RESTRICTED
WORLD TRADE IP/C/W/35/Add.4
17September 1996
ORGANIZATION(96-3649)
Original: English Council forTrade-Related Aspects
ofIntellectual Property Rights
TECHNICAL COOPERATION ACTIVITIES: INFORMATION FROM
OTHER INTERGOVERNMENTAL AGENCIES
Addendum
Food andAgriculture Organization
Thepresent document reproduces theupdated information ontechnical andfinancial cooperation
activities relevant totheimplementation oftheTRIPS Agreement, which hasbeenreceived fromthe
FAO bymeans ofacommunication, dated 9September 1996.IP/C/W/35/Add.4
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FAO’SASSISTANCE TODEVELOPING COUNTRIES
INFIELDS RELATED TOTRIPS
FAO'sAreas ofExpertise andTRIPS
FAOprovides technical advice andassistance toitsmember countries, particularly developing
countries, onawiderange offoodandagricultural topics. These include advice andassistance onfood
qualityandsafety,plantprotectionandquarantineactivitiesandgeneraladviceonagriculturalproduction
andtrade, including information onagricultural policy andincentives forproduction andtrade. The
agreements adopted inthecontext oftheUruguay Round require technical assistance tobeprovided
todeveloping countries inmany areaswhich fallwithin FAO'sexpertise, andinwhich theOrganization
hasextensive experience. FAO’smain interest andtechnical expertise onTRIPS relate tointellectual
property rights overplant varieties, animal breeds andrelated technologies andgermplasm.
Plant Breeders ’Rights andFarmers ’Rights, inthecontext oftheFAO Commission onPlant Genetic
Resources forFood andAgriculture
FAO'sCommission onGenetic Resources forFood andAgriculture (CGRFA)1istheonly
permanent United Nations intergovernmental forum dealing specifically withmatters related tothe
conservation andutilization ofgenetic resources forfoodandagriculture, andrelated technologies.
TheCommission monitors theimplementation oftheInternational Undertaking onPlant Genetic
Resources, anon-binding international agreement adopted byanFAOConference Resolution in1983.
Currently, 147countries 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
in(1989 and1991), simultaneously andinparallel recognized Plant Breeders ’Rights, asprovided for
under UPOV (International Union fortheProtection ofNewVarieties ofPlants), andFarmers 'Rights.2
UNCED 'sAgenda 21,under Chapter 14,subsequently requested therealization ofFarmers '
Rights. Intergovernmental negotiations arecurrently under way, 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 aCode ofConduct 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".
1Until November 1995, theFAO Commission onPlant Genetic Resources (CPGR).
2"Farmers ’rights mean rights arising fromthepast,present andfuture contributions offarmers inconserving,
improving andmaking available plant genetic resources, particularly those inthecentres ofdiversity/origin. "IP/C/W/35/Add.4
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Inthiscontext, during theround ofnegotiations attheSixth session oftheCPGR inJune1995,
many countries presented proposals fortherealization ofFarmers ’Rights which included provisions
forthedevelopment ofsuigeneris systems thatwould provide incentives forinformal innovators, such
asfarmers andcommunities supplying plant genetic resources (andtheircountries), tohavearight
toashare ofthebenefits derived fromtheirutilization. Many delegations recognized theconnections
withtheprovisions oftheTRIPS Agreement. These proposals arereflected intheReports ofthe
Commission ’sSessions andinthenegotiating draft oftheInternational Undertaking. FAO (in
collaboration, asappropriate, withtheInternational Genetic 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
revision oftheInternational Undertaking willcontinue attheThird extraordinary Session ofthe
Commission inDecember, 1996.
TheFourth International Technical Conference onPlant Genetic Resources forFood andAgriculture:
outcome andfollow-up
TheFourth International Technical Conference onPlant Genetic Resources metinLeipzig,
Germany, from17to23June1995, andwasattended by150countries and54intergovernmental and
non-governmental organizations. TheConference wasconvened attherequest oftheFAOCommission
onPlant Genetic Resources4,andwasendorsed inAgenda 21oftheUnited Nations Conference on
Environment andDevelopment, andattheNairobi Conference fortheAdoption oftheAgreed Text
oftheConvention onBiological Diversity. TheConference adopted TheGlobal PlanofAction for
theConservation andSustainable Utilization forPlant Genetic Resources andtheLeipzig Declaration.
