Indonesia Welcomes New Treaty on Intellectual Property at WIPO
Geneva, The Gulf Observer: Indonesia has expressed its strong approval for the newly ratified Treaty on Intellectual Property, Genetic Resources, and Associated Traditional Knowledge, finalized at the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) Headquarters on May 24, 2024. This landmark agreement follows 11 days of intense negotiations, culminating in a consensus among 193 WIPO member countries and representatives of Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities.
The treaty represents a significant advancement in international legal regulations, aimed at enhancing transparency and protection within the global patent system. Febrian Ruddyard, Indonesia’s Permanent Representative to the UN, WTO, and other international organizations in Geneva, highlighted in a written statement on Monday that the global patent system will now benefit from increased transparency, with countries obliged to disclose patents on a global scale.
Ruddyard emphasized Indonesia’s pivotal role in the negotiation process, serving as the coordinator for the group of Like-Minded Countries (LMCs). He remarked that the 24-year negotiation effort was driven by the need to protect genetic resources and traditional knowledge, areas of significant importance to Indonesia and its indigenous communities.
The treaty promises several key benefits, particularly in the realms of transparency and protection. It establishes a sanctions mechanism to safeguard genetic resources and traditional knowledge and aims to standardize and harmonize global regulations, thereby protecting local wisdom.
“This treaty opens up opportunities to advance other issues related to traditional knowledge and traditional cultural expressions,” stated PTRI Geneva, underscoring the broader implications for cultural and intellectual property protection.
The negotiations concluded with the signing of the Final Act, which serves as a preliminary report and lays the groundwork for the final agreement, slated for signing at the WIPO General Assembly in Geneva in July 2024.
Achsanul Habib, PTRI Geneva’s Chargé d’Affaires Ad Interim, delivered closing remarks on behalf of over 60 LMCs, celebrating the agreement as a triumph for all parties involved. He highlighted that this success underscores the importance of multilateralism and collective effort in addressing global issues.
The ratification of this treaty marks a significant step forward in the protection and regulation of intellectual property, genetic resources, and traditional knowledge on an international scale, with Indonesia playing a crucial role in achieving this milestone.
