Keep Us Strong WikiLeaks logo

Currently released so far... 97115 / 251,287

Articles

Browse latest releases

Browse by creation date

Browse by origin

A B C D F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W Y Z

Browse by tag

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
ETRD EAGR ETTC EAID ECON EFIN ECIN EINV ELAB EAIR ENRG EPET EWWT ECPS EIND EMIN ELTN EC ETMIN EUC EZ ET ELECTIONS ENVR EU EUN EG EINT ER ECONOMICS ES EMS ENIV EEB EN ECE ECOSOC EK ENVIRONMENT EFIS EI EWT ENGRD ECPSN EXIM EIAD ERIN ECPC EDEV ENGY ECTRD EPA ESTH ECCT EINVECON ENGR ERTD EUR EAP EWWC ELTD EL EXIMOPIC EXTERNAL ETRDEC ESCAP ECO EGAD ELNT ECONOMIC ENV ETRN EIAR EUMEM ENRGPARMOTRASENVKGHGPGOVECONTSPLEAID EREL ECOM ECONETRDEAGRJA ETCC ETRG ECONOMY EMED ETR ENERG EITC EFINOECD EURM EENG ERA EXPORT ENRD ECONEINVETRDEFINELABETRDKTDBPGOVOPIC EGEN EBRD EVIN ETRAD ECOWAS EFTA ECONETRDBESPAR EGOVSY EPIN EID ECONENRG EDRC ESENV ETT EB ENER ELTNSNAR ECHEVARRIA ETRC EPIT EDUC ESA EFI ENRGY ESCI EE EAIDXMXAXBXFFR EETC ECIP EIAID EIVN EBEXP ESTN EING EGOV ETRA EPETEIND ELAN ETRDGK EAIDRW ETRDEINVECINPGOVCS EPEC ENVI ELN EAG EPCS EPRT EPTED ETRB EUM EAIDS EFIC EFINECONEAIDUNGAGM EAIDAR ESF EIDN ELAM EDU EV EAIDAF ECN EDA EXBS EINTECPS ENRGTRGYETRDBEXPBTIOSZ EPREL EAC EINVEFIN ETA EAGER EINDIR ECA ECLAC ELAP EITI EUCOM ECONEFINETRDPGOVEAGRPTERKTFNKCRMEAID EARG ELDIN EINVKSCA ENNP EFINECONCS EFINTS ECCP ETC EAIRASECCASCID EINN ETRP EAIDNI EFQ ECOQKPKO EGPHUM EBUD ECONEINVEFINPGOVIZ ENERGY ELB EINDETRD EMI ECONEFIN EIB EURN ETRDEINVTINTCS EIN EFIM ETIO ELAINE EMN EATO EWTR EIPR EINVETC ETTD ETDR EIQ ECONCS EPPD ENRGIZ EISL ESPINOSA ELEC EAIG ESLCO EUREM ENTG ERD EINVECONSENVCSJA EEPET EUNCH ECINECONCS ETRO ETRDECONWTOCS ECUN EFND EPECO EAIRECONRP ERGR ETRDPGOV ECPN ENRGMO EPWR EET EAIS EAGRE EDUARDO EAGRRP EAIDPHUMPRELUG EICN ECONQH EVN EGHG ELBR EINF EAIDHO EENV ETEX ERNG ED
KMDR KPAO KPKO KJUS KCRM KGHG KFRD KWMN KDEM KTFN KHIV KGIC KIDE KSCA KNNP KHUM KIPR KSUM KISL KIRF KCOR KRCM KPAL KWBG KN KS KOMC KSEP KFLU KPWR KTIA KSEO KMPI KHLS KICC KSTH KMCA KVPR KPRM KE KU KZ KFLO KSAF KTIP KTEX KBCT KOCI KOLY KOR KAWC KACT KUNR KTDB KSTC KLIG KSKN KNN KCFE KCIP KGHA KHDP KPOW KUNC KDRL KV KPREL KCRS KPOL KRVC KRIM KGIT KWIR KT KIRC KOMO KRFD KUWAIT KG KFIN KSCI KTFIN KFTN KGOV KPRV KSAC KGIV KCRIM KPIR KSOC KBIO KW KGLB KMWN KPO KFSC KSEAO KSTCPL KSI KPRP KREC KFPC KUNH KCSA KMRS KNDP KR KICCPUR KPPAO KCSY KTBT KCIS KNEP KFRDCVISCMGTCASCKOCIASECPHUMSMIGEG KNNB KGCC KINR KPOP KMFO KENV KNAR KVIR KDRG KDMR KFCE KNAO KDEN KGCN KICA KIMMITT KMCC