H.E. Ambassador Dr. Walter Werner

Norway

11   TECHNICAL COOPERATION AND CAPACITY BUILDING

289.   Norway has for a number of years provided technical assistance and capacity building through two sets of activities:  Annual one-week training courses for up to 15 participants from national industrial property offices in developing countries - a collaboration between the Norwegian Industrial Property Office and WIPO; and  A training programme, normally every two years, on exercise and management of copyright and related rights directed towards staff of collective management organizations and government officials in the cultural sector in developing countries - a collaboration between the Norwegian Copyright Development Organisation (NORCODE) and WIPO. 290.   In previous reports we have covered these activities through 2016. Unfortunately, due to budgetary constraints, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs had to suspend the cooperation with our Industrial Property Office in 2017. For this reason, we have not submitted a written report for this year. We will, however, submit a report in 2019 that covers both sets of activities through 2018.

The Council took note of the statements made and agreed to revert to the matter at its next meeting.

44.   The Chair recalled that in June 2018, the Council had agreed to hold the annual review of technical cooperation at the November meeting. Developed country Members had been requested to update information on their technical and financial cooperation activities relevant to the implementation of the TRIPS Agreement. Other Members who also made available technical cooperation were encouraged to share information on these activities. The Secretariat had issued an airgram on 5 July 2018 reminding Members of this request. Intergovernmental organizations observers to the Council and the Secretariat had also been invited to provide information.
45.   The Council had received information from the following developed country Members: United States of America, Switzerland, Australia, Japan and Canada. Their reports had been circulated in document IP/C/W/647 and addenda. Shortly before the meeting, the Council had also received the reports from New Zealand, as well as from the European Union and some of its member States, namely Austria, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Germany, the Netherlands, Spain and Sweden. Advance copies of both reports had been made available as room documents on documents online and would also be circulated as addenda to document IP/C/W/647.
46.   The following intergovernmental organizations had also submitted updated information: the Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf (GCC), United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), World Health Organization (WHO), World Customs Organization (WCO), African Regional Intellectual Property Organization (ARIPO) and World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO). Their reports had been circulated in document IP/C/W/644/Rev.1 and addenda. Since the circulation of the revised draft agenda, information had also been received from UPOV, which would be made available shortly.
47.   Updated information on the Secretariat's own technical cooperation activities in the TRIPS area could be found in document IP/C/W/645.
48.   The representatives from Canada, Australia, Japan, the United States of America, Norway, the European Union, the Secretariat, the WHO, the GCC, UNCTAD, WIPO and ARIPO took the floor.
49.   The Council took note of the statements made and agreed to revert to the matter at its next meeting.

IP/C/M/90, IP/C/M/90/Add.1