Council Decision (EU) 2024/1277 of 29 April 2024 authorising the opening of negotiations, on behalf of the European Union, in the context of the World Intellectual Property Organization for an international legal instrument relating to intellectual property, genetic resources and traditional knowledge associated with genetic resources

1 The Commission is hereby authorised to open negotiations, on behalf of the Union, as regards matters falling within its competence and in respect of which the Union has adopted common rules that may be affected or the scope of which may be altered by the international instrument, for an international legal instrument relating to intellectual property, genetic resources and traditional knowledge associated with genetic resources in the context of the World Intellectual Property Organization.

2 The negotiations shall be conducted on the basis of the negotiating directives of the Council set out in the addendum, which may be revised and further developed as appropriate depending on the evolution of the negotiations.

3 To the extent that the subject matter of the negotiations falls within the competences of both the Union and its Member States, the Commission and the Member States should cooperate closely during the negotiating process, with a view to ensuring unity in the international representation of the Union and its Member States.

The negotiations shall be conducted in consultation with the Working Party on Intellectual Property, which is hereby designated as the special committee within the meaning of Article 218(4) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union. The Commission shall regularly report to the special committee referred to in the first paragraph on the steps undertaken pursuant to this Decision and consult it on a regular basis. Whenever so requested by the Council, the Commission shall report to it on the conduct and the outcome of the negotiations, including in writing.

This Decision is addressed to the Commission.