KLFU KMSG KSEC KUM KCUL KMNP KSMT KCOM KOMCSG KSPR KPMI KRAD KIND KCRP KAUST KWAWC KTER KCHG KRDP KPAS KITA KTSC KPAOPREL KWGB KIRP KJUST KMIG KLAB KTFR KSEI KSTT KAPO KSTS KLSO KWNN KPOA KHSA KNPP KPAONZ KBTS KWWW KY KJRE KPAOKMDRKE KCRCM KSCS KWMNCI KESO KWUN KPLS KIIP KEDEM KPAOY KRIF KGICKS KREF KTRD KFRDSOCIRO KTAO KJU KWMNPHUMPRELKPAOZW KEN KO KNEI KEMR KKIV KEAI KWAC KRCIM KWCI KFIU KWIC KCORR KOMS KNNO KPAI KBWG KTTB KTBD KTIALG KILS KFEM KTDM KESS KNUC KPA KOMCCO KCEM KRCS KWBGSY KNPPIS KNNPMNUC KWN KERG KLTN KALM KCCP KSUMPHUM KREL KGH KLIP KTLA KAWK KWMM KVRP KVRC KAID KSLG KDEMK KX KIF KNPR KCFC KFTFN KTFM KPDD KCERS KMOC KDEMAF KMEPI KEMS KDRM KEPREL KBTR KEDU KNP KIRL KNNR KMPT KISLPINR KTPN KA KJUSTH KPIN KDEV KTDD KAKA KFRP KWNM KTSD KINL KJUSKUNR KWWMN KECF KWBC KPRO KVBL KOM KFRDKIRFCVISCMGTKOCIASECPHUMSMIGEG KEDM KFLD KLPM KRGY KNNF KICR KIFR KM KWMNCS KAWS KLAP KPAK KDDG KCGC KID KNSD KMPF KPFO KDP KCMR KRMS KNPT KNNNP KTIAPARM KDTB KNUP KPGOV KNAP KNNC KUK KSRE KREISLER KIVP KQ KTIAEUN KPALAOIS KRM KISLAO KWM KFLOA
PHUM PINR PTER PGOV PREL PREF PL PM PHSA PE PARM PINS PK PUNE PO PALESTINIAN PU PBTS PROP PTBS POL POLI PA PGOVZI POLMIL POLITICAL PARTIES POLM PD POLITICS POLICY PAS PMIL PINT PNAT PV PKO PPOL PERSONS PING PBIO PH PETR PARMS PRES PCON PETERS PRELBR PT PLAB PP PAK PDEM PKPA PSOCI PF PLO PTERM PJUS PSOE PELOSI PROPERTY PGOVPREL PARP PRL PNIR PHUMKPAL PG PREZ PGIC PBOV PAO PKK PROV PHSAK PHUMPREL PROTECTION PGOVBL PSI PRELPK PGOVENRG PUM PRELKPKO PATTY PSOC PRIVATIZATION PRELSP PGOVEAIDUKNOSWGMHUCANLLHFRSPITNZ PMIG PREC PAIGH PROG PSHA PARK PETER POG PHUS PPREL PS PTERPREL PRELPGOV POV PKPO PGOVECON POUS PGOVPRELPHUMPREFSMIGELABEAIDKCRMKWMN PWBG PMAR PREM PAR PNR PRELPGOVEAIDECONEINVBEXPSCULOIIPBTIO PARMIR PGOVGM PHUH PARTM PN PRE PTE PY POLUN PPEL PDOV PGOVSOCI PIRF PGOVPM PBST PRELEVU PGOR PBTSRU PRM PRELKPAOIZ PGVO PERL PGOC PAGR PMIN PHUMR PVIP PPD PGV PRAM PINL PKPAL PTERE PGOF PINO PHAS PODC PRHUM PHUMA PREO PPA PEPFAR PGO PRGOV PAC PRESL PORG PKFK PEPR PRELP PREFA PNG PGOVPHUMKPAO PRELECON PINOCHET PFOR PGOVLO PHUMBA PRELC PREK PHUME PHJM POLINT PGOVPZ PGOVKCRM PGOVE PHALANAGE PARTY PECON PEACE PROCESS PLN PRELSW PAHO PEDRO PRELA PASS PPAO PGPV PNUM PCUL PGGV PSA PGOVSMIGKCRMKWMNPHUMCVISKFRDCA PGIV PRFE POGOV PEL PBT PAMQ PINF PSEPC POSTS PHUMPGOV PVOV PHSAPREL PROLIFERATION PENA PRELTBIOBA PIN PRELL PGOVPTER PHAM PHYTRP PTEL PTERPGOV PHARM PROTESTS PRELAF PKBL PRELKPAO PKNP PARMP PHUML PFOV PERM PUOS PRELGOV PHUMPTER PARAGRAPH PERURENA PBTSEWWT PCI PETROL PINSO PINSCE PQL PEREZ PBS

