52. The representative of the Slovak Republic expressed his delegation's appreciation for a structured discussion which would help seek a real and workable solution and achieve the mandate from Ministers in Doha. In his delegation's view, the role of the Secretariat should be to collect and keep all notifications and to control all formal requirements of notifications. If in an agreed period (for example 18 months as suggested by the EC), there were no objections from any Member, the notification would be registered. If there were any objection concerning, for example, the right to use a specific geographical indication for a specific product produced in a Member, it should be first solved through bilateral negotiations. If no solution were agreed to, then the arbitration should be set up in order to help solve the dispute. His delegation also supported the suggestions of the EC and Switzerland for a single contact point at the Member's level in order to simplify administrative procedures. He hoped that his delegation's contribution would be helpful in finding and fulfilling the Doha mandate.
