50. The representative of Chile said that the EC proposal was being studied closely by his authorities. His delegation wished to limit itself, at this stage, to making some general observations. In order to facilitate the protection of geographical indications for wines, Article 23.4 required negotiations to be undertaken in the Council for TRIPS concerning the establishment of a multilateral system of notification and registration of geographical indications for wines eligible for protection in those Members participating in the system. The provision in question referred exclusively to wines. In its Report to the Singapore Ministerial Conference, the Council had made a clear distinction between work required by Article 23.4, on a register of geographical indications for wines, and other work to be started, on a preliminary basis, concerning geographical indications for spirits. The possibility of negotiations being undertaken concerning a system for notification and registration of geographical indications for spirits might be studied but, under Article 23.4, only such a system for geographical indications for wines had to be negotiated among Members.