Browse by classification

Community resources

courage is contagious

Viewing cable 07BRASILIA401, BRAZIL TO INTRODUCE NEW BIOPIRACY LEGISLATION

If you are new to these pages, please read an introduction on the structure of a cable as well as how to discuss them with others. See also the FAQs

Understanding cables
Every cable message consists of three parts:
  • The top box shows each cables unique reference number, when and by whom it originally was sent, and what its initial classification was.
  • The middle box contains the header information that is associated with the cable. It includes information about the receiver(s) as well as a general subject.
  • The bottom box presents the body of the cable. The opening can contain a more specific subject, references to other cables (browse by origin to find them) or additional comment. This is followed by the main contents of the cable: a summary, a collection of specific topics and a comment section.
To understand the justification used for the classification of each cable, please use this WikiSource article as reference.

Discussing cables
If you find meaningful or important information in a cable, please link directly to its unique reference number. Linking to a specific paragraph in the body of a cable is also possible by copying the appropriate link (to be found at theparagraph symbol). Please mark messages for social networking services like Twitter with the hash tags #cablegate and a hash containing the reference ID e.g. #07BRASILIA401.
Reference ID Created Released Classification Origin
07BRASILIA401 2007-03-07 13:23 2011-07-11 00:00 UNCLASSIFIED Embassy Brasilia
VZCZCXRO8405
PP RUEHRG
DE RUEHBR #0401/01 0661323
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 071323Z MAR 07
FM AMEMBASSY BRASILIA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 8294
INFO RUEHRI/AMCONSUL RIO DE JANEIRO 3970
RUEHSO/AMCONSUL SAO PAULO 9360
RUEHRG/AMCONSUL RECIFE 6326
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 BRASILIA 000401 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR OES/PCI/LPOULTON, LSPERLING; OES/CDAWSON; WHA/BPOPP, 
ARADETSKY 
 
PLEASE PASS TO LHIRSCH AT SMITHSONIAN 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: SENV TBIO KSCA BAIO BR
SUBJECT:  BRAZIL TO INTRODUCE NEW BIOPIRACY LEGISLATION 
 
REF: 06 BRASILIA 2686 
 
1. (U) Summary: The Government of Brazil (GOB) is preparing new 
legislation to address biopiracy in Brazil, which the GOB believes 
fuels a USD 100 million a year market for chemical, pharmaceutical 
and cosmetics industries worldwide.  The new legislation will 
feature electronic registration for researchers seeking government 
authorization and may also require payment into a "conservation and 
development" fund, for use by the Ministry of the Environment.  If 
passed, the new law would seek to help combat biopiracy while at the 
same time improve bureaucratic efficiency for scientific research 
requests and encourage foreign investment in biotechnology.  End 
Summary. 
 
2. (U) On September 28, 2007, SCI officer met with Eduardo Velez, 
Director of the Brazilian Ministry of Environment's Genetic Heritage 
Department (CGEN) to discuss biopiracy in Brazil.  Velez said that 
for the GOB, biopiracy remains a constant threat to Brazil's natural 
resources and poses problems regarding access to and benefits from 
those resources for indigenous and local communities. 
 
