49. The Chair recalled that in October 2022, the Council had conducted its annual review of technical cooperation on the basis of reports submitted by developed country Members, and a number of observer international organizations. He said that, as some information had only been made available a short time before the meeting, the Council had agreed that Members would have a further opportunity to make comments at the present meeting.
50. The representatives of Bangladesh, on behalf of the LDC Group took the floor.
51. The Chair recalled that during the Council meetings in October 2021 and in March 2022, a request had been made for the Secretariat to organize a dedicated annual workshop on technical cooperation under Article 67 of the TRIPS Agreement – similar to the Article 66.2 Workshop – to help inform dialogue among Members in this regard. He invited the Secretariat to update Members on its follow-up to this request.
52. A representative of the Secretariat said that during the Council meetings of October 2021 and March 2022, the delegation of Bangladesh had requested the WTO Secretariat to organize a dedicated annual workshop to monitor progress on IP-related technical cooperation under Article 67 of the TRIPS Agreement. In response to this request, the Secretariat was planning to organize such a workshop on 12-14 June 2023 to help inform dialogue among Members. The aim was also to provide specific input to the Council with a view to improving overall coordination and the matching of programmes with priority needs. Thirty places were available to applicants from beneficiary LDC and developing Members and observers.
53. The programme would consist of two segments: a two-day workshop segment on 12-13 June, and a final segment, on 14 June, involving participation in, and contribution to, deliberations under Council agenda item "Technical Assistance and Capacity Building". The final segment of the workshop would be optional, but participation was strongly encouraged. The Secretariat would reach out to delegations regarding possible speakers and topics in the near future, and further details would be communicated to delegations in due course.
54. The representative of Bangladesh took the floor.
55. The Council took note of the statements made.