Italsoconsidered thefirstReport ontheState oftheWorld ’sPlant Genetic Resources .
TheReport ontheState oftheWorld ’sPlant Genetic Resources ,waswelcomed as“thefirst
comprehensive world-wide 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.5)
TheGlobalPlanofActionwaspreparedthroughaparticipatory,country-drivenprocess,involving
awide variety ofstake-holders: governments, non-governmental andindustry organizations, and
3Background Study Paper No.1Theappropriation ofthebenefits ofplant genetic resources foragriculture:
aneconomic analysis ofthealternative mechanisms forbiodiversity conservation (only inEnglish).
Background Study Paper No.2Sovereign andproperty rights overplant genetic resources (only inEnglish).
Background Study Paper No.3Providing Farmers ’Rights through insituconservation ofcropgenetic resources
(only inEnglish).
Background Study Paper No.4Identifying genetic resources andtheir origin. Thecapabilities andlimitations
ofmodern biochemical andlegal systems (only inEnglish).
Anumber ofother important studies arecurrently inpreparation forforthcoming Sessions oftheCommission.
4Now theFAO Commission onGenetic Resources forFood andAgriculture.
5They mayalsobeaccessed atweb-site <<http://web.icppgr.fao.org/ITCPGR/Leipzig.html>>, onthe
Internet.IP/C/W/35/Add.4
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individual scientists. Atotalof158governments prepared Country Reports, assessing thestatus of
theirplant genetic resources, aswellastheircapacity tocareforandutilize these resources. Twelve
regional andsub-regional 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, areconfronting national programmes increasingly. Coordination isneeded toprovide national
programmes withinformation onthese issues andtoassess theimpact ofinternational developments
inthese fields ontheconservation andexchange ofplant genetic resources, andtoincorporate new
research developments, asappropriate, intonational systems andpractices".6
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 'varieties andobsolete varieties, ifthey meet thesame distribution and
commercialization criteria fordisease, pests, health andtheenvironment, asconventional orregistered
varieties".7
FAO isreporting theoutcome oftheConference tomajor international, regional andnational
bodies dealing withfoodandagriculture, andinviting theirmember constituencies topromote and
takepart,asappropriate, intheimplementation ofthePlan.FAO isalsoexamining ways inwhich
itstechnical programmes cansupport implementation ofthePlan.Countries willmonitor andoversee
theimplementation oftheGlobal PlanofAction through theCommission onGenetic Resources for
Food andAgriculture.
Technical assistance toFAO members forlegislation onseedproduction andrelated matters
FAO advises itsmembers inrelation totheirplant breeding, andseedandplanting material
production legislation, regulations andsystems.
FAO'sSeedandPlantGeneticResourcesService(AGPS,aservicewithinFAO'sPlantProtection
andProduction Division) assists FAO members inthedefinition ofcriteria fortheformulation and
implementation ofregional andnational seedpolicies andprogrammes, including cooperation between
developed anddeveloping countries. Itcovers variety evaluation, description, maintenance and
replacement, andbothtechnical andlegal aspects ofseedquality control andvariety protection, in
relation toPlant Breeders 'Rights, andother seedtechnology matters. Inthiswork, assistance to
developing countries isdelivered incooperation withFAO’sDevelopment LawService (LEGN, part
oftheFAO Legal Office), which provides developing countries withabroad range oflegal advice
6Global Plan ofAction ,paragraph 237.
7Global Plan ofAction ,paragraph 203(e).IP/C/W/35/Add.4
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onagriculture andrenewable natural resources management, including thedrafting ofnecessary
legislation.
Inthefieldofseeds, andinparticular thedevelopment andrelease ofnewimproved foodcrop
varieties, many responsibilities which usedtobevested invarious government institutions andagencies
arenowincreasingly moving intothehands oftheprivate sector. Inmany cases, relevant national
economic policy decisions have notyetbeen backed bytheadoption ofnewandpertinent legal
frameworks. Furthermore, asaconsequence oftheirmembership totheWorld Trade Organization,
countries willneedtoformulate legislation toprotect plant varieties inlinewithArticle 27.3(b) of
the1994 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 years
hasshown thatjustice cannot bedonetotheparticular needs andcircumstances ofindividual countries
bytheoretical studies ormodel laws.
