8. The representative of Hong Kong, China said that sharing and exchanging technical information would deepen Members' understanding of the operation of national trademark and GI authorities in practice, particularly on how information was taken into account. Her delegation had already shared with Members information on its domestic system which was recorded in paragraphs 21 to 24 and paragraphs 86 and 87 of the minutes of the meeting (TN/IP/M/26). She believed that such exchanges on domestic systems should, at some point, lead to a discussions on how the prevailing systems could take account of a multilateral register. In that context, her delegation believed Hong Kong, China's room document dated 28 October 2009 could help to focus the discussion.
9. That room document had illustrated the working of Hong Kong, China's proposal by way of four hypothetical case studies, which dealt with:
A non contentious notification and registration of a geographical indication from a participating WTO Member economy at both the domestic and international levels;
A contentious geographical indication that is resolved at the domestic level before notification and registration at the international level from a participating WTO Member economy.
A non protectable geographical indication that is screened out by a participating WTO Member economy at the domestic level; and
A contentious notification and registration at both international and domestic level, where the case is finally resolved at the domestic level in another participating WTO Member economy.
10. She believed this room document could play a useful role in the discussions and her delegation would continue to perform a bridging role in the negotiation of a registration system of geographical indications for wines and spirits.
