57. The representative of Australia said that his delegation remained strongly interested and engaged on genetic resources and traditional knowledge issues. Australia was an island continent with diverse biological resources and a unique and vibrant indigenous culture. Australia sought to protect genetic resources and traditional knowledge of its indigenous people while retaining legal certainty in the IP system to encourage innovation and investment in goods and services which were directly based on genetic resources and traditional knowledge. Australia considered the TRIPS Agreement and the CBD were consistent, and Australia implemented fully its obligations under both agreements in a mutually supportive way. Australia had a domestic access and benefit-sharing framework which implemented its obligations under the CBD. Australia was a signatory to the Nagoya Protocol, and the Australian Government was currently undertaking internal processes to consider its ratification.
58. He welcomed the recent progress towards an international legal instrument or instruments in the WIPO IGC, including the recent decision by the WIPO General Assemblies to continue an intensive work program for the IGC and looked forward to the consideration of progress at the 2013 General Assemblies. His delegation continued to believe that WIPO was best placed to consider the complex IP issues relating to genetic resources and traditional knowledge and would continue his delegation's active engagement.
59. With regard to the proposal by Ecuador, he did not see any problems with having a compilation along the line of the Secretariat's note on non-violation and situation complaints.
