Information concerning the flexibilities: Difference between revisions

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(New page: == TRIPS Flexibilities == The TRIPS Agreement established minimum standards of protection that each state has to grant to holders of intellectual property rights of other WTO members. How...)
 
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== TRIPS Flexibilities ==
The TRIPS Agreement established minimum standards of protection that each member country of the WTO must grant to the holders of intellectual property rights. However, the TRIPS Agreement incorporates certain "flexibilities" concerning the implementation of those requirements. These flexibilities aim to permit developing and least-developed countries to use TRIPS-compatible norms in a manner that enables them to pursue their own public policies, either in specific fields, such as access to pharmaceutical products, or more generally, in establishing institutional frameworks that contribute to their economic development.  
 
The TRIPS Agreement established minimum standards of protection that each state has to grant to holders of intellectual property rights of other WTO members. However, the TRIPS Agreement incorporates certain "flexibilities" as regards the national approaches of copyright protection. These flexibilities aim to permit developing and least-developed countries to use TRIPS-compatible norms in a manner that enables them to pursue their own public policies, either in specific fields, such as access to pharmaceutical products, or more generally, in establishing the institutional framework that contributes to their economic development.  


The WIPO Secretariat, along with Member States, has identified four clusters of flexibilities:
The WIPO Secretariat, along with Member States, has identified four clusters of flexibilities:
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1. Flexibilities as to the method of implementing TRIPS obligations  
1. Flexibilities as to the method of implementing TRIPS obligations  


The text of the Trips Agreement includes certain broad terms that are not specifically defined, such as “novelty” or “inventiveness”. The member states can specify the meaning of those broad terms according to their discretion when they implement the TRIPs agreement into national law.
The text of the TRIPS Agreement includes certain broad terms that are not specifically defined, such as “novelty” and “inventiveness.The member states have considerable discretion in defining those terms.


2. Flexibilities as to substantive standards of protection  
2. Flexibilities as to substantive standards of protection  


The TRIPs Agreement contains in certain cases clauses that permit for the member states to provide a higher or a shorter degree of protection in their national legislation.  
The TRIPs Agreement contains clauses that permit member states to provide higher or lower degrees of protection for certain rights.  


3. Flexibilities as to mechanisms of enforcement  
3. Flexibilities as to mechanisms of enforcement  


The TRIPs agreement defines the mechanisms that member states have to adopt for the enforcement of copyright and obliges them not to adopt stricter measures than the ones established within the agreement. Thus, it grants the flexibility to Member states to resort to their own legal system and practices.  
The TRIPs agreement defines the mechanisms that member states must adopt for the enforcement of copyright but leaves them considerable discretion in determining how to comply with those requirements.  


4. Flexibilities as to areas not-covered by the TRIPS Agreement  
4. Flexibilities as to areas not covered by the TRIPS Agreement  


The TRIPs agreement hasn’t regulated all possible areas related to intellectual property rights. Areas such as utility models, traditional knowledge and handicrafts are not covered by the agreement. Member states can legislate as regards these areas without taking into any consideration the principles and regulations of the TRIPs agreement.
The TRIPs agreement does not govern all possible areas related to intellectual property rights. For example, utility models, traditional knowledge and handicrafts are not covered by the agreement.

Latest revision as of 08:37, 25 August 2009

The TRIPS Agreement established minimum standards of protection that each member country of the WTO must grant to the holders of intellectual property rights. However, the TRIPS Agreement incorporates certain "flexibilities" concerning the implementation of those requirements. These flexibilities aim to permit developing and least-developed countries to use TRIPS-compatible norms in a manner that enables them to pursue their own public policies, either in specific fields, such as access to pharmaceutical products, or more generally, in establishing institutional frameworks that contribute to their economic development.

The WIPO Secretariat, along with Member States, has identified four clusters of flexibilities:

1. Flexibilities as to the method of implementing TRIPS obligations

The text of the TRIPS Agreement includes certain broad terms that are not specifically defined, such as “novelty” and “inventiveness.” The member states have considerable discretion in defining those terms.

2. Flexibilities as to substantive standards of protection

The TRIPs Agreement contains clauses that permit member states to provide higher or lower degrees of protection for certain rights.

3. Flexibilities as to mechanisms of enforcement

The TRIPs agreement defines the mechanisms that member states must adopt for the enforcement of copyright but leaves them considerable discretion in determining how to comply with those requirements.

4. Flexibilities as to areas not covered by the TRIPS Agreement

The TRIPs agreement does not govern all possible areas related to intellectual property rights. For example, utility models, traditional knowledge and handicrafts are not covered by the agreement.