MEPS urge EU action to combat "biopiracy"

The European Union must combat the "biopiracy" of multinationals that exploit plants with medicinal properties and traditional remedies originating from developing countries but fail to share the profits with indigenous peoples, say Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) in a resolution adopted by a show of hands on Tuesday at a plenary session.

Biopiracy - the practice of patenting and marketing the use of traditional knowledge and genetic resources of indigenous peoples without authorization from source countries - can impede the economic progress of developing countries and runs counter to EU development policy goals, says the resolution, which notes that 70% of the world’s poor depend directly on biodiversity for their survival and well-being.

"90% of the world's biological heritage is found in developing countries, yet the vast majority of patents are held by developed ones. Our rules for using natural resources and traditional knowledge are very ill-defined and companies exploit this legal uncertainty to use traditional knowhow. The EU must help to ensure that benefits are shared fairly, in line with its commitment to combat poverty," stressed author of the resolution Catherine Greze (Greens, FR).