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Which issues should be dealt with internationally and which nationally, or what division should be made between international regulation and national regulation?


International Publishers Association (IPA)

The principle of subsidiarity requires that only those tasks should be performed at international level which cannot be performed effectively at a more immediate or local level. Respect for the same principle also requires that international harmonisation should be the conclusion, not the precursor of the development of national regulation.
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China

We think that at the international level the cross-border protection of TCEs/EoF should be coordinated.
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Kyrgyzstan

Problems: imperfection of the national legislation in this field, lack of traditional cultural expressions (folklore) protection system as such etc.

It is presumed that at international level there will be unified approach in solution of common tasks in order to protect traditional cultural expressions (folklore).
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United States of America

The United States believes that a focused discussion of the preservation, promotion and protection of TCEs/EoF requires a careful consideration of both the national and international aspects of the complex issues before the Committee, without excluding any outcome. At this time, the Committee should concentrate its efforts on engaging in sustained, robust discussions of the substantive issues before it. Further, it should be recognized that all issues raised in the IGC are being dealt with internationally even if the result of the international deliberations would be for agreed actions to be taken at the national level.
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Ghana

Every issue concerning folklore should be dealt with at both the national and international levels especially where, the issue involves two or more different nationals or nations.
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Brazil
One critical function of an international instrument for the protection of TCEs/EoFs should be to facilitate the enforcement of national legislation in third countries. Accordingly, minimum rules should be set out on an international level, such as: (i) the requirement that use of TCEs/EoFs be conditioned upon compliance with prior informed consent; (ii) reference of cases that may represent acts of misappropriation; (iii) recognition of rights over TCEs/EoFs to the communities they relate to; (iv) ways and means to protect such rights.

Apart from the decision to decide the underlying features of the system of protection – IP-related or “sui generis” -, national legislations should be entitled to provide for, inter alia: (i) specific definition of the beneficiaries of protection; (ii) rules on benefit-sharing; (iii) management of rights relating to TCEs/EoFs; (iv) specific sanctions applying in cases of misappropriation.
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Japan

As mentioned in the above item 3, any justifiable reasons for IP right protection to be extended to TCEs/EoF have not been clearly identified and sufficiently explained. Japan has a serious concern about establishing a new type of intellectual property right or a sui-generis right for protection of TCEs/EoF as well as about creating a legally binding international instrument that obligates member States to establish such regime.

Before discussing ways of internationally addressing this issue, discussions must be conducted on what domestic solutions exist and where their limits lie, and the extent to which contracts, etc. are incapable of addressing this issue. Discussion based on factual information about what damage has been caused by what illegal acts is essential.
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Norway

The core elements should be dealt with internationally, thus providing a minimum standard of protection. However, the need for flexibility should also be recognized. One system of protection does not necessarily fit all and different concerns locally or related to the specific subject matter should also be taken into account.
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Qatar

(a)   Creating an agreement about the norms of what could be considered as misappropriation, misuse, etc… of TK.
(b)   The difficulties of defining the subject matter, the strength and weakness of existing categories of protection.
(c)   The issue of enforcement of norms relating to TK.
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Ogiek Peoples Development Program (OPDP):

The issues to be dealt both nationally and internationally should be based on identification and promotion of good traditional practices and prohibits harmful behaviours that may expose these practices to danger. The policy development internationally should be regulated/ domesticated nationally, hence foreign right holders have to adhere within different jurisdictions.
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South Africa

As mentioned in earlier our submission, our starting point is that there needs to be coordination and clarification of linkages with the other elements of other international protocols and conventions. We propose that mechanisms for enabling or facilitating notification or registration as the basis for recognising an IP right under national law and regional policy be taken into consideration. Hence we are of the view that the OAU Model law be tabled as a possible mechanism. We propose that the model law could be harmonised with the provisions in the IGC, so as to provide a more integrated scheme for recognition and protection of Indigenous and local communities’ intellectual property. If a system for community decision-making and financial returns is devised, it could also pave the way for greater economic, as well as cultural self reliance for these communities.
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Russian Association of Indigenous Peoples of the North (RAIPON)

At international level general principles should be examined (see paragraph 5) and at national level – protection mechanisms.
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Colombia

We support what is stated on this subject in the proposed Article 11 of the substantive provisions contained in documents WIPO/GRTKF/IC/9/4 and WIPO/GRTKF/IC/10/4.
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Federación Ibero-Latinoamericana de Artistas, Intérpretes y Ejecutantes (FILAIE)

We consider that in order to focus appropriately on the protection under consideration, there is no more effective formula than the drawing-up of an international treaty to which the majority of Member States could sign up. Once this international treaty has been prepared, it would be necessary to complement or establish original legal protection for traditional cultural expressions.

