The WIPO Intergovernmental Committee on Intellectual Property and Genetic Resources, Traditional Knowledge and Folklore (IGC) meets several times a year in Geneva.
This page provides the most relevant documents and materials to help participants prepare for the next session – including for consultations with indigenous peoples, local communities and other stakeholders.
The twenty-Ninth session of the IGC (February 15 to 19, 2016) will address the theme of genetic resources.
Working documents
The working documents for the 29th session of the IGC are:
- Agenda
- Consolidated Document Relating to Intellectual Property and Genetic Resources
- Joint Recommendation on Genetic Resources and Associated Traditional Knowledge
- Joint Recommendation on the Use of Databases for the Defensive Protection of Genetic Resources and Traditional Knowledge Associated with Genetic Resources
- Proposal for the Terms of Reference for the Study by the WIPO Secretariat on Measures Related to the Avoidance of the Erroneous Grant of Patents and Compliance with Existing Access and Benefit-Sharing Systems
The summary of documents provides a short explanation of the session’s documents.
Key background materials
- IGC Mandate 2016/2017
- Background brief No. 1: Traditional Knowledge and Intellectual Property
- Background brief No. 2: The WIPO IGC
- Background brief No. 3: Developing a National Strategy on IP and TK, TCEs and GRs
- Background brief No. 9: Documentation of Traditional Knowledge and Traditional Cultural Expressions
Informal information session
At preparatory informal information sessions, the WIPO secretariat provides member states' representatives in Geneva with information on the key issues under discussion at each upcoming IGC session, as well as on practical arrangements.
The informal information session for IGC 29 took place at WIPO Headquarters (Room NB 0.107) on January 28, 2016, at 10:30 a.m.- Presentation slides
VIDEO: January 28 informal information session.
Preparation kits of previous IGC sessions
- Twenty-eighth session (July 7 to July 9, 2014)
- Twenty-seventh session (March 24 to April 4, 2014)
- Twenty-sixth session (February 3 to February 7, 2014)