59. The representative of Japan said that technical discussions were necessary given the complexity of a GI registration system. He said that his delegation wished to reserve its right to make further comments at a later stage as the EC paper had been circulated at short notice.
60. He noted that the EC had replaced the term "rebuttable presumption" by prima facie evidence, but the difference between the two notions remained unclear. It seemed to his delegation that the EC wanted to keep the definition of some terms ambiguous. However, precise definitions would be indispensable to understand the GI registration system as proposed by the EC. He further said that the joint proposal in TN/IP/W/10, which his country had co-sponsored, was a clearer and more pragmatic approach.
