408. We wish to thank the delegation of South Africa for submitting this document and for facilitating discussion on the existing relationship between intellectual property and electronic trade as provided for under the General Council mandate of 2019 and the Work Programme on Electronic Commerce.
409. In Chile's view, Articles 7 and 8 of the TRIPS Agreement make it clear that intellectual property is not an end in itself, but a tool for development. Accordingly, the minimum standards of protection and flexibilities provided for in the Agreement enable Members to establish or adapt intellectual property systems in line with their own national realities, favouring and safeguarding their areas of particular interest in an appropriate manner.
410. Chile believes that the work of this Council in the area of electronic commerce should entail sharing experiences and best practices so as to further our understanding of how Members have used IP in conjunction with electronic commerce to strengthen SMEs and other businesses. Sharing experiences and best practices will lead to a better understanding of how IP and electronic commerce interact and how policies aimed at fostering the use of IP for development are implemented in this area.
