H.E. Ambassador Dr Pimchanok PITFIELD

South Africa

12 INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY AND THE 1998 WORK PROGRAMME ON ELECTRONIC COMMERCE

342.  South Africa thanked delegations for their consideration of its proposal. We naturally would like to express gratitude to delegations that reacted positively to the content and would also like to give a special thanks to the distinguished delegate from China that engaged substantially with the questions, and we would follow-up that discussion. 343.  On the notion that discussing the e-commerce mandate in the TRIPS Council is a duplication, that is simply not in line with para. 4.1 and the mandate provided by the 1998 Work Programme. As a focal point for the African Group on e-commerce, I do participate extensively in all the dedicated discussions led by the facilitator and certainly do not see any reason that discussion in the TRIPS Council would in any way contradict or be a duplication particularly with the mandate of para. 4.1 in mind. 344.  Having said that, we are committed to continuing to pursue the mandate set out in the 1998 Work Programme and will continue to play our part. We do thank delegations and look forward to further engagement.

The Council took note of the statements made.

64. The Chair said this item had been put on the agenda at the request of the delegation of South Africa who had also submitted a communication on this topic, circulated in document , in order to allow Members to prepare for this discussion.
65. The representatives of South Africa; China; Tanzania; Djibouti, on behalf of the LDC Group; Indonesia; Australia; India; the European Union; the United States of America; and Switzerland took the floor.
66. The Council took note of the statements made.

IP/C/M/108, IP/C/M/108/Add.1