89. The Chairperson reported that the Council had received a request from the Maldives for an extension of the transition period under Article 66.1 of the TRIPS Agreement (IP/C/W/425). She recalled that Article 66.1 provided that, in view of the special needs and requirements of least developed country Members, their economic, financial and administrative constraints, and their need for flexibility to create a viable technological base, such Members shall not be required to apply the provisions of the TRIPS Agreement, other than those concerning national and most-favoured-nation treatment, until 1 January 2006. The Article further provided that the Council for TRIPS shall, upon duly motivated request by a least-developed country Member, accord extensions of this period.
90. In its communication, the Maldives had requested the Council to accord to it an extension of the period provided in Article 66.1 for a further five years for implementation of the TRIPS Agreement.
91. In light of informal consultations that had been held, she suggested that the TRIPS Council agree that further consultations be held on the request of the Maldives and that the arrangements of these be coordinated between the Chair of the TRIPS Council and the Chair of the CTD, in which body the issue of the graduation of the Maldives from LDC status would be discussed the following week.
