4. Before addressing the issue of observer status for intergovernmental organizations, the Chairperson recalled that the Special Session had agreed at the September meeting to invite the International Bureau of WIPO to attend, in an expert capacity, the part under the agenda item dedicated to the third set of issues, including the issue of "mechanics", that is to say the procedures of notification and registration, issues of costs and the possible role of the Secretariat. He also recalled that the International Bureau of the WIPO had assisted the WTO Secretariat in the preparation of its note on "Multilateral Systems of Notification and Registration" (TN/IP/W/4). The participation of the International Bureau had proved helpful: it had been able to respond to some technical queries made by delegations. However, the Special Session had not been able to discuss in detail document TN/IP/W/4. In his view, participants would benefit considerably in inviting the International Bureau of WIPO to attend again, in the same mode as last time, the discussions on the "mechanics". He emphasized that the acceptance of his suggestion to invite WIPO was without prejudice to their positions regarding the question of observer status for intergovernmental organizations, and neither should it prejudge anything concerning the kind of system to be negotiated in the WTO.
