198. Micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) play a major role in social and economic policies, representing the majority of companies in almost every country in the world and concentrating more than half of all jobs in both developing and developed countries. Therefore, they play a major role in social and economic policies and their participation in international trade is an important issue in the WTO agenda.
199. In this sense, I would like to draw the attention of Members to the Joint Communication circulated during the last session of the General Council WTO regarding the informal dialogue on MSMEs in this organization. A group of members, including Brazil, referred to the importance of promoting the participation of those entities in international trade, pointing out, among other things, that one of the obstacles preventing MSMEs from engaging more in export and import activities is technological development. Technological development is an issue explicitly mentioned in Article 8 of the TRIPS Agreement, underlining the potential contribution that intellectual property might bring to MSMEs. There is, thus, much that can be done in WTO regarding this matter.
200. Our delegation also wishes to highlight that Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay just circulated the paper JOB/GC/127, in which we indicate areas where the WTO could develop measures in favour of MSMEs. In the area of information and transparency, proponents suggest that Members afford better access to information for MSMEs in several aspects, including procedures related to the acquisition of intellectual property rights.
201. Now turning to the invitation of the proponents to share domestic experiences, our National Institute of Industrial Property actively engages with MSMEs in order to disseminate information about the steps necessary for obtaining intellectual property protection in Brazil and abroad. The INPI also provides an on-line course, elaborated in partnership with WIPO, which brings an overview of the legal requirements for the protection of IP. While the on-line course is not specifically directed to MSMEs, data available indicates that MSMEs and individual persons are the main users of the course.
202. Furthermore, in order to overcome the challenges those companies commonly face, the Ministry of Industry, Development and Foreign Trade provides support to MSMEs in a myriad of actions, such as the elaboration of a their business plan.
203. Lastly, Brazil participates in the CIBEPYME, the Iberoamerican Platform of Industrial Propriety which is directed to small and medium companies. The initiative provides easily accessible information about the many types of intellectual property, as well as a consulting service focused on the concrete needs of small and medium companies.
204. This is not, of course, an exhaustive list of all the actions and we hope it can contribute to the discussion.
