15.1. The Chairman said that there remained 12 pending requests for observer status in the TRIPS Council by intergovernmental organizations. The updated list was contained in document IP/C/W/52/Rev.13.
15.2. In response to a request by the Council in June 2011, four of these organizations had updated the information they had provided earlier, including on the nature of their work and the reasons for their interest in being accorded observer status: The Conference of West and Central African Ministers of Agriculture (CMA/AOC), the International Organization of Vine and Wine (OIV), the South Centre, and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). Furthermore, the CBD Secretariat had informed the Secretariat that it had felt that no update was necessary since it had already renewed its request as recently as 24 November 2010 by means of a letter addressed to the WTO Director-General. This information was available on the Members' website.
15.3. The representatives of Nigeria, Brazil, India, China, Indonesia and the United States took the floor.
15.4. The Council took note of the statements made and agreed to request that the Chairman hold consultations on the pending requests for observer status for the South Centre, the CBD Secretariat and the International Vaccine Institute, as well as the other remaining organizations. The Council also agreed to revert to the matter at its next meeting.
