WORLD TRADE
ORGANIZATIONIP/C/W/154/Add.3
1 December 1999
(99-5212)
Council for Trade-Related Aspects
of Intellectual Property RightsOriginal: English/French/
Spanish1
TECHNICAL COOPERATION ACTIVITIES:  INFORMATION FROM
DEVELOPED COUNTRY MEMBERS
EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES AND THEIR MEMBER STATES
Addendum
The present document reproduces the updated information on technical and financial
cooperation activities relevant to the implementation of the TRIPS Agreement of the EuropeanCommunities and of Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Spain, Sweden and the
United Kingdom.
Information on technical and financial cooperation activities of other member States of the
European Communities will be distributed as supplements to this document.
_______________
                                                     
1 Information of the European Communities', Austria's, Denmark's, Finland's, Germany's, Sweden's and
the United Kingdom's activities in English, on Belgium's and France's activities in French, and on Spain's
activities in Spanish.IP/C/W/154/Add.3
Page 2
TABLE OF CONTENTS
European Communities........................................................................................................... ...... 3
I. China ...................................................................................................................... 3
II. Central and Eastern European countries ................................................................ 4
III. ASEAN .................................................................................................................. 6
IV. Viet Nam ................................................................................................................ 7V. Commonwealth of Independent States................................................................... 8VI. India....................................................................................................................... .11
VII. South Asia ..............................................................................................................11
Austria ........................................................................................................................ ........12
Belgium ........................................................................................................................ ........14
Denmark ........................................................................................................................ ........16
Finland ........................................................................................................................ ........17
France ......................................................................................................................... .......19
Germany ........................................................................................................................ ........37
Spain .......................................................................................................................... ......43
Sweden ......................................................................................................................... .......47
United Kingdom................................................................................................................. ............48IP/C/W/154/Add.3
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EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES
I. EU-CHINA INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY RIGHTS CO-OPERATION
PROGRAMME
1. Duration
The first phase of the programme ran from 1992 to 1994 covering patents and trademarks.
The second phase of the programme covers not only patents and trademarks, but widens the scope of
co-operation to include copyright, enforcement, education and awareness issues.  The horizontal part
of the programme was launched in May 1999 and is envisaged to last for three years.  The sectoralprogrammes will be launched in due course.
2. General objectives of the programme
The main objective of the new programme is to support the efforts of the Chinese
Government to develop a modern, effective system of IPR protection to international standards by:
- assisting China in the adoption of legislation and implementing regulations in all IPR
fields;
- creating an effective public administration of IPRs and mechanisms for their effective
protection, notably with regard to the procedures for the granting of IPRs as well as to
the enforcement of these rights.
3. Description of the programme
The programme envisages actions in 3 areas:
(a) Support to IPR institutions:
Technical assistance and training will be provided to:
- State Intellectual Property Office - to complement co-operation with the EPO;
- Chinese Trademark Office - to improve transparency of procedures;- National Copyright Administration of China - to support institutional growth;- Geographical indications - to establish a structure in this important field.
(b) Support to enforcement authorities:
Administrative as well as judicial routes exist for resolving IPR disputes in China.  Technical
assistance will be provided to:
- Training for judges and lawyers;
- Administrative agencies, IP and economic tribunals via workshops and the
establishment of a nation-wide information network;IP/C/W/154/Add.3
Page 4
- Customs authorities assisting enforcement at borders.
(c) Horizontal measures:
- Training opportunities would also be offered to IPR agents and attorneys;
- Specific actions would encourage and improve IPR teaching in universities;- Analysis of changes required to implement the TRIPS Agreement would be a
priority;
- Actions aimed at increasing public awareness of IPR issues are foreseen.
II. CENTRAL AND EASTERN EUROPEAN COUNTRIES
The programme for the modernization of the intellectual and industrial property in the Central
and Eastern European countries (known as the PHARE countries) is drawn up as a regional
programme.  It covers all PHARE countries (which are currently:  Albania, Bulgaria, Estonia, Latvia,Lithuania, Hungary, Poland, the Czech Republic, Romania, the Slovak Republic, Slovenia,
Bosnia-Herzegovina and the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia).  The programme consists of
two separate technical assistance programmes:  the Regional Industrial Property Programme (RIPP)
and the horizontal programme(s) on intellectual property.
1. Regional industrial property programme (RIPP)
(a) Duration
The first phase of the programme started in 1992 and has subsequently been extended twice.
