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

H.E. Ambassador Dr Walter Werner
10 TECHNICAL COOPERATION AND CAPACITY BUILDING
257.   From the outset, allow me to thank the proponents of document IP/C/W/642 for the document. We appreciate opportunities for the exchange of views and experiences that enable mutual understanding. 258.   The issue before us relates directly to the basic objective of intellectual property: to promote technological innovation in a manner conducive to social and economic welfare. The attainment of such goal is a constant concern of policy makers and demands an unceasing and careful analysis of the designing and application of intellectual property policies. The IP toolkit of rights, if I may use that expression, offers many options for those interested in generating a competitive edge to their services and products. Small enterprises may rely on trademarks and trade names to differentiate them from larger competitors; they may also use patents to attract investments to their industrial innovations, even if they don't have the capital themselves for making that investments. Agricultural producers are able to bring additional income and value to their regions when the protection afforded by a geographical indication is adequately utilized as part of their commercial strategies. 259.   On the side of the society at large, IP also generates concrete benefits. The dramatic improvement on life standards seen in the last century is largely attributed to new and innovative medicines. The technical improvements applied to the agricultural sector have allowed food production to reach levels unheard of during and after the green revolution. Trademarks and GIs, on their hand, make it possible to distinguish one company from another, enhancing competition and increasing the quality of products in the market. 260.   I would like to present two examples of innovations by Brazilians which have improved lives. A Brazilian company developed a smartphone app called "Cataki", which connects consumers to companies that recycle products. Consumers merely have to consult the app in order to find the nearest recycling company, which then may be contacted to collect the recyclable product. The app received a prize from UNESCO, due to its positive impact on the environment. Mario Adolfi Jr, from a company called Kidopi, received a prize from MIT for "Clever Care", a software that uses artificial intelligence in the form of a chatbot, which is used to exchange messages with patients. The software monitors the administration of medication, clarifies basic questions of patients and alerts their doctors if something goes out of the ordinary. 261.   Allow me to stress the efforts that Brazil has been developing to provide an environment conducive to innovation. We are currently undertaking studies in partnership with international organizations to measure the concrete impact of intellectual property on our economy and on the access to technology in areas such as agriculture and health. 262.   There are also ongoing initiatives to modernize the Brazilian industrial property office. We have hired 210 new patent examiners in the last two years, almost duplicating the office's capacity to process patent applications. Further, Brazil is engaged on creating an increasingly integrated and effective innovation ecosystem. In the last session of the Council, I have referred to the broader legal framework of the Brazilian innovation law. The government of Brazil also fosters innovation through financing of start-ups, and by providing, by law, that federal university professors may take temporary leave to create a start-up. Of course, IP by itself does not generate innovation and development and must be part of a broader innovation and industrial policy of countries, but its contribution cannot be reduced. 263.   In this sense, Brazil will continue to support initiatives aimed at encouraging and rewarding innovation and its widespread use in the economy and society.
33.   The Chair said the TRIPS Council had regularly conducted annual reviews of technical cooperation and capacity building activities at its end of the year meeting, based on reports submitted by developed country Members, international organizations and the WTO Secretariat. In line with past practice, he suggested the following approach:
a. The next review should take place at the meeting of the TRIPS Council, scheduled for 89 November 2018;

b. Developed country Members were invited to submit information on their activities, pursuant to Article 67 of the TRIPS Agreement. Other Members who also engage in technical cooperation were, of course, encouraged to share information if they so wished;

c. Intergovernmental organizations with observer status in the TRIPS Council, as well as the WTO Secretariat, were invited to report on their relevant activities; and

d. The deadline to submit written information would be set on 12 October 2018, i.e. four weeks prior to the TRIPS Council meeting, in order to allow timely circulation before the meeting.
34.   The Council so agreed.
IP/C/M/89, IP/C/M/89/Add.1