92. The representative of Hungary said that, as far as the examination cost was concerned, his country intended to notify less than 50 names under the future system. That information might ease some of the concerns expressed. With regard to translation costs, he said that, like the EC, Hungary found it difficult to understand why the EC approach was controversial. The joint proposal suggested the establishment of a database and would create, if not an obligation, an encouragement for national authorities to refer to the database. Since Article 23.1 basically prohibited the use of GIs, even in translation, it would seem that from the point of view of translation costs, the two approaches did not seem to be substantially different, provided that the relevant authorities indeed referred to the database.
93. With regard to costs to the WTO Secretariat and to the Members, he recalled that his delegation had tabled a proposal, before the Seattle Ministerial Conference, regarding the possibility of requesting the WIPO Secretariat to administer the future system. He pointed out that, although Australia and other Members had repeatedly expressed concerns about the cost of running and setting up of the system, there had not been any reaction from these Members to that practical idea.
