6. The representative of Ecuador said that, as he had reported to the General Council at its last meeting, his Government had handed over a new law on intellectual property to Congress, which was presently debating it. The review of the bill at a first level had been approved. However, as the process required a number of additional discussions, notification of the new law to the TRIPS Council was not likely to occur within the deadline of 1 March 1998. While expressing his country's interest in participating in the review scheduled for the end of 1998 on the basis of the new law, and the hope that Congress would approve the new law shortly, he wondered whether the deadline might be extended.