RIPP-III officially expired on 31 December 1998, but certain activities (notably the ones
related to the Common Software project and certain training courses) will only be finalised in
2000.  Moreover, a forth and last extension until mid 2001 is on the point to be signed with
the European Patent Office.
(b) General objectives of the programme
- improve patent and trademark protection;
- raise the quality of industrial property protection to a level similar to that in the
European Union;
- facilitate the accession of the central and eastern European countries to the main
international conventions on industrial property including the European Patent
Convention;
- improve existing national institutions responsible for industrial property systems and
help create relevant institutions in countries where no appropriate framework yet
exists;
- promote regional co-operation between the partner countries in the field of industrial
property.IP/C/W/154/Add.3
Page 5
(c) Description of the programme
The specific objectives of the programme can be summoned up in 3 major points:
Training:
Training courses and seminars for staff of national authorities and patent professionals
(judges, attorneys and other specialists).
Information technology:
Development and maintenance of software to administer patent and trademark procedures
(Common Software).
Documentation, patent information, inter- office co-operation, technical assistance:
- modernisation of documentation centres so as to permit novelty searches at minimum
cost in particular by supplementing pa per systems with CD-ROMs and on-line access
to commercial databases;
- promotion of awareness of industrial property in the region through international
symposia and the publication of patent specifications and trade marks on CD-ROM;
- development of regional co-operation through an exchange programme involving the
offices in the region;
- technical assistance on project specification, tendering, implementation, legal and
institutional advice, work programme and evaluation of results.
2. Horizontal Programme on Intellectual Property III
(a) Duration
The programme has started on 17 March 1997 and will last until mid 2000.
(b) General objectives of the programme
The programme is a continuation of the Regional Programme on Copyright Protection
(1 September 1994 to 31 December 1996) and complements the Programme on IntellectualProperty II (1995 to 1998) (cf. Doc.: IP/C/W/106/Add.3 points II.B. and II.C.).
- Facilitation of the implementation in Central and Eastern Europe of a level of
protection for intellectual property (copyright, performing rights and protection
against piracy) similar to that in the European Union and to facilitate the accession ofthe Central and Eastern European countries to international conventions on these
issues;
- Help to create and develop the cultural industry so as to encourage national and
foreign investment in this sector;
- Facilitation and guarantee of the free movement of cultural works and performances
between central and eastern Europe and the European Union;IP/C/W/154/Add.3
Page 6
- Enhanced legal assistance to underline the importance of the protection of
neighbouring rights, as well as the enforcement procedures;
- Creation of mechanisms for the effective protection of neighbouring rights, including
the formation and training of collecting societies;
- Fight against piracy.
(c) Description of the programme
The Programme has the following components:
Legal assistance and training:
The legal assistance and training will set out to continue the procedure of improving the
legislation in the field of intellectual property, e.g. on authors' rights, and to favour the
implementation of structures permitting their application.  This component will include
actions, such as:
- Missions by EU experts to the CEECs, taking into account the guidelines set out in
Chapter 19 of the Annex to the 1995 White Paper on the Preparation of the
Associated Countries of Central and Eastern Europe for Integration into the Internal
Market of the Union.  Priority will be given to the countries where the level ofharmonization is not sufficient yet.  Missions will also be conducted to countries
where the level of harmonization has been judged as satisfactory, albeit only to
inform the legislator in these countries about the problems of intellectual property
protection, which will soon be posed by the new technologies of the Information
Society related to the digitisation of carriers;
- Training of officials on intellectual property, either directly or via train-the-trainers
methods.  Training of academics and judges.  With regard to the training of
academics the programme will explore the possibilities of scholarships in institutes in
the European Union specialised in author rights, such as the Max Planck Institute.
Support to collecting societies:
This component will include actions, such as:
- Training of the management and staff of the different authors' societies will continue
to be the main form assistance to authors' societies;
- Legal assistance to enforce the application of laws;- Material support to administration societies of author rights, which may include basic
equipment, hardware and software to facilitate the distribution of collected royalties.
III. EC-ASEAN PATENTS AND TRADEMARK PROGRAMME
A first programme (ECAP-I) on technical assistance for the ASEAN countries funded by the
European Commission to assist the ASEAN countries in strengthening and developing their
intellectual property rights systems was conducted between October 1993 and June 1997.  Theprogramme consisted of a regional as well as national components and covered the following
countries:  Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore and Thailand.  Viet Nam joined
ASEAN in 1995 and participated hereafter on the regional element of ECAP-I.  At present a secondIP/C/W/154/Add.3
Page 7
co-operation programme is under preparation (ECAP-II) which will, like ECAT-I, consist of national
as well as regional elements.
