H.E. Ambassador Dr Lansana GBERIE

Switzerland

10 FOLLOW-UP TO THE TWENTIETH ANNUAL REVIEW UNDER PARAGRAPH 2 OF THE DECISION ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF ARTICLE 66.2 OF THE TRIPS AGREEMENT

176.   Switzerland was pleased to participate in this year's interactive Workshop on Article 66.2 of the TRIPS Agreement. We welcomed this opportunity to hear from LDC delegations about their needs and experiences in technology and knowledge transfer. We appreciated the sharing of LDCs' perspectives on the challenges they face in undertaking needs assessments. The Workshop resulted in multiple opportunities for direct contact and rich discussions among participants. 177.   One of the key challenges LDCs mentioned in identifying needs and in taking full advantage of technology transfer, was the lack of technical skills, training and human capacity. We are pleased that many of the Swiss activities reported under Article 66.2 address this need and contribute to the capacity building of LDCs and transfer of technology to them. We will continue our efforts in this regard. 178.   Switzerland made a presentation at this year's Workshop, comprising a brief update on our latest report under Article 66.2. In that presentation, we highlighted two programmes in areas of priority for LDCs: sustainable agriculture and information and communications technology (ICT). The first presentation, made by the Swiss State Secretariat for Economic Affairs, focused on the ecommerce and Digital Economy Programme. The second, delivered by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation, highlighted the Solar Irrigation for Agricultural Resilience Project, including relevant technology transfer. 179.   My delegation would like to thank the Secretariat for the organization of the Workshop. The constructive discussions held throughout the Workshop contribute to the continued collaboration on technology and knowledge transfer between LDCs and developed country Members. We also thank the Secretariat for its summary listing all incentives and projects implemented by the donor countries as well as for including LDCs' valuable feedback in that summary. 180.   Switzerland remains actively committed to engage in the TRIPS Council's discussion on the implementation of Article 66.2 and to encourage technology and knowledge transfer to LDCs, thereby increasing, hopefully, LDCs partners capacities to create, and enabling an environment to promote investment and attract technology and knowledge transfer.

48. The Council took note of the statements made.

43. The Chair recalled that the Council had conducted the Twentieth Annual Review under Paragraph 2 of the Decision on the Implementation of Article 66.2 of the TRIPS Agreement at its meeting in October 2022. At that meeting delegations from developed country Members had briefly presented the updated reports they had submitted under Article 66.2, and the Council had agreed that it would revert to the item at the present meeting to permit continued consideration of the submitted material. He also recalled that, in July 2020, the LDC Group had circulated a new submission entitled "Proposed New Template for Annual Reporting under Article 66.2 of the Agreement on Trade-related Intellectual Property Rights" in document .
44. In order to give LDCs more time to absorb the information provided by developed country Members in their reports, and to ensure that these reports were available in the working languages of the WTO, the Secretariat had once again organized a "Workshop on the Implementation of the Article 66.2 of the TRIPS Agreement" which had taken place on 14-15 March 2023, immediately preceding the meeting. The Chair indicated that a number of capital-based delegates who had participated in that Workshop were present at the meeting.
45. The Chair asked the Secretariat to report on this Workshop.
46. A representative of the Secretariat took the floor.
47. The representatives of Bangladesh, on behalf of the LDC Group; Tanzania, on behalf of the African Group; Sierra Leone; the United Kingdom; Nepal; Benin; Bangladesh; Switzerland; Haiti; Mali; the United States of America; the European Union; Australia; Japan; Canada; Norway; Malawi; and Sudan took the floor.
48. The Council took note of the statements made.

IP/C/M/107, IP/C/M/107/Add.1