UN Agrees to Combat Biopiracy Following Two Decades of Negotiations

Over 190 countries agreed Friday on a new treaty to combat so-called biopiracy, according to the United Nations. The treaty provides that countries that apply for receiving patents should account for their genetic resources and traditional knowledge utilized in those patents. The member countries in World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) have started their meeting since May 13 in Geneva to accomplish these negotiations. Director general of WIPO Daren Tang said the treaty demonstrates intellectual property system that can keep encouraging innovation with breakthroughs in a more comprehensive way in meeting the needs of all countries and societies. Source: Qatar News Agency