e-TRIPS Gateway (Beta)

H.E. Ambassador Dagfinn Sørli (Norway)

Japan

12 TECHNICAL COOPERATION AND CAPACITY-BUILDING

199.   This delegation would like to briefly describe this year's report on Japan's technical cooperation, document , which was also submitted through the e-TRIPS submission system. The report consists of the main body and its annex. The main body highlights recent technical activities, while the annex lists the details of each activity. This report categorizes cooperative activities into four areas, namely, industrial property, copyrights, plant varieties, and border measures. 200.   As for the industrial property, the Japan Patent Office organized 18 training courses for both government officials and the private sector in FY 2020. More than 300 people attended in total. Moreover, based on the JPO's long history of conducting training courses, alumni associations have been established in the trainees' home countries. The Japan Patent Office continues to support the alumni associations by holding follow-up seminars in Asian countries. Japan would continue to make its utmost efforts to fulfil its obligation under TRIPS Article 67.

70. The Chair recalled that in June 2021, the Council had agreed to hold the annual review of technical cooperation at the present meeting.
71. 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 who also made available technical cooperation were encouraged to share information on these activities. The Secretariat had issued an Airgram on 15 June 2021 reminding developed country Members of this request. Intergovernmental organizations observers to the Council and the WTO Secretariat had also been invited to provide information.
72. The Council had received information from the following developed country Members: Switzerland, Japan, Australia, the United Kingdom, the United States, Canada, and the European Union. Since the circulation of the revised draft agenda Norway has also submitted information in this regard. These reports are being circulated under the new dedicated document series with the symbol – where "R" stands for "Reports" and "TC" stands for "Technical Cooperation".
73. Intergovernmental organizations had also submitted updated information: the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), the World Health Organization (WHO), and the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO). Since the circulation of the revised draft agenda, the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) had also submitted information in this regard. Their reports were being circulated in the same document series observer]/.
74. The report of the WTO Secretariat on technical cooperation activities in the TRIPS area was available in document .
75. The representatives of Norway; Canada; Australia; the European Union; Switzerland; Bangladesh, on behalf of the LDC Group; the United Kingdom; the United States; Japan; the WTO Secretariat; the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC); the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO); and the World Health Organization (WHO) took the floor.
76. The Chair noted that most of the valuable information provided by Members and IGO observers had been received only very recently. He would provide delegations an opportunity at the next regular meeting to make further comments on the information submitted.
77. The Council took note of the statements made and agreed to revert to the matter at its next meeting.

IP/C/M/103, IP/C/M/103/Add.1