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• IGC Meetings

The Eleventh Session of the World Intellectual Property Organisation ("WIPO") Intergovernmental Committee on Intellectual Property and Genetic Resources, Traditional Knowledge and Folklore ("the IGC") is scheduled to place in Geneva on 3-12 July 2007.

In preparation for this meeting, the Ministry held a workshop on key issues relating to the protection of traditional knowledge and traditional cultural expressions on 12 March 2007 and invited written comments from stakeholders. The IGC has distributed documents in preparation for the Eleventh Session, they can be found on the WIPO website:

• The Protection of Traditional Cultural Expressions/Expressions of Folklore: Draft Objectives and Principles [link to WIPO website]
• The Protection of Traditional Knowledge: Draft Objectives and Principles [link to WIPO website]

The IGC's work on the development of policy objectives and principles for the protection of traditional knowledge and traditional cultural expressions is ongoing. Please see Have Your Say for further information on the IGC process and New Zealand's involvement, links to the WIPO documents, and how to make a submission. Submissions for the upcoming session in July 2007 closed on 23 March 2007. However, there will likely be further opportunities to make submissions on the work of the IGC. We invite you to keep checking our website for future invitations to comment.

• Workshop: World Intellectual Property Organisation - Key Issues for Protection of Traditional Knowledge and Traditional Cultural Expressions (12 March 2007)
  On 12 March 2007, the Ministry will be hosting a workshop on key issues for the Protection of traditional knowledge and traditional cultural expressions.
• Key Questions for the Protection of Traditional Knowledge and Traditional Cultural Expressions
  The IGC has produced a series of key questions on the protection of traditional knowledge and traditional cultural expressions and is seeking comments from member states and accredited observers on these issues by 31 March 2007.
• Have Your Say: World Intellectual Property Organisation - Principles and Policy Objectives for Protection of Traditional Knowledge (February 2007)  [ Published 13 February 2007 ]
  New Zealand has undertook to provide detailed comments on two WIPO documents and on questions agreed upon at the IGC's tenth session. As part of this, the Ministry sought, by 23 March 2007, the views of Māori and others with an interest in these issues.