Biopiracy in Brazil Defined 
-------------------------- 
 
3. (U) Velez explained that the GOB sees biopiracy as the act of 
transferring genetic resources (animal or plant) and/or traditional 
knowledge associated with those genetic resources from Brazil 
without the prior authorization of the GOB.  Such an act, Velez 
stated, violates not only local law, but the laws established by the 
Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD).  Perhaps just as important 
to the GOB, according to Velez, biopiracy involves the unfair and 
unequal sharing (between the GOB, local communities and 
bio-prospectors) of the financial benefits that come from the 
commercial exploitation of these resources and traditional 
knowledge. 
 
4. (U) At the moment, the Brazilian Ministry of Environment (MMA) is 
investigating approximately 1,200 patents and/or patent requests in 
the United States, European Union and Asia, involving substances 
related to 40 species of Brazilian plants and animals that are 
suspected of involving biopiracy.  In Brazil, the most commonly 
discussed incidents of biopiracy involve food and medicinal 
products.  For example, the brand curpulate (chocolate made with the 
seeds of the cupuacu fruit) was registered by Japanese company Asahi 
Foods in 2002.  EMBRAPA (Brazilian Agricultural Research Authority) 
also claims that it holds the patent for this brand and has brought 
a case against Asahi before the WTO.  In the medical field, Merck 
laboratory holds the patent for the isolation of an enzyme, the 
policarpina, from the jaborandi plant.  Merck uses the enzyme to 
produce medicine for treatment and control of glaucoma.  According 
to Velez, the plant has also been used for centuries by local 
Indians to make medicinal teas yet the Indians receive no benefits 
from the Merck patent. 
 
Legislation - Old and New 
------------------------ 
 
5. (U) The current Brazilian regulatory system for access to genetic 
resources and associated traditional knowledge requires 
bio-prospectors or scientific researchers to reach a contractual 
agreement with the land owner where the activities would take place. 
 Both parties then go to the GOB for approval of the agreement and 
benefit sharing.  The administrative requirement to approach the GOB 
second, and other flaws in the law such as lack of transparency, 
Velez explained, has led to an inefficient authorization process, a 
lack of monitoring and enforcement, and has also scared away 
bonafide foreign investment in the development of Brazil's 
biotechnology sector. 
 
6. (U) The proposed new legislation, which is being drafted with 
input from local scientific, private sector and non government 
organization communities, will attempt to improve bureaucratic 
efficiency, Velez said. Velez added that with this new law, the GOB 
hopes that it can also reach the type of success in attracting 
foreign investing in biodiversity/biotechnology that, e.g., Costa 
Rica has been able to achieve, while at the same time, create more 
efficient channels for scientific research. 
 
7. (U) The new law will institute, inter alia, an online 
registration for research and bio-prospecting authorization 
requests.  Authorization requests would be directed to CGEN prior to 
reaching an agreement with the local land owner.  The new law would 
also seek to better establish benefit sharing contracts, which will 
now have to be negotiated directly with the MMA and not with the 
owner of the land where the research or bio-prospecting takes place. 
 Moreover, the new law may include a fund that researchers and 
 
BRASILIA 00000401  002 OF 002 
 
 
bio-prospecting companies would be required to pay into that would 
be used to support sustainable development and conservation 
activities in Brazil.  Velez said that the GOB had not yet 
determined how the conservation fund would be managed.  While the 
current idea is that the funds would be under the control of the MMA 
for use in sustainable development and conservation activities, he 
could give no guarantees or plans for transparent use of the money. 
 
 
8. (U) Comment: The GOB is keen to end biopiracy in Brazil as shown 
through its support of local and international efforts.  For 
example, at the Common Agenda for the Environment meeting in Brazil 
in December 2006, Brazil reiterated its interest in including 
biopiracy in the scope of Coalition Against Wildlife Trafficking 
(CAWT), most likely due to its view that biopiracy includes plant 
and animal species.  Moreover, at a recent meeting of the Trade 
Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) Council, 
Brazil reiterated its support of an amendment to the TRIPS Agreement 
that would entail incorporating a requirement to disclose the origin 
of genetic resources and associated traditional knowledge in patent 
applications along with evidence of prior informed consent and 
benefit sharing.  Perhaps most importantly, however, the proposed 
new national legislation that would require a contractual agreement 
be negotiated directly with the GOB, may appear to mean that 
contrary its commitments under the CBD, the GOB may have interest in 
entering into bilateral agreements for conducting bio-prospecting in 
Brazil. End comment. 
 
Chicola