate1996and1997, under itsTechnical Cooperation Programme project TCP/KYR/6611,
"Seed Legislation andQuality Control", FAO assessed thelegislative infrastructure intheKyrgyz
Republic, andproposed newlegislation onseeds.
Lithuania
Under FAO'sTechnical Cooperation Programme, project TCP/LIT/4553, anFAO mission
assisted theauthorities toprepare aseedmaster plan. Onthebasis ofadraftseedlawprepared by
theGovernment, FAOhassubmitted arevised version which isnowbeing reviewed bytheauthorities.
Malaysia
Attherequest oftheEconomic Planning Unit ofMalaysia, FAO approved project
TCP/MAL/4553, under itsTechnical Cooperation Programme. Theaimoftheproject istostrengthen
seedandplanting material production, andtodevelop acertification andmarketing programme. FAO
isadvising theGovernment onappropriate programme andpolicy measures forupgrading thenational
capabilityinvarietyregistration,releaseandprotection,andqualitycontrolandseedandplantingmaterialIP/C/W/78/Add.3
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certification, bydefining therespective roleofvarious official agencies andtheprivate sector. In
addition, theproject hasprepared astudy analysing theimplications ofTRIPS Article 27.3(b), aswell
asthevarious options before theGovernment togiveeffect tothisclause.
Mauritania
Under theFAO/UNDP project, MAU/92/007, "Appui àlavulgarisation desemences
traditionnellesdequalité",aseedlawwasprepared,whichiscurrentlyawaitingsubmissiontoParliament.
Mauritius
The recently approved project, under FAO'sTechnical Cooperation Programme,
TCP/MAR/6611, "Strengthening theNational Seedandplant Quality Control Unit", willassess the
legislation concerning seeds andplantvarieties inMauritius anddraftaSeedActandRegulations aimed
atdeveloping thenational seedindustry andmeeting thestandards forseedmovement innational and
international trade.
Pakistan
Therecently completed project, TCP/PAK/4557, under FAO'sTechnical Cooperation
Programme, assisted inthepreparation ofaseedsector development programme. Theseedindustry 's
current institutional framework wasestablished in1976: aware oftheneedtoincrease theinvolvement
oftheprivate sector, thegovernment intends toformulate anewcomprehensive programme, including
theadoption ofspecific legislation recognizing Plant Breeders 'Rights.
Slovak Republic
Under itsTechnical Cooperation Programme, project TCP/SLO/6711, "Planning ofStrategy
forAnimalBreedingDevelopment",FAOisassistingtheSlovakRepublicdeveloptherelevantlegislative
instruments.
Suriname
TheGovernment ofSuriname isnowconsidering themodel Seed Actanddraft Plant
Breeders 'Rights Act,which project GCP/RLA/108/ITA, "Improved SeedProduction, CARICOM
Countries andSuriname" (described above) contributed todrafting. Under project TCP/SUR/6711,
FAO willnowprovide thenational authorities withthenecessary implementing regulations.
Tanzania
Tanzania wasassisted bytheFAO/UNDP project, URT/93/003, through theenhancement of
thecapacity tocoordinate thenational seedprogramme. Theproject assisted inthepreparation of
suitable draftlegislation foraplant breeders 'rights system.