H.E. Ambassador Xolelwa Mlumbi-Peter (South Africa)

European Union

12 TECHNICAL COOPERATION AND CAPACITY-BUILDING

429.   On 7 October 2020, the European Union submitted its annual report on technical and financial cooperation programmes carried out between July 2019 and July 2020 by the European Union and EU Members in favour of developing and least developed country Members, with the objective to facilitate the implementation of the TRIPS Agreement. Our programmes can be found in the eTRIPS Gateway. 430.   The EU carried out 40 technical cooperation activities during the reporting period and also the EU Members contributed to the report. The Czech Republic, Finland, France, Germany, Lithuania, Portugal and Spain delivered programmes in this context. 431.   The programmes covered all IP rights in the TRIPS Agreement and some of the programmes were multi-annual programmes consisting of many activities to the benefit of LDCs and developing countries. 432.   In the interest of time and due to the format of the meeting, we do not give an overview of these programmes, but we are ready to assist developed country Members and least developed countries should they have any questions concerning the programmes uploaded to the eTRIPS Portal.

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

64. The Chair recalled that, at its July 2020 meeting, the Council had agreed to hold the annual review of technical cooperation at its next meeting. Thus, 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, which also provided technical cooperation were encouraged to share information on their activities. The Secretariat had issued a reminder. Intergovernmental organizations, observers to the Council and the WTO Secretariat had also been invited to provide information.
65. The Council had received information from: Japan, Switzerland, Australia, United States, the United Kingdom, and Norway. Since the circulation of the revised agenda, the Council had received further information from the European Union. These reports were being circulated under the new dedicated document series with the symbol IP/C/R/TC/[Member]/1 – where "R" stands for "Reports" and "TC" stands for "Technical Cooperation". The following intergovernmental organizations (IGOs) had also submitted updated information: United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), World Health Organization (WHO), World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) and the Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf (GCC). Their reports were being circulated in the same document series IP/C/R/TC/[IGO observer]/1. Information on the WTO Secretariat's own technical cooperation activities in the TRIPS area could be found in document . She invited Members to introduce their reports.
66. The representatives of the United States of America; the United Kingdom; Japan; Australia; Canada; the European Union; Bangladesh; Switzerland; Brazil; Chad, on behalf of the LDC Group; Mali; and South Africa took the floor.
67. The Chair invited the WTO Secretariat to present its report on technical cooperation activities.
68. The representative of the Secretariat took the floor.
69. The Chair invited the representatives of IGO observers to present their reports on technical cooperation activities.
70. The representatives of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC); World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO); World Health Organization (WHO); and the United National Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) took the floor.
71. The Chair invited Members to comment.
72. The representatives of Sri Lanka; Chad, on behalf of the LDC Group; and India took the floor.
73. The Chair thanked Members and IGO observers for the valuable information. As some information had been recently submitted and was available only in its original language, she would provide Members an opportunity to make further comments, at the next meeting.
74. The Council took note of the statements made and agreed to revert to the matter at its next meeting.

IP/C/M/96, IP/C/M/96/Add.1