64. The representative of the United States said that the purpose of the system was not to impose new substantive obligations regarding the protection of geographical indications. Instead, the system was supposed to facilitate protection based upon the existing obligations negotiated during the Uruguay Round as set forth in Section 3 of Part II of the TRIPS Agreement and not to increase that level of protection. The system should recognize and accommodate the various regimes of WTO Members for the protection of geographical indications described in the responses to the Article 24.2 questionnaire. The system should be simple and inexpensive for those who chose to participate. The system should allow WTO Members and others to access and use the information submitted without undue burdens or cost.