1. Duration
The national as well as regional programme(s) is expected to last until December of the year
2004.
2. General objectives of the programme
- To assist in the adaptation of legal frameworks to TRIPS, in all fields of the
intellectual property protection;
- to improve the technical skills in the field of intellectual property rights in the
ASEAN region.  In addition to the upgrading of skills (institutional strengthening) in
the industrial property offices of the region, a particular attention will be paid to
enforcement and to copyrights and related rights;
- to focus on informing local industries and other local users of the benefits they may
derive from an improved patent and trad emark environment.  The European industry
is closely involved in this part of the programme.
3. Description of the programme
ECAP-II aims at achieving effective results through sharing of information and experience
and by continuing a process of regional co-operation in  the field of all industrial property rights.  The
regional aspects will contribute to the uniform development of intellectual property right systems inthe targeted countries and limit the amount of overlap in this highly specialised field.  Cost-sharing is
feasible through cooperation in the field of documentation, the organisation of the granting
procedure, publication etc. which also facilitates the ease with which the European industry can
operate in ASEAN.  The more specific activities include:
- Preparation of modernization plans for national offices - Building a common
intellectual property database;
- Production of certain common publications and documents;- Providing EU best practices in intellectual property rights legislation, including
accompanying rules and regulations;
- Computerisation of administration of patent granting procedures and services -
Preparation of common procedures guidelines.
IV. EU-VIET NAM INDUSTRIAL PROPERTY PROGRAMME
1. Duration
The programme lasted from July 1996 to September 1999.  A second phase is going to be
launched in the year 2000.  Viet Nam will join the regional component of the ECAP -II programme
(see above III).IP/C/W/154/Add.3
Page 8
2. General objectives of the programme
The main objective of the programme is to strengthen Viet Nam's industrial property system
by:
- assisting in the improvement of the legal and regulatory framework;
- enhancing the patent and trademark granting administration, as well as upgrading the
skills of patent agents;
- improving industrial property public aw areness and strengthening enforcement
systems;
- co-operation in ASEAN regional activities in the field of industrial property rights.In addition to the above mentioned objectives, the programme is constructed with an element
of flexibility in order to allow for particular situations, for example under the public awareness and
enforcement components, by covering other related areas of intellectual property rights.
3. Description of the programme
The specific objectives of the programme can be summarised in two major points:
Legal framework and enforcement:
The programme aims at assisting to upgrade the Vietnamese legislation and enforcement
measures in line with the TRIPS Agreement.
Administration of industrial property and information services:
The current good record of delivering patent, trademarks and designs should be maintained in
spite of the substantial increase of applications expected.  Applicants should be able to file
applications in two different places by the end of the programme.
V. COMMONWEALTH OF INDEPENDENT STATES
The Community established technical assistance programmes to countries of the
Commonwealth of Independent States (known as TACIS).  In the field of intellectual property rights,
two TACIS programmes have been undertaken:  one programme on copyright and related rights and
one programme on industrial property rights.  The programme on copyright and related rights wasrenewed in 1998 and the programme on industrial property rights will be renewed in due course.
1. TACIS programmes on copyright and related rights
(a) General
The first TACIS programme covered assistance to the Russian Federation, Kazakhstan,
Ukraine and Uzbekistan.  This two year pr ogramme ended in November 1998 and a follow-up
programme covering assistance to the Russian Federation, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Ukraine and
Uzbekistan running for 2 years was established.IP/C/W/154/Add.3
Page 9
(b) General objectives of the programme
- ensure that the respective IPR systems are in compliance with the TRIPS Agreement
and the Partnership and Co-operation Agreements;
- establish an appropriate legislative environment in the field of intellectual property
protection reflecting Russia's intention of having, within 5 years, a level of protection
similar to that in the EU;
- establish an appropriate administrative environment in the field of intellectual
property protection, i.e. similar to that in the EU.
- establish appropriate enforcement mechanisms in the field of intellectual property
protection, i.e. similar to that in the EU.
