Study session on intellectual monopolies, human rigths and development
The somewhat cumbersomely named 3D -> Trade – Human Rights – Equitable Economy, a think-tank NGO, has held a study session on intellectual monopoly rights, human rights and development. The report (.pdf, 10p) makes quite a nice read for an overview of this topic:
“The main objective of the Study Session was to create conditions for future collaboration and coordination between human rights advocates and advocates of a more equitable and development-oriented international IP system.”
“participants discussed how a human rights framework can provide tools to address the imbalances in the current IP system and achieve a more development-orientated outcome.”
This is an especially important point:
“A number of participants mentioned that they would prefer to refer to IP “privileges” instead of rights, as this word better reflects what they are. Participants emphasized that human rights are fundamental and inalienable rights, whilst IP rights can be bought, sold or revoked.”
The participants of the study session also worked to clarify the difference between intellectual monopoly rights and human rights. In WIPO discussions, as well as in other places, industry lobbyists have started to misappropriate human rights language to call for stronger protection of monopoly privileges.