39. The representative of Indonesia emphasized the importance of the issues of the relationship between the TRIPS Agreement and the CBD, and the protection of traditional knowledge and folklore. Enhancing the discipline of disclosure requirements had become an overriding priority for developing countries, including Indonesia, due to a need to formulate more effective legal protection of genetic resources, traditional knowledge and folklore.
40. In light of the adoption of the Nagoya Protocol on Access to Genetic Resources and the Fair and Equitable Sharing of Benefits Arising from Their Utilization (Nagoya Protocol), she said that all Members, especially those who did not share her views, should give serious consideration to the importance of the issue and the matters at stake. It would be in the interest of the broader membership to articulate further through the TRIPS Agreement the aim to afford a sufficient level of protection of genetic resources and to provide a fair practice for their use.
41. She said that her delegation, together with a group of like-minded countries had successfully come up with a draft text for the effective protection of genetic resources at the second session of the like-minded countries meeting held in Bali in 2011. The draft text had been adopted by the WIPO Intergovernmental Committee on Intellectual Property and Genetic Resources, Traditional Knowledge and Folklore (IGC) and the General Assembly as one of the working documents and had been utilized as a reference at the 20th Session of the IGC in February 2012.
42. In light of the development in the IGC, she said that a harmonized interaction between the CBD and the TRIPS Agreement would be beneficial for all countries. In keeping with its commitment to address the issues of genetic resources, traditional knowledge and folklore, the Government of Indonesia was organizing an international symposium on genetic resources, traditional knowledge and folklore in Bali on 27-30 June 2012. Its aim was to underline the importance of addressing these issues in a comprehensive manner through defensive mechanism. A number of distinguished and renowned experts had confirmed their participation as speakers in the planned event.
