This paper considers issues relating to different "disclosure of origin" obligations, their compatibility with TRIPs and relationship to other regimes such as the FAO International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture (ITPGRFA) or UPOV. It covers developments in the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), Access and Benefit Sharing (ABS), as well as specific cases where disclosure might have made a difference, such as the Enola Bean, Hoodia and Rosy Periwinkle cases.

Part One of the paper explains how the priority of achieving minimum standards of protection and enforcement of existing IPRs has been superseded by that of global IP harmonisation for patents and what may be referred to as dynamic responsiveness for copyright. It also identifies the strategies being adopted to accelerate and deepen these processes. Part Two aims to demonstrate that this is very important and raises very high economic stakes.

In these issues papers, authors are invited to examine a subject of importance in the developing international intellectual property regime and highlight key issues they see arising. The topics have been chosen following consultations with negotiators from developing countries, and respond to their concerns. Our aim is to contribute to a greater understanding of the impact of changes in this area upon people’s lives and better inform debate and negotiations.