43. The Chairperson recalled that, in February 1998, Members had had a first exchange of views as to what the next step should be for carrying forward work concerning negotiations for the establishment of an international system for the notification and registration of geographical indications under Article 23.4, as agreed in paragraph 34 of the report of the Council for TRIPS to the Singapore Ministerial Conference, now that background information as requested by the Council in February 1997 had been made available to the Council. In the light of the informal consultations he had held, he suggested that informal consultations be continued on this matter and that the Council revert to it at its next meeting.