Since there is virtually no national rule on the subject, it is difficult to determine it at the national level.
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Tunisia

Currently no legal framework exists for the protection of traditional knowledge at the national level.

The protection of traditional knowledge at the national level is essential, and the Code of Protection for the Archeological, Historical and Traditional Arts Heritage, enacted under Law No. 94-35 of February 24, 1994, and which relates essentially to sites and monuments, can be broadened to extend to traditional knowledge.

Agreements and charters between international organizations and States can be produced for the protection of traditional knowledge, similar to what is applied in the field of the built heritage or the environment.
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Guatemala

Law for the Protection of the National Cultural Heritage, Decree No. 26-97, revised by Decree No. 81-98, WIPO/GRTKF/IC/2.

Article 18: temporary exhibitions. In order to hold temporary exhibitions of archaeological, ethnological and artistic objects outside the national territory, the exhibitor or manager shall submit its application to the Ministry of Culture and Sport, which shall contain the following:

(a)        name and general description of the activity;
(b)        duration of the activity, date of inauguration and of closure;
(c)        country, department, state or province in which the exhibition will be held;
(d)     institution, type of building, type of exhibitors, planned security measures, in which the exhibition will be held;
(e)     supervision: in order to guarantee the security of the objects included in the exhibition, these objects shall travel with at least one representative for each of the institutions responsible for the event, and where only one institution is involved they shall travel with a minimum of two persons who shall accompany the cultural property from the city or place of origin to the city where the activity will be held, as well as any change in headquarters. The setting-up and dismantling of the exhibition shall be supervised.  The number of persons may vary if the institutions responsible consider it necessary, taking into account the value and size of the exhibits. Transportation costs, travel, accommodation and subsistence expenses resulting from what is covered by this section, shall be borne by the applicant;
(f)      The name of the person or institutions responsible for the exhibition;
(g)     The agreement to obtain, before the cultural property is packaged, insurance against any possible risk in accordance with the valuation made by the dispatching institution.

Article 19. Guarantee agreement. Once an application has been received, a list with the description of the objects, their valuation and physical condition shall be drawn up.  A copy of the technical sheet and the corresponding photograph of each object shall be attached, after being issued by the Registry of Cultural Property. Said document shall serve as a basis for the issue of the corresponding State guarantee agreement or insurance policy. The cultural property included in an exhibition may not be confiscated and the receiving country shall guarantee its protection and return.
Article 20.       Acceptance. Following acceptance by the applicant institution and with the State agreement and/or insurance policy covering the designated value of the piece or collection, the general state of the museographical exhibits shall be specified, detailing any existing deterioration. The State or legal person concerned with the exhibition shall conclude an agreement with the Ministry of Culture and Sport of Guatemala, which shall regulate the procedures and conditions.

According to the case, the insurance policy or State guarantee agreement shall be received by the Ministry of Culture and Sport which, at the time the exhibits are delivered and received, shall make an official record that, where necessary, the corresponding claims shall be made. When the exhibition of the museographical exhibits ends, before the exhibits are packaged, a detailed record shall be produced of the state of each of the objects included in the exhibition, followed by their packaging and sealing prior to return.

Article 21.       Exhibitions. In the case of traveling exhibitions these shall be governed by the same principles of this Law, with responsibility being placed on the country where the exhibits are temporarily displayed. The responsibility of the country and/or institution in which the display of the exhibits is concluded shall end when the country and/or institution in which it is held subsequently receives the exhibits officially.

Article 22. Final selection. Notwithstanding the request made by the country to the institution concerned, the Ministry of Culture and Sport shall have the right of final selection of the items which shall leave the country for the exhibition.

Law for the Protection of the National Cultural Heritage, Decree No. 26-97, revised by Decree No. 81-98.

Article 11. Exports. The permanent export of cultural property shall be prohibited. However, temporary export, up to a maximum period of three years, may be authorized in the following cases: 

(a)        where exhibits will be displayed outside the national territory;
(b)        where they are the subject of scientific research or conservation and restoration duly supervised by the Directorate General of the Cultural and Natural Heritage.
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Russian Federation

The issues of preservation and dissemination of folklore should be dealt with at a national level, and the issues concerning cultural exchange may be treated at the international level.

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