Trips on the High Seas: Intellectual Property Rights on Marine Genetic Resources

46 Pages Posted: 12 Feb 2012 Last revised: 23 Apr 2013

See all articles by Seline Trevisanut

Seline Trevisanut

Netherlands Institute for the Law of the sea, Utrecht University School of Law; Utrecht University - School of Law

Angelica Bonfanti

affiliation not provided to SSRN; affiliation not provided to SSRN

Date Written: February 10, 2012

Abstract

Exploration and collection of marine genetic resources ('MGRs') has led to the identification of more than 15,000 molecules. As a result of these discoveries, the number of international claims for marine gene patents deposited between 1991 and 2009 reached 677, and dozens of products based on deep-sea organisms have been patented. From a legal point of view, it is unclear under which regime MGRs fall and under what conditions they can be patented. Three main legal instruments contribute to the parameters of their legal regime: the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea ('UNCLOS'), the Convention on Biological Diversity ('CBD'), and the Trade Related Intellectual Property Rights Agreement ('TRIPS'). This Article will demonstrate that the different legal regimes likely operate in support of one another to create a workable legal regime for MGRs.

The analysis is divided into two sections. The first part aims at identifying the principles and rules governing MGRs’ overall legal regime by demonstrating how the management and exploitation of MGRs falls within several legal systems. It analyzes the legal status of MGRs in the light of UNCLOS, the patentability of inventions derived from MGRs in the light of TRIPS, and MGRs’ access and commercial exploitation in the light of the CBD. It concludes that existing instruments, if considered and applied in isolation, are incomplete and inefficient to deal with MGRs. The second part explores alternative legal solutions as well as institutional mechanisms of coping with the management of MGRs. To this extent, it will analyze four legal solutions based on the joint application of existing legal tools, and three possible institutional scenarios that guarantee the principles of protection and the 'common' management of MGRs.

Keywords: marine genetic resources, law of the sea, biological diversity, patentability

Suggested Citation

Trevisanut, Seline and Bonfanti, Angelica and Bonfanti, Angelica, Trips on the High Seas: Intellectual Property Rights on Marine Genetic Resources (February 10, 2012). Brooklyn Journal of International Law, Vol. 37, No. 1, 2012 , Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=2002695

Seline Trevisanut (Contact Author)

Netherlands Institute for the Law of the sea, Utrecht University School of Law ( email )

Achter Sint Pieter 200
Utrecht, 3512 HT
Netherlands
31 (0) 302 53 37 96 (Phone)

HOME PAGE: http://www.uu.nl/rebo/medewerkers/STrevisanut/0

Utrecht University - School of Law ( email )

3508 TC Utrecht
Utrecht
Netherlands

Angelica Bonfanti

affiliation not provided to SSRN ( email )

No Address Available

affiliation not provided to SSRN ( email )

No Address Available

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