119. Regarding the Special Session's work in the coming weeks, he recalled the TNC Chairman's remarks at the 19 October meeting that "small group activities will continue until mid November, at which point I think we will need to evaluate again and take stock of where the process has got to as well as next steps, benefiting also from the discussions at the G 20 and APEC Leaders' meeting". Keeping in mind that background, as well as what might be envisaged by the whole Membership, he said he would consult delegations, as appropriate, on how to proceed with their work to ensure staying in step with the overall process.
120. Regarding future meetings for 2011, he recalled that, at the regular session of the TRIPS Council of 26 27 October, the dates for meetings in 2011 had been set for 1-2 March, 7-8 June and 25-26 October 2011. He suggested that, as in the past, a formal meeting of the Special Session be held back to back with the regular session meetings at these dates, i.e. on 3 March, 9 June and 27 October.
121. With regard to the work of the small brainstorming group on TRIPS, he briefly recalled that, at the informal TNC meeting of 19 October, the TNC Chairman had reported on the work and consultations guided by the so-called "cocktail approach" – a combination of variable geometry, small groups, bilateral contacts, Negotiating Groups and the Director-General's own consultations. It had been agreed that all of those processes had to feed into the Negotiating Groups and the TNC, preserving the centrality and primacy of the multilateral process and its transparency and inclusiveness. In the so-called "small group" process at ambassadorial level, brainstorming sessions had taken place in various sectors, including TRIPS. For more details on the TNC's Chairman's remarks on that process and on the various groups, he referred to document JOB/TNC/5. He recalled that the TNC Chairman had also urged delegations to continue to reach out to ensure inclusiveness and participation. He trusted that the active participants in the small brainstorming group would communicate any significant developments in their small group discussions to the wider Membership when appropriate, in order for such developments to feed into the multilateral process.
122. He then invited delegations that had participated in the small brainstorming group to make any reports on any developments therefrom.
