IP/C/W/610/Add.4

Australia

1. Australia is committed to sharing information with other WTO members on its technical and financial cooperation activities in the area of intellectual property rights in fulfilment of Article 67 of the TRIPS Agreement. This is a full report on Australia's intellectual property-related technical cooperation activities with developing and least developed countries. It builds upon annual update reports provided in 2012 (IP/C/W/582/Add.2), 2013 (IP/C/W/593/Add.7) and 2014 (IP/C/W/601). 2. Australia fulfils its Article 67 technical cooperation commitment through multilateral, regional and bilateral programs and activities. Many activities are focused on developing countries in the Indo-Pacific region. Australia works closely with the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Secretariat and other partners to assist developing and least developed countries to build their intellectual property capacity and systems. 3. Many of the technical co-operation activities implemented under Article 67 align with Australia's strategic focus on using aid as a catalyst to promote economic growth and poverty reduction, including through a strong emphasis on aid for trade. At the 5th WTO Global Review of Aid for Trade conference held in Geneva (30 June-5/07/2015) Australia, alongside other donors, and developing countries demonstrated a strong commitment to undertake aid for trade and to support the UN-led post 2015 Sustainable Development Goals. 4. Websites containing information on Australia's intellectual property regime, which may be considered a technical cooperation resource, include the IP Australia website covering patents, designs, trademarks and plant breeders' rights (http://www.ipaustralia.gov.au/); the Attorney-General's Department website on copyright developments (http://www.ag.gov.au/copyright); and the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade website on international IP developments (http://www.dfat.gov.au/ip).