(c) Description of the programmes
The major activities to be undertaken within the scope of the programme are the following:
- conduct a review of the current system of intellectual property rights existing in the
countries concerned and to prepare a strategic plan for the future legislative,
administrative and enforcement structure;
- provide on-going assistance to various Government authorities in elaborating
appropriate legislation in the field of intellectual property rights that will reflect the
Russian Federation's intention to harmonize with the level of protection existing in
the EU and ensure TRIPS compatibility;
- fight against piracy;- provide on-going assistance to collecting societies in establishing effective collecting
societies including the development of authors' awareness;
- develop appropriate database and CD-ROM systems for information services in the
field of intellectual property protection;
- develop a public awareness campaign concerning intellectual property protection;- conducting training programmes, in selected regional centres, for enforcement
officers, i.e. magistrates, police officers, customs officers etc;
- study visits for Russian officials to relevant EU based organizations active in the field
of intellectual property protection;
- support for hardware and software.
2. TACIS programmes on industrial property
(a) General
In the past, two country specific programmes have been established:  support to industrial
property protection in the Ukraine (1995 and 1996) and in Uzbekistan (1995 - 1997).  The
general objectives of these programmes have been to ensure a high level of industrial propertyIP/C/W/154/Add.3
Page 10
protection in the two countries thus creating the necessary ground for market economy and
strengthening the administration responsible for the intellectual property system (e.g. patent
offices).  In December 1996, a two year horizontal programme covering all CIS countries was
agreed.  A follow-up programme covering assistance to the Russian Federation, Azerbaijan,
Georgia and Uzbekistan running for 2 years will be launched in due course.
(b) General objectives of the programme
- ensure a high and common level of industrial property protection in the CIS
countries;
- assistance to adjustment of regional and national legislation relating to the Eurasian
Patent Convention;
- assistance to adjustment of other national legislation relating to industrial property;- setting up and development of systems protecting industrial property at a regional
level for patents (Eurasian Patent Office) and at national level for others industrial
property rights.
(c) Description of the programme
The major activities to be undertaken within the scope of the programme are the following:
- assistance to draft industrial property legislation and related rules, regulations and
guidelines;
- language courses for staff of patent offices and selected professionals;
- advice and assistance for the Eurasian Patent Office;- technical assistance, training, documentation, drafting of legislation, publication of
the patents on CD-ROM, administration of the procedure based on the common
software developed under the PHARE regional industrial property protectionprogrammes;
- development of national facilities on industrial property including technical
assistance, regional and local training, computerisation of the administrative and
financial management of the proceedings;
- promote and develop the means for disseminating patent information using modem
technology, and promote the use of the industrial property system to potential users in
industry, commerce and academic institutions;
- assistance to improve enforcement of IPR.IP/C/W/154/Add.3
Page 11
VI. INDIA
A two year India programme is going to be launched before the end of the year.
VII. SOUTH ASIA
Five year programmes were approved by the EU  for Bangladesh, Pakistan and Sri Lanka will
be launched in due course.IP/C/W/154/Add.3
Page 12
AUSTRIA
Technical cooperation activities in the field of industrial property conducted by the Austrian
Patent office in 1998 and the first half of 1999:
1. In cooperation with WIPO
(a) WIPO – Austria – Seminars
As in the previous years, the Austrian Patent Office hosted in 1998 a training course with
priority on patent-examination and patent documentation for participants from Brazil,
Indonesia, Cuba, Egypt, Ethiopia and Saudi Arabia.  A similar seminar is scheduled for
September 1999.
(b) ICSEI – search reports
In 1998, 31 applications have been dealt with from Viet Nam, Kenya, Argentina, Malaysia,
Madagascar participating in WIPO's ICSEI (International Cooperation in the Search and
Examination of Inventions) programme.  For the time being, 43 applications have been filed
in the current year.
(c) State-of-the-art search reports for developing countries
Continuing a tradition since 1975 and based on a new agreement with WIPO out of 1986,
patent search reports have been carried out for developing countries.  In 1998, the AustrianPatent Office has received eight requests from Argentina and Morocco.
(d) Activities as PCT-International Searching and International Preliminary
Examining Authority
In 1998, the Austrian Patent Office received 571 and in 1999 until August 608 search
requests.  In 1998 there have been 242, and in 1999 up to the present date 266 requests forInternational Preliminary Examination.
2. In cooperation with the European Patent Office of the Director-General
(a) WIPO/EPO/APO – seminar
As in 1997 and the years before the Austrian Patent Office was involved in three seminars
with international participation scheduled by the European Patent Office.
(b) Experts missions
Within the framework of the RIPP programme of the European Patent Office, experts of the
Austrian Patent Office participated in seminars concerning trademark law and trademark
classification held in the Industrial Property Offices of the Czech Republic and Slovenia.
