Programme

Please select the Session that you are interested in for details.

Monday, 1st December 2003Move to the top of the page

Session 1 (Morning) : OWNING INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY IN MODIFIED LIVING THINGS AND OTHER BIOLOGICAL PRODUCTS

Speakers Background
Professor George Wei LLM Dip Law (Lond), Barrister (IT & HK), Professor, National University of Singapore Director, LLM (Intellectual Property & Technology Law)
Professor Bartha Maria Knoppers Canada Research Chair in Law and Medicine, Faculte de droit, Universite de Montreal / Chairperson, International Ethics Committee, Human Genome Organisation (HUGO)
Professor Surinder Kaur Verma Director, Indian Law Institute / President of the International Association for the Advancement of Teaching and Research Intellectual Property (ATRIP)


Time/ Duration Programme
8:30 a.m. Registration
9.00 a.m.   Welcome Address by the Honourable Justice Lai Kew Chai, Chairman, Steering Committee
9:15 a.m. Opening Address by Associate Professor Ho Peng Kee, Senior Minister of State for Law & Home Affairs  
9.30 a.m.   Tea Reception
10:00 a.m. Introduction of speakers/themes for Day 1 by Conference Chairman for Day 1
10.15 a.m.   "Fitting Biological Products Within the Intellectual Property Framework: Challenges Facing the Policy Makers" by Professor George Wei
10:55 a.m. "Patenting of Higher Life Forms: A Canadian Perspective" by Professor Bartha Maria Knoppers
11.35 a.m.   "Biodiversity, Biological Inventions and Intellectual Property Rights: The Case of India" by Professor (Dr.) Surinder Kaur Verma
12:15 p.m. Q & A Session
12.45 p.m.   Lunch


Session 2 (Afternoon) : THE INTERNATIONAL LEGAL FRAMEWORK: CAN THE TRIPS AGREEMENT COEXIST COMFORTABLY WITH THE CBD? 

Speakers Background
Anthony Taubman
Acting Director, Traditional Knowledge Division, WIPO Secretariat
Professor Michael  I. Jeffery (QC)
Director, Macquarie University Centre for Environmental Law / Deputy Chair IUCN Commission on Environmental Law
Dr. Jorge Caillaux Vice Chair for South America, IUCN-Commission on Environmental Law


Time/ Duration Programme
2:00 p.m. "Inventors with Clean Hands: Patents, Genetic Resources and Disclosure" by Mr Antony Taubman
2.40 p.m.   "Intellectual Property Rights and Biodiversity Conservation: Reconciling the Incompatibilities of the TRIPS Agreement and the Convention on Biodiversity" by Professor Michael I. Jeffery QC
3:20 p.m. Afternoon Tea  
3.50 p.m.   "A Brief Review of Access to Genetic Resources and Protection of Traditional Knowledge Legislation in Selected Megadiverse Countries" by Dr Jorge Caillaux
4:30 p.m. Q & A Session
5.00 p.m.   End of Day 1


Tuesday, 2nd December 2003Move to the top of the page

Session 3 (Morning) : LEGAL PROTECTION FOR BIOTECHNOLOGICAL INNOVATIONS: PERSPECTIVES FROM BIO-INDUSTRY

Speakers Background
Professor Peter Drahos
Professor of Law, Research Institutions Network, Research School of Social Sciences, The Australian National University
Dr. Steven R. King Vice-President of the Ethnobotany and Conservation of PS Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
Professor Hiroji Isozaki Full Professor of International Law, Iwate University
Professor Wang Xi Associate Dean, Shanghai Jiaotong University Law School / Director, Environmental and Resources Law Institute, Shanghai Jiaotong University


Time/ Duration Programme
8:30 a.m. Registration
9.00 a.m.   Introduction of speakers/themes for Day 2 by Mr Tan Tee Jim, S.C.
9:05 a.m. "Engineering Intellectual Property Rights: The Role of Biotechnology Industry" by Professor Peter Drahos  
9.45 a.m.   "Traditional Knowledge, Biological Resources and Drug Development: Building Equitable Partnerships to Conserve, Develop and Respect Biocultural Diversity" by Dr Steven R. King
10:25 a.m. Morning Tea
10.40 a.m.   "Measures for Ensuring the Legality of International Transactions in Genetic Resources" by Professor Hiroji Isozaki
11:20 a.m. "Using Intellectual Property Rights to Protect Traditional Chinese Medicines in China" by Professor (Dr.) Wang Xi
12.00 p.m.   Q & A Session
12:15 p.m. Lunch


Session 4 (Afternoon) : ADDRESSING THE CONCERNS OF DEVELOPING NATIONS, LOCAL AND INDIGENOUS COMMUNITIES: LOOKING WITHIN AND BEYOND THE LAW OF INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY

Speakers Background
Professor Donna Craig Associate Director, Macquarie University Centre for Environmental Law / Director Indigenous Law Program, Macquarie University Division of Law
Professor A. H. Zakri Director, Institute of Advanced Studies, United Nations University (UNU/IAS)
Professor Michael Blakeney Herchel Smith Professor of Intellectual Property Law, Queen Mary, University of London / Director, Queen Mary Intellectual Property Research Institute
Professor Charles R. McManis Thomas and Karole Green Professor of Law at Washington University at St Louis


Time/ Duration Programme
1:15 p.m. "Biological Resources, IPRs and International Human Rights: Impacts on Indigenous and Local Communities" by Professor Donna Craig
1.55 p.m.   "The Impact of the Group of Like Minded Megadiverse Countries on the Access and Benefit Sharing Debate" by Mr Sam Johnston
2:35 p.m. Afternoon Tea  
2.50 p.m.   Tea Reception
10:00 a.m. "Bioprospecting and Biopiracy" by Professor Michael Blakeney
3.30 p.m.   "Fitting Traditional Knowledge into the Existing Intellectual Property Framework: How Stakeholders Can Utilize the Law of Patents, Copyrights, Trademarks, Geographical Indications and Certification Marks to Protect Traditional Knowledge" by Professor Charles R. McManis
4:10 p.m. Q & A Session
4.30 p.m.   End of Day 2


Wednesday, 3rd December 2003Move to the top of the page

Session 5 (Morning) : ROUNDTABLE DISCUSSION WITH AMBASSADOR TOMMY KOH: THE FUTURE OF INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY AND BIOLOGICAL RESOURCES - CAN AN EQUITABLE COMPROMISE BE STRUCK? 

Speakers Background
Professor Tommy Koh Ambassador-At-Large, Republic of Singapore / Director, Institute of Policy Studies / Chairman, National Heritage Board


Time/ Duration Programme
8:30 a.m. Registration
9.00 a.m. Introduction of Professor Tommy Koh, Roundtable Chairman
9:05 a.m. Professor Tommy Koh introduces the panellists  
9.15 a.m. Reflection and Review
10:00 a.m. Questions to and fro Speakers
10.45 a.m. Tea Break
11:00 a.m. Resolution Attempt
12.15 p.m.   Summing Up by Chairman

Every care has been taken to ensure that the programme and topics are correct at the time of the printing of this programme.  The organisers, however, reserve the right to vary the titles of the papers should the need arise.