H.E. Ambassador Lundeg Purevsuren

World Trade Organization

9 SEVENTEENTH ANNUAL REVIEW UNDER PARAGRAPH 2 OF THE DECISION ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF ARTICLE 66.2 OF THE TRIPS AGREEMENT

149.   Thank you, Chair, for the opportunity to report on the Workshop on the implementation of Article 66.2. As you have mentioned, the workshop was held immediately prior to this session of the Council. You might recall that, at the request of the LDC Group, the Secretariat has, since 2008, organized a series of annual workshops back to back with the last TRIPS Council meeting of the year. The workshops aimed to enable informal dialogues between delegates from the reporting developed country Members and LDC Members on the implementation of Article 66.2. 150.   Given that we received strong positive feedback on the improved format of the workshop from both reporting country Members and LDC Members, we decided to continue this practice this year. 151.   This year, 21 capital-based experts from 15 LDCs as well as Geneva-based delegates, participated in the Workshop. Most of them have direct relevant responsibilities for the issues of technology transfer and IP protection back in capital. At the Workshop, LDC participants presented current areas of priority for technology development; projects that are relevant to these priority areas, and their experience with projects reported in the Article 66.2 reports over the last five years. Meanwhile, experts from eight reporting country Members presented and explained their 2019 reports. Building on last year's experience, we believe the Workshop helped to improve stakeholder participation, and to enhance the quality of the annual dialogue between reporting country delegations and the LDC delegations. It also helped LDC Members to make effective use of the transparency mechanism concerning technology transfer measures under Article 66.2. 152.   This year, we further strengthened our partnership with other organizations, in view of the synergies to be gained from implementation of Article 66.2 in parallel with complementary technology transfer programs and the benefits of cross-fertilisation from reports on practical experiences. Our partners WIPO, the UN Technology Bank for LDCs, ARIPO, OAPI and the OECD reported on their activities in this area. For the first time, colleagues from other WTO divisions, especially Trade and Environment Division and Agriculture Division they reported on concrete technology transfer projects in specific priority sectors, undertaken within their programs. 153.   The active participation of these partners was a valued feature of this year's programme. The practical insight and policy content of their presentations left a strong positive impression for the participants. We are pleased to record our gratitude to them. 154.   As ever, the core of the Workshop was an enriched informal and practical dialogue between the LDC Members and the reporting Members. We express our appreciation to them for their thoughtful presentations, active engagement, and practical support, as well as to the LDC Group, and its coordinator, HE Ambassador Makaila of Chad, and LDC coordinator on TRIPS issues for their continuing and invaluable guidance and support for this process. We also express our thanks to you, Mr Chair, for your support by delivering opening remarks at the Workshop. 155.   As indicated at the last Council meeting, the Workshop comprises a two-day workshop segment and a one-day reporting and review segment within the formal meeting of the TRIPS Council. Therefore, as you have mentioned, Mr Chair, the workshop arrangements provided for the 21 capital-based LDC experts to attend today's TRIPS Council meeting with their national delegations. We hope that their participation will enrich Members' discussion under this agenda item. I conclude by thanking them for their indispensable role in advancing our work in this area.

The Council took note of the statements made.

25.   The Chair recalled that, at its meeting in October 2019, the Council had had on its agenda the 17th Annual Review under Paragraph 2 of the Decision on the Implementation of Article 66.2 of the TRIPS Agreement. At that meeting, delegations had briefly presented the updated reports submitted by developed country Members under Article 66.2. Since that meeting New Zealand had submitted its updated report. All updated reports had been circulated under IP/C/W/656 and addenda. At that meeting, the Council had also agreed that it would revert to the item at the present meeting to permit continued consideration of the submitted material.
26.   In order to give LDC Members more time to absorb the information provided by developed countries in their reports, and to ensure that these reports were available in the official languages of the WTO, the Article 66.2 Workshop had once again taken place back-to-back with the TRIPS Council meeting. This had allowed some of the capital-based delegates who had participated in the Workshop, to participate in the meeting and take part in the discussions under this agenda item.
27.   The LDC Group has circulated a Room document entitled, "Proposed New Template of annual Reporting on Technology Transfer to LDCs". This room document RD/IP/37 was available online on documents for meetings, and as a paper copy at the back of the meeting room. He noted that the English and French texts were both contained in the same document. He invited the Secretariat to report on the Workshop.
28.   A representative of the Secretariat took the floor.
29.   The Chair invited delegations to comment on the materials submitted for the last meeting, as well as to share their experiences from the Article 66.2 Workshop held in the past two days.
30.   The representatives of Chad, on behalf of the LDC Group; Bangladesh; the United Kingdom; Switzerland; the United States of America; Canada; the European Union; Japan; Norway; Vanuatu; Australia; and the African Intellectual Property Organization (ARIPO) took the floor.
31.   The Council took note of the statements made.

IP/C/M/94, IP/C/M/94/Add.1