3. Bilateral
Continuing its long lasting cooperation with China, the Austrian Patent Office hosted several
seminars for Chinese officials.IP/C/W/154/Add.3
Page 13
In September 1999, the 9th Conference of the mixed Chinese-Austrian Working Group on
Questions of Industrial Protection will take place in Beijing.
In 1998 and 1999, experts from the Austrian Patent Office gave lectures on Industrial
Property topics in Beijing.
On the basis of bilateral agreements, training courses on different matters related to Industrial
Property Protection for officials from other patent of fices are held.  In 1998 and during the first half of
1999, training groups from the offices of the People's Republic of China, Latvia, Slovenia and
Ukraine stayed at the Austrian Patent Office.
Experts of the Austrian Patent Office carried out training courses and assistance for the
Intellectual Property Office of Mongolia.IP/C/W/154/Add.3
Page 14
BELGIUM
In the field of patents, trademarks and industrial designs, Belgium takes part in technical
cooperation activities on its own initiative and by cont ributing to the activities of the international
organizations. Set forth below are various items of information concerning Belgium's technical
cooperation activities under Article 67 of the TRIPS Agreement.
I. TECHNICAL COOPERATION IN THE FRAMEWORK OF BENELUX
The Benelux Trademarks Office and the Benelux Designs Office attach great importance to
the cooperation for development programmes aimed at developing human resources and modernizing
and computerizing industrial property offices.
1. Joint Benelux-WIPO Seminar on the Law of Trademarks and Industrial Designs
The Benelux Trademarks Office provides the developing countries with technical assistance
in cooperation with the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO):  Two joint seminars (one inFrench in the spring, and the other in English in the autumn) are organized each year for the persons
concerned in the services responsible for trademarks and industrial designs in the developing
countries (about 30 per seminar).  The programme includes various courses on Benelux trademark
legislation, the Paris Convention, the Community trademark, the TRIPS Agreement, the Trademark
Law Treaty, the Vienna Agreement concerning the International Classification of Goods and Services
for the Purpose of the Registration of Marks, etc.  These courses were followed by study visits to
companies and trademark agents.
2. Regional Industrial Property Programme (RIPP)
The Benelux Offices also participate in the European Union's RIPP Programme, which aims
at modernizing patent, trademark and design offices in its member countries, creating a modern
documentation system, developing computer systems and training officials, judges and trademark
agents.  Activities have focused on the organization of training seminars, held both at the headquarters
of the Offices and in the countries concerned.
II. VISIT BY TUNISIAN OFFICIALS TO THE MINISTRY OF ECONOMIC AFFAIRS
In September 1998, a delegation of Tunisian officials visited the different departments of the
Ministry of Economic Affairs.  They were able to  familiarize themselves with the infrastructure and
operation of the Belgian Industrial Property Office and with the different services it offered.  They
also attended various lectures, in particular on Belgian legislation to combat counterfeiting and piracy.
III. SENDING OF DOCUMENTATION TO THE INDUSTRIAL PROPERTY OFFICE OF
MADAGASCAR
Belgium sent the Malagasy Industrial Property Office, at its request various items of
information that could contribute to its development and help to bring Madagascar's laws into
conformity with the TRIPS Agreement (detailed description of the activities of the Belgian Industrial
Property Office;  a list of legal texts on industrial and intellectual property applicable in Belgium
together with a series of regulatory texts;  a CD-ROM prepared by the Ministry of Economic Affairs
in cooperation with the European Patent Office to provide an overview of the possibilities offered byintellectual property rights and by patents in particular;  a selection of the most important judgements
of the Benelux Court of Justice, responsible for interpreting, inter alia , the uniform law of theIP/C/W/154/Add.3
Page 15
Benelux on trademarks and industrial designs;  and a paper on Belgian, Benelux and European
criminal legislation relating to the combat against counterfeiting).
IV. BELGIUM'S CONTRIBUTION AS MEMBER OF THE INTERNATIONAL
ORGANIZATIONS IN THE FIELD OF INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY
As a member of the European Union (Office for Harmonization in the Internal Market,
PHARE and TACIS programmes, etc.), of the European Patent Office and of the World Intellectual
Property Organization, Belgium participates in th e financing of technical cooperation programmes
launched in those fora.
The Industrial Property Office also organizes various activities aimed at informing the public
on the subject of patents, trademarks and industrial designs.  These include the development, with the
EPO, of a CD-ROM presenting a general approach to the various forms of protection offered by
industrial property law and a detailed description of how the Office operates. Lectures are also
regularly organized for the general public, and a symposium was held on patents and patent
information (December 1997).  In addition, the Industrial Property Office publishes a monthly series,and together with the EPO, a quarterly CD-ROM listing the Belgian patents that have been published.
