H.E. Ambassador Dr. Lansana GBERIE

United States of America

14 OBSERVER STATUS FOR INTERNATIONAL INTERGOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS

304.   The United States of America cannot join the Members seeking to include the CBD or the South Centre as an Observer either on a permanent or ad hoc basis. The United States values the contributions of Member states and is satisfied with the current set of ad hoc and permanent observers. We do not see a gap that needs filling by adding new Observers at this time.

It was so agreed.

68. The Chair recalled that the updated list of pending requests for observer status in the TRIPS Council by intergovernmental organizations was contained in document and that information provided by the relevant intergovernmental organizations concerned had been available on the Members' website.
69. The representatives of China; Bangladesh; Indonesia; Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of; the United States; Egypt; Tanzania and South Africa took the floor.
70. The Council took note of the statements made and agreed to revert to the matter at its next meeting.
71. The Chair recalled that in November 2012, the Council agreed to grant ad hoc observer status on a meeting-to-meeting basis to the European Free Trade Association (EFTA) and since then, this invitation had been renewed at each meeting. He suggested that the EFTA be once again invited to attend the Council's next formal meeting as an observer on an ad hoc basis.
72. It was so agreed.

IP/C/M/105, IP/C/M/105/Add.1, IP/C/M/105/Corr.1