70. The representative of Costa Rica said that the purpose of a multilateral system should be to facilitate the level of protection which was established in the TRIPS Agreement and not to increase the level of protection. This had been made quite clear both in paragraph 3 of the Preamble of the Draft Text as well as in paragraph 3(i) of the Hong Kong, China proposal. In this respect, the Joint Proposal (TN/IP/W/5) was consistent with the mandate of the Special Session. He expressed support for the question raised by Japan with regard to the relationship between paragraph 3 of the Preamble of the Draft Text and the provisions of the same Draft Text relating to legal effects. Costa Rica gave its support to the establishment of a multilateral notification and registration system which was voluntary, was in accordance with the mandate under Article 23.4 of the TRIPS Agreement, would not create new obligations, and would make it possible to reduce the existing national structure regulating matters like examination, challenge and registration. The system should also be inexpensive. He added that Costa Rica had no commercial interest but rather a systemic interest.
