According to the latest notification from the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), the Government of the Commonwealth of The Bahamas deposited its instrument of accession to the Budapest Treaty on the International Recognition of the Deposit of Microorganisms for the Purposes of Patent Procedure (hereinafter "Budapest Treaty") with WIPO on 3 June 2025. The Treaty will enter into force for The Bahamas on 3 September 2025, marking the expansion of the global intellectual property protection framework which now covers 91 contracting parties including China, the United States, Japan, and EU member states.
Concurrently, Brazil has achieved critical progress in its domestic ratification process. The Official Gazette of the Union published Legislative Decree No. 174/25 on 24 June, confirming congressional approval of the Budapest Treaty signed by the Brazilian government. Having passed both the Chamber of Deputies and the Federal Senate, the decree now awaits presidential ratification to complete the entry-into-force procedure.
Core Value of the Treaty
The Budapest Treaty streamlines patent procedures involving living microorganisms (e.g., strains for vaccine and drug development) through its International Depositary Authority (IDA) system. Under the new decree, Brazilian researchers will soon conduct microbial deposits at domestically certified IDAs, ending the current requirement to use foreign institutions. National entities including the Genetic Resources and Biotechnology Research Center (Cenargen/Embrapa) and Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (Fiocruz) are expected to obtain IDA accreditation.
Deepening Global Innovation Networks
Patent experts highlight that the Treaty enables innovators to claim patent rights across all contracting parties through a single IDA deposit, significantly reducing cross-border protection costs. China joined the Treaty as early as 1995 and has established three internationally certified depositories including the China General Microbiological Culture Collection Center (CGMCC), providing crucial support for domestic biotech firms in global competition.
The Brazilian National Institute of Industrial Property (INPI) emphasized in its official statement that accession will strengthen the country's IP ecosystem and facilitate integration into international innovation chains, particularly in biotechnology. With emerging economies like Brazil and The Bahamas acceding, this 1977 Treaty continues to demonstrate renewed vitality.
Source: Official websites of the Brazilian National Institute of Industrial Property (INPI) and WIPO
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