Protecting Traditional Knowledge – Does Secrecy Offer a Solution

Authors

  • Lee-Ann Tong University of Cape Town

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.17159/1727-3781/2010/v13i4a2705

Keywords:

Traditional knowledge, TRIPS Agreement, unfair competition, confidential information, secrecy.

Abstract

The shortcomings of using the intellectual property system to safeguard the interests of traditional knowledge holders have received considerable attention. Laws that guard against the disclosure of secret traditional knowledge to non-community members may offer a low-cost and accessible way for traditional communities to prevent the misappropriation of their traditional knowledge. This paper reviews the concerns that may arise when holders of traditional knowledge attempt to rely on claiming unfair competition and contract laws to protect their traditional knowledge.

 

 

   ScienceOpen_Log046.png

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

References

Bibliography

Aplin 2007 IPQ

Aplin T "The development of the action for breach of confidence in a post-HRA era" 2007 IPQ 19-59

Dinca 2005 JWIP

Dinca R "The 'Bermuda Triangle' of Pharmaceutical Law – Is Data Protection a Lost Ship?" 2005 JWIP 517-564

Domanski 1993 THRHR

Domanski A "Trade secrets through the cases: a study of the basis and scope of protection (continued)" 1993 THRHR 430-449

Dutfield "Protecting and Revitalising Traditional Ecological Knowledge"

Dutfield G "Protecting and Revitalising Traditional Ecological Knowledge: Intellectual Property Rights and Community Knowledge Databases in India" in Blakeney M Intellectual Property Aspects of Ethnobiology (Sweet and Maxwell London 1999) 103-122

Dutfield 2001 Case W Res J Int'l L

Dutfield G "TRIPS-Related Aspects of Traditional Knowledge" 2001 Case W Res J Int'l L 233-275

Dutfield "Protecting Traditional Knowledge"

Dutfield G "Protecting Traditional Knowledge and Folklore" in Grosheide W and Brinkhoj J (eds) Intellectual Property Law Articles on Cultural Expressions and Indigenous Knowledge (Intersentia Antwerp 2002) 63-96

Elvin-Lewis 2007 Afr J Trad CAM

Elvin-Lewis M "Evolving Concepts Related to Achieving Benefit Sharing for Custodians of Traditional Knowledge" 2007 Afr J Trad CAM 443-468

Feris 2004 African Human Rights Journal

Feris L "Protecting indigenous knowledge in Africa: considering African approaches" 2004 African Human Rights Journal 242-255

Kiggundu "Intellectual Property Law"

Kiggundu J "Intellectual Property Law and the Protection of Indigenous Knowledge" in Mazonde I and Thomas P (eds) Indigenous Knowledge Systems and Intellectual Property in the Twenty-first Century: Perspectives from Southern Africa (CODESRIA Senegal 2007) 26-47

Knobel 2000 Acta Juridica

Knobel J "Wrongfulness of trade secret misappropriation and trade secrets as objects of subjective rights" 2000 Acta Juridica 196-212

Knobel 2001 THRHR

Knobel J "Trade secrets and the doctrine of subjective rights" 2001 THRHR 572-595

Landes and Posner Economic Structure

Landes WA and Posner RA The Economic Structure of Intellectual Property Law (Harvard University Press Cambridge 2003)

Mcleod Owning Culture

Mcleod K Owning Culture (Peter Lang New York 2001)

Meitinger 2005 JWIP

Meitinger I "Implementation of Test Data Protection According to Article 39.3 TRIPS – The Search for a Fair Interpretation of the Term 'Unfair Commercial Use'" 2005 JWIP 123-140

Neethling Unlawful Competition

Neethling J Van Heerden-Neethling Unlawful Competition 2nd ed (LexisNexis Durban 2008)

Pistorius and Visser 1993 SA Merc LJ

Pistorius T and Visser C "Confidential Information and the Danger of Confusing Classifications" 1993 SA Merc LJ 330-345

Posey and Dutfield Beyond Intellectual Property

Posey D and Dutfield G Beyond Intellectual Property (International Development Research Centre Ottawa 1996)

UNCTAD-ICTSD Resource Book on TRIPS

UNCTAD-ICTSD Resource Book on TRIPS and Development (Cambridge University Press Cambridge 2005)

Van Overwalle "Protection of Traditional Knowledge"

Van Overwalle G "Protection of Traditional Knowledge: a Critical Synthesis" in Grosheide W and Brinkhoj J (eds) Intellectual Property Law Articles on Cultural Expressions and Indigenous Knowledge (Intersentia Antwerp 2002) 251-266

Webster and Morley South African Law of Trade Marks

Webster CE and Morley GE Webster and Page South African Law of Trade Marks 4th ed (LexisNexis Durban 2007)

WIPO Intellectual Property Needs

WIPO Intellectual Property Needs and Expectations of Traditional Knowledge Holders (WIPO Geneva 2001)

WIPO Model Provisions on Protection Against Unfair Competition

WIPO Model Provisions on Protection Against Unfair Competition (WIPO Geneva 1996)

Wynberg 2004 JWIP

Wynberg R "Rhetoric, Realism and Benefit-sharing – Use of Traditional Knowledge of Hoodia Species in the Development of an Appetite Suppressant" 2004 JWIP 851-876

Register of court cases

Atlas Organic Fertilizers (Pty) Ltd v Pikkewyn Ghwano (Pty) Ltd & Others 1981 2 SA 173 (T)

Canon KwaZulu-Natal (Pty) Ltd t/a Canon Office Automation v Booth and Another 2005 3 SA 205 (N)

Dun & Bradstreet (Pty) Ltd v SA Merchants Combined Credit Bureau (Cape) (Pty) Ltd 1968 1 SA 209 (C)

Easyfind International (SA) (Pty) Ltd v Instaplan Holdings 1983 3 SA 917 (W)

Financial Mail (Pty) Ltd and Others v Sage Holdings Ltd and Another 1993 2 SA 451 (A)

Harchris Heat Treatment (Pty) Ltd v Iscor 1983 1 SA 548 (T)

Mathew v Young 1922 AD 492

Patz v Greene & Co 1907 TS 427

Register of legislation

Copyright Act 98 of 1978

Patents Act 57 of 1978

Trade Marks Act 194 of 1993

Register of government publications

Gen Not 552 in GG 31026 of 5 May 2008

Register of international documents

Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) (1994)

Register of Internet sources

Gervais 2001 www.cra-adc.ca

Gervais D 2001 Traditional Knowledge: A Challenge to the International Intellectual Property System www.cra-adc.ca/en/documents/traditional-knowledge#contracts_trade_secrets [date of use 20 Apr 2009]

Published

19-06-2017

Issue

Section

Articles

How to Cite

Tong, L.-A. (2017). Protecting Traditional Knowledge – Does Secrecy Offer a Solution. Potchefstroom Electronic Law Journal, 13(4), 158-180. https://doi.org/10.17159/1727-3781/2010/v13i4a2705

Similar Articles

1-10 of 1068

You may also start an advanced similarity search for this article.