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

H.E. Ambassador Dagfinn Sørli (Norway)
Bangladesh on behalf of LDC Group
12 TECHNICAL COOPERATION AND CAPACITY BUILDING

189.   Bangladesh delivers this statement on behalf of the LDCs. The LDC Group welcomes the reports under TRIPS Article 67 from the developed country Members and the reports of the Secretariat and other international organizations on the technical cooperation and capacity-building support to the developing countries and particularly the LDCs. These reports provide information on a wide range of programmes and activities customized for the beneficiary Members. These programmes are critically important for the LDCs. 190.   We sincerely thank the developed country Members and the international organizations for their help and would like to encourage them to continue their valuable support for the developing countries and particularly the LDCs and the graduating LDCs. In this regard, we also request the WTO Secretariat to explore the possibility of organizing any regular annual event to discuss the implementation of Article 67 of the TRIPS Agreement. We believe that such an opportunity would help Members engage in informed dialogues through an interactive platform. Our group stands ready for further discussion on this issue with Members.

The Council took note of the statements made and agreed to revert to the matter at its next meeting.
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, IP/C/M/103/Rev.1