27 DE SETEMBRO DE 1996

1516-(7)

xii) «Organization» means the World Intellectual Property Organization;

xiii) «International Bureau» means the International Bureau of the Organization and, as long as it subsists, the United International Bureaux for the Protection of Intellectual Property (BIRPI);

xiv) «Director Generab means the Director General of the Organization;

xv) «Regulations» means the Regulations referred to in article 12.

CHAPTER I Substantive provisions

Article 3

Recognition and effect of the deposit of microorganisms

1 —a) Contracting States which allow or require the deposit of microorganisms for the purposes, of patent procedure shall recognize, for such purposes, the deposit of a microorganism with any international depositary authority. Such recognition shall include the recognition of the fact and date of the deposit as indicated by the international depositary authority as well as the recognition of the fact that what is furnished as a sample is a sample of the deposited microorganism.

b) Any Contracting State may require a copy of the receipt of the deposit referred to in subparagraph a), issued by the international depositary authority.

2 — As far as matters regulated in this Treaty and the Regulations are concerned, no Contracting State may require compliance with requirements different from or additional to those wich are provided in this Treaty and the Regulations.

Article 4 New deposit

1 — a). Where the international depositary authority cannot furnish samples of the deposited microorganism for any reason, in particular:

i) Where such microorganism is no longer viable, or

/'/) Where the furnishing of samples would require that they be sent abroad and the sending or the receipt of the samples abroad is prevented by export or import restrictions;

that authority shall, promptly after having noted its inability to furnish samples, notify the depositor of such inability, indicating the cause thereof, and the depositor, subject to paragraph 2 and as provided in this paragraph, shall.have the right to make a new deposit of microorganism which was originally deposited.

b) The new deposit shall be made with the international depositary authority with which the original deposit was made, provided that:

i) It shall be made with another international depositary authority where the institution with which the original deposit was made has ceased to have the status of international depositary authority, either entirely or in respect of the kind of microorganism to which the deposited microorganism belongs, or where the interna-

tional depositary authority with which thé original deposit was made discontinues, temporarily or definitively, the performance of its functions in respect of deposited microorganisms; ii) It may be made with another international depositary authority in the case referred to in subparagraph a),ii).

c) Any new deposit shall be accompanied by a statement signed by the depositor alleging that the newly deposited microorganism is the same as that originally deposited. If the allegation of the depositor is contested, the burden of proof shall be governed by the applicable law.

d) Subject to subparagraphs a) to c) and e), the new deposit shall be trated as if it had been made on the date on which the original deposit was made where all the preceding statements concerning the viability of the originally deposited microorganism indicated that the' microorganism was viable and where the new deposit was made within three months after the date on which the depositor received the notification referred to in subparagraph a).

e) Where subparagraph b), i), applies and the depositor does hot receive the notification referred to in subparagraph a) within six months after the date oh which the termination, limitation or discontinuance referred to in subparagraph b), /), was published by the International Bureau, the three-month time limit referred to.in subparagraph d) shall be counted from the date of the said publication.

2 — The right referred to in paragraph 1, a), shall not exist where the deposited microorganism has been transferred to another international depositary authority as long as the authority is in a position to furnish samples of such microorganism.

Article 5 Export and import restrictions

Each Contracting State recognizes that it is highly desirable that, if and to the extent to which the export from or import into its territory of certain kinds of microorganisms is restricted, such restriction should aplly to microorganisms deposited, or destined for deposit, under this Treaty only where the restriction is necessary in view of national security or the dangers for health or the environment..

Article 6

Status of international depositary authority

1 — In order to qualify for the status of international depositary authority, any depositary institution must be located on the territory of a Contracting State and must benefit from assurances furnished by that State to the effect that the said institution complies and will continue to comply with the requirements specified in paragraph 2. The said assurances may be furnished also by an intergovernmental industrial property organization; in that case, the depositary institution must be located on the territory of a State member-of the said organization.

2 — The depositary institution must, in its capacity of international depositary authority: