25. The representative of the Slovak Republic said that his delegation also attached great importance and attention to the creation of a functional multilateral system of notification and registration of geographical indications for wines and spirits. It was aware of the very clear mandate given by Ministers in Doha and by Article 23.4 of the TRIPS Agreement. As a co-sponsor of document TN/IP/W/3, it supported the proposals put forth by the EC and their member States (IP/C/W/107/Rev.1) and by Hungary (IP/C/W/255). His delegation believed that a multilateral register could help to solve many problematic issues regarding the legal use of geographical indications, for example "Tokay" wine originating in the Tokay region of the Slovak Republic. His delegation did not intend to establish just some kind of list of notified geographical indications with no legal obligation for participants. The communication proposed a system which was without any financial or administrative burden. For his delegation, the meaning of the term "multilateral" was clear as far as the coverage of participation was concerned. It also thought that the clear division of the process into two phases - notification and registration - would prevent the use of geographical indications that did not fulfil the requirements under Article 22.1.
