September 12, 2010
Post by: Professor Tonya M. Evans http://www.proftonyaevans.com
Intellectual Property Watch reports that at the African Regional Intellectual Property Organization (ARIPO) diplomatic conference on 9-10 August in Swakopmund, Namibia, the protocol on the Protection of Traditional Knowledge and Expressions of Folklore was signed by nine states. The World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) applauded the effort. However, the move is not without controversy. IP Watch notes that “a United Nations report launched in January warned against the application of western legal and economic principles to collectively owned knowledge in traditional communities.” Click on the link for more information.
African Traditional Knowledge And Folklore Given IP Protection Despite Warning Of TK Commodification.