RESTRICTED
WORLD TRADE IP/C/M/10
25November 1996
ORGANIZATION(96-4986)
Council forTrade-Related Aspects
ofIntellectual Property Rights
MINUTES OFMEETING
Held intheCentre William Rappard
on5November 1996
Chairman: Ambassador W.Armstrong (New Zealand)
Subject discussed:
A. Adoption ofthereport (1996) oftheCouncil
B. Other business
A. Adoption ofthereport (1996) oftheCouncil
1. TheChairman referred tothedraftreport oftheCouncil ascontained indocument No.5992
of1November 1996 andproposed thattheCouncil adopt thetextinquestion withthefollowing two
amendments onanadreferendum basis:
- inparagraph 1"1November 1996" should bereplaced by"5November 1996"; and
- paragraph 34should bereplaced bythefollowing text:
"34. MembersfurtherreaffirmtheircommitmenttotheTRIPSbuilt-inagendaagreed
during theUruguay Round, including anytime-frames specified intherelevant
provisions, andtocarrying outasandwhen appropriate analytical workandinformation
exchange soastoallow Members abetter prior understanding oftheissues involved
without prejudice tothetiming orscope ofthereviews ornegotiations envisaged in
thatbuilt-in agenda. Inregard togeographical indications, theCouncil hasagreed
thatareview oftheapplication oftheprovisions ofthesection ongeographical
indications asprovided forinArticle 24.2 would take theform outlined in
paragraph 27above, which permits inputs fromdelegations ontheissueofscope, and
theCouncil willinitiate in1997preliminary work onissues relevant tothenegotiations
specified inArticle 23.4oftheTRIPS Agreement concerning theestablishment ofa
multilateralsystemofnotificationandregistrationofgeographicalindicationsforwines.
Issues relevant toanotification andregistration system forspirits willbepartofthis
preliminary work. Alloftheabove work would beconducted without prejudice to
therights andobligations ofMembers under theTRIPS Agreement andinparticular
under thespecific provisions oftheTRIPS built-in agenda."
2. Therepresentative ofChile saidthathisdelegation wasprepared tojointheconsensus with
regard toparagraph 34ascontained indocument 5992withtheadjustments mentioned bytheChairman,IP/C/M/10
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ontheunderstanding thatinputs fromdelegations withrespect totheissue ofscope ofapplication of
theprovisions ongeographical indications, theanalytical work andtheinformation exchange referred
tointhatparagraph would beundertaken inthecontext oftheresponsibilities assigned totheCouncil
toafford Members theopportunity ofconsulting onmatters relating tothetrade-related aspects of
intellectual property rights inconformity withtheprovisions ofArticle 68oftheTRIPS Agreement.
3. TherepresentativeofIndiasaidthathisdelegationwasabletojointheconsensusonparagraph34
ofthereport asreferred tobytheChairman. Hisdelegation considered thepreliminary work onthe
provisions ofArticle 23.4tobecontained under theprovisions ofArticle 24.2. Asagreed tointhe
Council 'sSeptember meeting, hisdelegation would beputting forward itsowninputs totheCouncil
atanappropriate timeintunewithitsunderstanding ofthescope oftheprovisions oftheSection on
geographical indications dealing withadditional protection. Theissue ofscope wascovered bythe
Council 'sdecision onthismatter, ascontained inparagraph 27ofthereport.
4. Therepresentative oftheCzech Republic saidthathisdelegation wasprepared tojointhe
consensus onthereport oftheTRIPS Council ontheunderstanding thatparagraph 34should beread
inthebroader context envisaged during theUruguay Round negotiations onthissubject matter, as
reflected inArticles 22,23and24oftheTRIPS Agreement. Inregard tothereview oftheapplication
oftheprovisions oftheSection ongeographical indications, asprovided inArticle 24.2, heunderlined
thatinorder toattain andfurther theobjectives ofthatSection there wasneedforanenlargement of
theproduct coverage ofArticle 23which would gobeyond itspresently limited scope andoperation,
which wasatpresent narrowly focused onwines andspirits. Hisdelegation considered paragraph 34
anevolution clause providing larger flexibility inhandling other products which should beincluded
atalaterstage.
5. Therepresentative ofAustralia saidthat,ifshewould beinaposition tomorrow toconfirm
herdelegation 'sreadiness tojoinother delegations inagreeing toadopt thereport, suchwould beon
theunderstanding thattherewasnolanguage inparagraph 34which, inwhatever way,committed any
delegation towork being carried outbeyond thescope which wasoutlined intherelevant paragraphs
relating tothebuilt-in agenda oftheTRIPS Agreement.
6. Therepresentative ofNewZealand saidthatherdelegation, inasimilar veintoChile and
Australia, hadthesame understanding ofthebasisonwhich paragraph 34oftheCouncil 'sreport had
beenconcluded.
7. Therepresentative ofMexico saidthathisdelegation wasinfavour ofincreasing protection
ofgeographical indications, notonlyforwines butalsoforspirits, andconsidered that,eventhough
different provisions ofthebuilt-in agenda under theTRIPS Agreement wereconcerned, bothproduct
areas could receive greater protection through anotification andregistration system, which inthefinal
analysis would befavourable toconsumers.
8. TheCouncil tooknoteofthestatements made.
9. TheChairman proposed thattheCouncil takenoteofthestatements made andadopt itsreport
onanadreferendum basis. Ifnoobjections would havebeenreceived by6November 1996, at11a.m.,
thereport would goforward totheGeneral Council asadopted bytheTRIPS Council.
10. TheCouncil soagreed.
11. TheChairman stated thatitwasunderstood thatparagraph 34didnotaffect therightofany
Member, subject totheCouncil 'srules ofprocedure, torequest thatamatter relating totheTRIPSIP/C/M/10
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built-in agenda beplaced ontheagenda ofanymeeting oftheCouncil ortosubmit atanytimeanalytical,
factual orother documents relating tosuchamatter.
12. TheCouncil tooknoteofthisstatement.
13. Therepresentative ofMorocco saidthattheChairman 'sstatement concerning paragraph 34
oftheCouncil 'sreport could innowaylimittherights andobligations ofhiscountry under theWTO
Agreement andunder theTRIPS Agreement andcould notlimithisdelegation 'srighttotakeposition
onanymatter concerning thebuilt-in agenda which could beraised intheTRIPS Council.
14. TheCouncil tooknoteofthisstatement.
15. TheChairman thanked Member states fortheirhardwork, fortheirperseverance andfortheir
constructive attitude andwillingness toremain engaged inwhathadnotbeenaneasyprocess.
B. Other business
16. TheChairman drew totheattention ofdelegations thetentative dates thathadbeenreserved
formeetings oftheTRIPS Council in1997 andwhich would becirculated toallMembers aspartof
acomprehensive calendar offuture meetings. Thetentatives dates were: 26February, 26to30May,
15July, 30September and24to28November.