FAO'sapproach totechnical assistance inlegaladvice andlegislative drafting normally includes
thefollowing steps, involving therelevant technical divisions ofFAO (andtheirtechnical experts and
consultants inthefield), andinclose collaboration withthenational authorities:
- review andanalysis ofthestatutory instruments inforce(ordraftbillsalready prepared
bythegovernment) andoftheinstitutional framework governing intellectual property
protection (with specific reference toseeds), andseedproduction (including quality
control, marketing, andexport andimport);
- identification ofthespecific objectives, withregard toseedproduction, 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 onanImplementation Framework forFarmers 'Rights.
(The Swedish International Development Authority (SIDA) alsosupported thisconsultation.) The
Workshop wasattended byinternational experts, including representatives fromtheWTO andUPOV
Secretariats. Theproceedings havenowbeenpublished, under thetitle,"Agrobiodiversity andFarmers '
Rights".
Inthefollowing table, relevant examples aregiven ofprojects under which FAOisproviding
technical assistance todeveloping countries.IP/C/W/35/Add.4
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TABLE 1
Examples ofFAO Technical Assistance Projects8
Caribbean Region
In1995, theFAO Trust Fund project, GCP/RLA/108/ITA, "Improved Seed Production,
CARICOM Countries andSuriname", contributed todrafting ofamodel SeedActfortheregion and
ofadraftPlant Breeders 'Rights Act,which theGovernments arenowconsidering.
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$185.5 million project was
approved bytheWorld Bank inJune1996, andincludes atechnical assistance component foradvising
onvariety protection systems.
ElSalvador
In1994, aproject under FAO'sTechnical Cooperation Programme, TCP/ELS/4452, "Apoyo
alareestrucuración delorganismo certificador desemillas", assisted theGovernment, interalia,in
drafting aproposal onseedlegislation.
Kyrgyzstan
Inlate1996, under itsTechnical Cooperation Programme, project TCP/KYR/6611, "Seed
Legislation andQuality Control", FAO willassess thelegislative infrastructure inKyrgyzstan, and
willpropose amendments toexisting legislation ordraftnewlegislative instruments onseeds.
Lithuania
Under FAO'sTechnical Cooperation Programme, project TCP/LIT/4553, anFAO mission
assisted theauthorities toprepare aseedmaster plan. Onthebasis ofadraftseedlawprepared by
theGovernment, FAOhassubmitted arevised version which isnowbeing reviewed bytheauthorities.
Malaysia
Attherequest oftheEconomic Planning Unit ofMalaysia, FAO approved project
TCP/MAL/4553, under itsTechnical Cooperation Programme. Theaimoftheproject istostrengthen
seedandplanting material production, andtodevelop acertification andmarketing programme. FAO
isadvising theGovernment onappropriate programme andpolicy measures forupgrading thenational
capabilityinvarietyregistration,releaseandprotection,andqualitycontrolandseedandplantingmaterial
8Crops arethelargest sector inFAO’soverall technical assistance programme, funded byUNdonor agencies,
Trust Funds withcooperating governments, orFAO’sownTechnical Cooperation Programme. In1993, for
example, crops accounted for24percent (US$ 498,793,000) ofthetotal value ofongoing projects
(US$ 2,150,000,000). These figures present thetotalbudget ofongoing projects, overtheirwhole life,notannual
expenditure; in1993 alone, expenditure onallprojects wasUS$306,000,000). Asubstantial number ofsuch
projects involve genetic resources, andbreeding, under oneaspect oranother.IP/C/W/35/Add.4
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certification, bydefining therespective roleofvarious official agencies andtheprivate sector. In
addition, theproject hasprepared astudy analysing theimplications ofTRIPS Art.27.3(b), aswell
asthevarious options before theGovernment togiveeffect tothisclause.
Mauritania
Under theFAO/UNDP project, MAU/92/007, "Appui àlavulgarisation desemences
traditionelles dequalité", aseedlawwasprepared, which iscurrently awaiting submission toParliament.
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.
Tanzania
Tanzania wasassisted bytheFAO/UNDP project, URT/93/003, through theenhancement of
thecapacity tocoordinate thenational seedprogramme. Theproject assisted inthepreparation ofsuitable
draftlegislation foraplant breeders 'rights system.
Zaire
Under aprevious phase oftheFAO/UNDP project, ZAI/92/002, "Assistance àlaproduction
semencière", aseedlawwasdrafted, which iscurrently being considered bythegovernment.