Minutes - TRIPS Council Special Session - View details of the intervention/statement

Chairperson: Ambassador Dacio Castillo, Honduras
1 NEGOTIATIONS ON THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A MULTILATERAL SYSTEM OF NOTIFICATION AND REGISTRATION OF GEOGRAPHICAL INDICATIONS FOR WINES AND SPIRITS
1.35. The representative of Australia said that her delegation, over the years, had been a constructive participant in the negotiations on the establishment of a multilateral system for notification and registration of geographical indications for wines and spirits within the mandate. However, in light of the divergent views regarding the progress for the GI register for wines and spirits today, she said, it was difficult to see the TRIPS Special Session having a role in the lead-up to MC11 or achieving any realistic outcome at the Ministerial Conference itself. 1.36. She said that Australia had always been open to considering constructive proposals within the mandate. However, negotiations on the GI Register for wines and spirits had stalled for some time in the absence of engagement on proposals for future work within the mandate. She said that her delegation saw value in assessing future prospects for negotiation after Buenos Aires.
The Special Session took note of the statements made.
TN/IP/M/32