H.E. Ambassador Dr Lansana GBERIE

Australia

12 TECHNICAL COOPERATION AND CAPACITY-BUILDING

192.   Australia remains committed to promoting and facilitating technical cooperation and intellectual property capacity building activities. Australia fulfilled its Article 67 technical cooperation commitment through multilateral, regional and bilateral programmes and activities. Many of our activities are focused on developing and least developed countries in the Indo-Pacific region. Australia works closely with WIPO and associations of south-east Asian nations (ASIAN) secretariat and other partner to assist developing and least developed countries to build their intellectual property capacity and systems. We will be happy to discuss our report further with Members at the next available opportunity.

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

53. The Chair recalled that in July 2022, the Council had agreed to hold the annual review of technical cooperation at the present meeting.
54. 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 11 July 2022 reminding developed country Members of this request. Intergovernmental organizations observers to the Council and the WTO Secretariat had also been invited to provide information.
55. The Council had received information from the following developed country Members: Switzerland, New Zealand, Australia, Norway, Japan, the United Kingdom, Canada, and the United States. Since the circulation of the revised draft agenda the European Union 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".
56. Intergovernmental organizations had also submitted updated information: the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), the World Health Organization (WHO), the World Customs Organization (WCO), and the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO). Since the circulation of the revised draft agenda, had also submitted information in this regard. Their reports were being circulated in the same document series .
57. The report of the WTO Secretariat on technical cooperation activities in the TRIPS area was available in document .
58. The representatives of the European Union; the United Kingdom; the United States of America; Australia; Switzerland; Canada; New Zealand; Japan; Bangladesh, on behalf of the LDC Group; the WTO Secretariat; the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC); the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO); and the World Health Organization (WHO) took the floor.
59. 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.
60. The Council took note of the statements made and agreed to revert to the matter at its next meeting.

IP/C/M/106, IP/C/M/106/Add.1