The Director General of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) presents his compliments to the Minister for Foreign Affairs and has the honor to notify him of the receipt, on November 17, 2000, of a written communication, dated November 10, 2000, from the Government of the Republic of Poland, relating to the acquisition of the status of international depositary authority by the Polish Collection of Microorganisms (PCM), indicating that the said depositary institution is located on the territory of Poland and including a declaration of assurances to the effect that the said institution complies and will continue to comply with the requirements concerning the acquisition of the status of international depositary authority as specified in Article 6(2) of the Budapest Treaty on the International Recognition of the Deposit of Microorganisms for the Purposes of Patent Procedure, done at Budapest on April 28, 1977, and amended on September 26, 1980.
The Polish Collection of Microorganisms (PCM) will acquire the status of international depositary authority under the Budapest Treaty as from the date of publication of the said communication in the December 2000 issue of Intellectual Property Laws and Treaties.
December 12, 2000
Text of the Communication from the Republic of Poland on the Appointment of the Polish Collection of Microorganisms (PCM) as an International Depositary Authority
The Permanent Mission of the Republic of Poland presents its compliments to the Director General of the World Intellectual Property Organization and has the honor to convey, pursuant to Article 7(1)(a) of the Budapest Treaty on the International Recognition of the Deposit of Microorganisms for the Purposes of Patent Procedure of April 28, 1977, that the Government of the Republic of Poland declares the appointment of the Polish Collection of Microorganisms (PCM) to perform the functions of an International Depositary Authority. The Government of the Republic of Poland assures that the said Institution complies and will continue to comply with requirements concerning the acquisition of the status of International Depositary Authority as specified in Article 6(2) of the Budapest Treaty. The relevant communication by the Government of the Republic of Poland containing all the necessary information on the said International Depositary Authority is enclosed herewith.
Geneva, 10 November 2000
Declaration of Assurances
1. Pursuant to Article 7(1)(a) of the Budapest Treaty on the International Recognition of the Deposit of Microorganisms for the Purposes of Patent Procedure, the Government of the Republic of Poland declares the appointment of the Polish Collection of Microorganisms (PCM) (Institute of Immunology and Experimental Therapy, Polish Academy of Sciences, Wroclaw) to perform the functions of an International Depositary Authority.
2. This collection of microorganisms complies and will continue to comply with the requirements specified in Article 6(2) of the Budapest Treaty.
3. Name and address of the Collection:
Polish Collection of Microorganisms (PCM)
Institute of Immunology and Experimental Therapy
Polish Academy of Sciences
Ul. Weigla 12
53-114 Wroclaw
Poland
Tel.: (004871) 337 34 91
Fax: (004871) 373 25 87
E-mail: secret@immuno.iitd.pan.wroc.pl
4. Characteristics of the PCM as required by Article 6(2) of the Treaty:
- The Polish Collection of Microorganisms (PCM) was founded in 1967 as a laboratory of the Institute of Immunology and Experimental Therapy, Polish Academy of Sciences, with its own status. It is a permanent authority whose task is to contribute to the development of scientific knowledge and to provide the most advanced education in biological and medical sciences. The activities of the PCM cover the whole State. It cooperates with other Polish and foreign collections of microorganisms. It is a member of the World Federation of Culture Collections (WFCC, member No. 106), and of the European Culture Collection Organization (ECCO).
- The basic activities of the PCM include the deposit, storage and distribution of bacteria and bacteriophages, which are used mainly in research, industrial application, training and therapy (bacteriophages). About 3,000 strains of bacteria and 300 bacteriophages are deposited at the PCM at present. Of the total staff of 11 persons, ten are university graduates. The PCM occupies a total area of 250m2 and consists of four microbiological laboratories, equipment for freeze-drying cultures and a depository for cultures in the lyophilized state and for the deposit of microorganisms in the deep-frozen state. The instruments and equipment of all the laboratories allow the conduct of standard-level microbiological operations.
5. Microorganisms accepted for deposit with the PCM:
Bacteria (including actinomycetes) and bacteriophages that are capable of long-term preservation without any substantial change in their initial properties are accepted.
Note:
(a) Dangerous pathogens and species that may be hazardous to man and animals will be conditionally accepted;
(b) Microorganisms with special requirements for cultivation that the PCM is not capable of carrying out technically will not be accepted;
(c) Mixtures and cultures with no scientific description and cultures which cannot be identified will not be accepted;
(d) When strains containing a plasmid are deposited, the PCM will require information on the properties and classification of the plasmid and its host strain (i.e., group P1, P2, or P4). The PCM will accept only plasmids and host strains belonging to group P1.
6. Fees (in PLN):
- For storage of a microorganism - 1,200.00
- For a viability statement - 40.00
- For the supply of samples of a microorganism - 100.00
7. The official language of the PCM is Polish. Correspondence may also be written in English.
8. Pursuant to Article 7(2)(b) of the Treaty, the PCM will have the status of International Depositary Authority as from the date of publication of the communication by the International Bureau of WIPO.