The UAE participated in the Diplomatic Conference on Genetic Resources and Associated Traditional Knowledge, organized by the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) in Geneva. The Conference marks the final stage of negotiations prior to the adoption of an international legal instrument on enhancing the effectiveness, transparency, and quality of the patent system. This will prevent the wrongful granting of patents to protect inventions that are not new or innovative with respect to genetic resources and traditional knowledge associated with them.
The UAE delegation to the Conference was led by H.E. Dr. Abdul Rahman Al Muaini, Assistant Undersecretary for the Intellectual Property Sector at the Ministry of Economy, and a number of officials from various entities concerned with IP protection in the country. The Conference was attended by nearly 1,200 participants from WIPO member states and marked a paradigm shift in legalizing reliance on genetic resources for innovation and supporting IP’s role in the sustainability and growth of economies.
In his speech at the Conference, H.E. Dr. Al Muaini emphasized that the UAE, under the guidance of its wise leadership, attaches great importance to protecting IP rights and enhancing its standing in the country. To this end, the UAE has established a robust legislative and technical environment to attract and promote talent, inventors, innovators, and entrepreneurs, and safeguard their creations and innovations in accordance with global best practices, in cooperation with partners at local, regional and international levels. These efforts stem from the country’s belief in the key role of intellectual property in building the knowledge economy.
He said: “We appreciate the efforts of WIPO and participating countries in reaching the final phase of the Treaty and establishing a clear legal framework that ensures the protection of genetic resources from possession and illicit use, and the organization and improvement of patent mechanisms. We, at the UAE Ministry of Economy, look forward to move towards their final signature to emerge with the desired positive outcomes, working together in expanding intellectual property applications and enhancing their role in global economic development and sustainability.”
Treaty ensures improved patenting system for innovations with genetic resources
The treaty finalized by participants of the Conference ensures enhanced intellectual property protection with regard to innovations or knowledge derived from genetic resources. Genetic resources include medicinal plants, agricultural crops, animal breeds and other inventions, which cannot be directly deemed as intellectual property. However, the inventions on which they are based can be protected by improving and regulating the granting of patents, to which all signatories are bound by the Treaty.
The Treaty obliges member states to comply with all standards approved by the Organization, whereby the parties acceding to the Treaty must adopt a system for the detection of genetic resources in the application for patents submitted to them and entities affiliated to them. The inventor or innovator is required to disclose the source of the country of origin of the genetic material and any associated traditional knowledge on which his/her innovation is based on. It was agreed that member states would begin to develop their regulations in preparation for the final signing of the Treaty and commit themselves to its provisions in coordination with WIPO.
Ministry of Economy’s active participation in the diplomatic conference
The participation of the Ministry of Economy in the Conference, representing the UAE, underscores the country’s leadership in complying with international norms and standards on IP protection, the importance of the sector in sustainable economic development, and the consolidation of its position as a global hub for innovation and creative economy.
The Ministry will soon begin working on the implementation of the new treaty through cooperation with patent offices and international bodies to ensure effective implementation of patent screening requirements with high efficiency and in full compliance with international standards.
