H.E. Ambassador Dr. Walter Werner

Dominican Republic

11   INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY AND INNOVATION: SUMMARY OF THE 2018 THEME – THE SOCIETAL VALUE OF IP IN THE NEW ECONOMY, AND 2019 IP AND INNOVATION THEME: PUBLIC-PRIVATE COLLABORATIONS IN INNOVATION

411.   By means of Decree No. 45318, the President of the Dominican Republic, Danilo Medina, has declared 2019 as the Year of Innovation and Competitiveness. Similarly, in January 2019, the Roundtable on Competitiveness, which is chaired by the honourable President of the Republic and which brings together the country's leading entrepreneurs, discussed the need to develop a strategy and schedule for the formation of publicprivate partnerships for innovation in the country. In this regard, my country is very interested in seeing what WTO Members can offer in terms of support and technical cooperation, and we request that the submissions made today under this agenda item be circulated.

The Council took note of the statements made.

34.   The Chair said that the item had been put on the agenda at the request of Australia; Canada, Chile; the European Union; Hong Kong, China; Japan; the Republic of Korea; Singapore; Switzerland; Chinese Taipei; and the United States of America. It covered two aspects of the broader topic of IP and innovation:
a. "The societal value of IP in the New Economy", a topic that the Council had discussed at its meetings last year. A relevant communication has been submitted to facilitate discussion (IP/C/W/650); and
b. "Public-Private Collaborations in Innovation", a theme proposed by the co-sponsors for 2019. A relevant communication had been submitted to facilitate discussion (IP/C/W/652 and Add.1).
35.   The representatives of the United States of America; Singapore; Australia; Switzerland; New Zealand; Chinese Taipei; Chile; South Africa; Hong Kong; China; Canada; Japan; Mexico; the European Union; the Republic of Korea; Brazil; China; India and the Dominican Republic took the floor.
36.   The Council took note of the statements made.

IP/C/M/91, IP/C/M/91/Add.1, IP/C/M/91/Corr.1