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

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1. Meeting date

2. Chairperson

H.E. Ambassador Dagfinn Sørli (Norway)

3. Intervention by

United States of America

4. Agenda item

12 TECHNICAL COOPERATION AND CAPACITY BUILDING

5. Statement/summary of statement

195.   The United States is pleased to highlight its report under Article 67 on the technical assistance programmes provided by the United States Government concerning the protection, utilization and enforcement of intellectual property rights, including patents, trademarks, trade secrets, copyright and enforcement for developing and LDCs. 196.   Although traditional, face-to-face training programmes were very limited during the reporting period, the US Government continued to meet training obligations during this unprecedented time through increasing its leverage of various technologies to provide live online IP training. Through these well-attended and well-received distance learning initiatives, US government agencies provided tailored content to developed and developing countries and LDCs. In the past year, our report accounts for more than 317 training, technical assistance, and capacity-building programmes for three intergovernmental organizations and 133 different countries, including developing countries and LDCs. 197.   Among these efforts, programming was provided for over 34 LDCs. These countries included: Afghanistan, Angola, Bangladesh, Benin, Bhutan, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cambodia, Chad, Comoros, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ethiopia, The Gambia, Haiti, Lao People's Democratic Republic, Lesotho, Liberia, Malawi, Mali, Mozambique, Myanmar, Niger, Rwanda, Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Solomon Islands, Sudan, Tanzania, Timor-Leste, Togo, Tuvalu, Uganda, and Zambia. 198.   Technical cooperation to improve IP legal, administrative and enforcement infrastructure is crucial to countries' economic development that is directly linked to contributing to foreign investment and voluntary, private sector-led technology transfer in developing countries and for developing country innovators to capitalize on their creativity. US government technical assistance is driven by demand and individual priority needs of beneficiary countries. The diversity of needs and interests identified by beneficiary countries results in tailored technical assistance activities on specific areas of interest. We look forward to continued discussions on reports in the Council concerning technical cooperation of governments and IGOs for the strengthening of IP systems.

6. Documents referred to in intervention

7. Conclusion

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

8. Summary of the agenda item (if available)

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.

9. Document symbol and date of distribution

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