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Mission
To ensure that the international community understands the unique IP interests of the biotechnology industry and to promote strong, enforceable IP protections globally.
Responsibilities:
- The International IP Working Group is responsible for addressing intellectual property issues confronting the biotechnology industry in other countries.
- The working group may commission studies and develop policy papers to be reviewed by the full IP Counsels' Committee and other relevant committees.
- The working group will monitor work product from relevant organizations, such as the World Trade Organization and the United Nations, as well as other international governmental or non-governmental organizations as it pertains to international intellectual property.
- The working group will work with BIO staff to brief Members of Congress and officials of governmental agencies such as the PTO, the U.S. State Department, United States Trade Representative and other relevant US government agencies on international intellectual property issues.
- The working group will make recommendations to the full committee on legislation, treaties, jurisprudence and practice in related to international intellectual property.
- Working group members may be asked to formulate comments and testimony on various international treaties, legislation, regulations, publications etc.
Policy Approval Process:
Substantive matters designed to become the official position of BIO are sent as recommendations of the International Intellectual Property Working Group to the IPC committee for review. Upon approval of the full IP Committee, the recommendations are then sent to the Board of Directors Standing Committee on Intellectual Property for first review. The Standing Committee on Intellectual property will discuss and, as appropriate determine changes in the recommendations. The Standing Committee will then either return the substantive matter to the IPC and then the Working Group for further comment and revision or refer the matter to the full Board of Directors for consideration.
Eligibility for Participation:
Must be a member of BIO and meet the requirements of the membership in the full IPC committee.
Past Accomplishments:
The International Intellectual Property Working Group has in the past helped to develop BIO's position on patent law harmonization, and BIO's position on various aspects of the Trade Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Agreement of the WTO, developed letters and position statements submitted to the USTR and helped to organize briefings of Congressional Members and staff on BIO's unique international IP issues.
Obligations: The working group meets on an ad hoc basis as many times as the working group chair deems necessary.
Contact Information: Lila Feisee, director, intellectual property, lfeisee@bio.org;
Louise Rogers, Coordinator for Legal Affairs, lrogers@bio.org. Address:
1201 Maryland Avenue, SW,
Suite 900,
Washington, DC 20024-2149,
(202) 962-9200
fax: 202-488-6301 website: www.bio.org.
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