These information tools are sent to a large number of national industrial property offices throughout
the world.IP/C/W/154/Add.3
Page 16
DENMARK
In addition to the information included in IP /C/W/34/Add.3/Suppl.3, the Danish Patent Office
is contributing to the WIPO "Training Programme for Officials from Developing Countries in the
Field of Industrial Property".  The duration of the training programme is three weeks.  Two of the
three weeks is a "Practical Training Programme" of which the Danish Patent Office is in charge.
Approximately every second year, 2 - 3 participants are received by the Danish Patent Office.  A
programme is scheduled for this year.  Last time the Danish Patent Office ran a programme was in
1996.IP/C/W/154/Add.3
Page 17
FINLAND
1. General remarks
The activities of Finland relating to technical and financial cooperation relevant to the
implementation of the TRIPS Agreement have conti nued in forms largely similar to those carried out
in previous years. Finland has participated in the work of international organizations aimed to assist
countries far-away from our point of view. The most extensive multilateral cooperation activities have
taken place within the framework of the WIPO training programmes for civil servants from
developing and least-developed member countries.
As regards bilateral cooperation, it is of a great interest for Finland to assist and support
Russia and the Baltic states to create a new and effective industrial property rights system. This
cooperation has taken place, for example, within the mutual cooperation agreement concluded by the
National Board of Patents and Registration of Finl and and the City of St. Petersburg of Russia.
2. Cooperation relating to industrial property rights
2.1 Multilateral cooperation
The National Board of Patents and Registration of Finland (hereinafter referred to as the
Patents Board) organizes training courses within the framework of the WIPO Training Programme.
The training courses provide information about the system of intellectual property rights in generaland especially in the Nordic countries, as well as an introduction to the organization and functions of
the Patents Board. Participants in the training courses have come from Asia, Africa and Latin
America. During the years 1998 and 1999 the participants have been from Pakistan, Gambia and
Sudan.
The Patens Board has also hosted trainees within the programme of the Office for
Harmonization in the Internal Market. In 1998 Patents Board had trainees from Vietnam.
2.2 Bilateral cooperation
The Mayor’s Office of the City of St. Petersburg and the Patents Board have a mutual
cooperation agreement concerning industrial property rights. This cooperation agreement wasconcluded in the interest of further development and protection of industrial property rights and was
renewed for a further three years in January 1997. The focus of the cooperation has been on the
education and exchange of information relating to industrial property rights, their legal protection and
commercialization.
Lectures and training on industrial property rights were also provided by representatives of
the Patents Board in March 1998 in the city of Kotka within the framework of the above-mentioned
cooperation. Financial support for the St. Petersburg cooperation project has been applied for several
times by the Patents Board.
The Patents Board has also trained visitors from several foreign patent offices. In 1997 the
Patents Board had visitors from the Czech republic and Lithuania, in 1998 again from the Czech
republic and in 1999 from Russia, Hungary and Est onia. The Lifelong Learning Institute of the
Helsinki University of Technology has in many occasions participated in the training of the visitors.IP/C/W/154/Add.3
Page 18
3. Cooperation relating to copyright and neighbouring rights
The Ministry of Education and Culture organizes as well as finances, in cooperation with
WIPO, training courses for officials from developing countries. These courses have been carried out
jointly with the collecting societies and the Finnish Copyright Society. The participants in the courseswill be provided with an introduction to the Finnish and Nordic solutions concerning intellectual
property legislation, collective administration of rights and questions relating to enforcement. The
courses have been arranged on an annual basis.IP/C/W/154/Add.3
Page 19
FRANCE
France has the honour to notify the technical cooperation activities conducted by the Ministry
of Agriculture, the Ministry of Foreign Trade, the Ministry of Culture and the National IndustrialProperty Institute in favour of the developing and least-developed countries.
I. COOPERATION ACTIVITIES OF THE MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE AND
FISHERIES IN 1998-1999
The Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries takes part in technical cooperation activities
conducted by international organizations, particularly by WIPO, the International Union for the
Protection of New Varieties of Plants and the European Patent Office, and also those organized byother French ministerial departments, in connection more specifically with geographical indications
and new plant varieties.
In addition, the National Inter-Professional Seed Group (GNIS), some inter-professional
groups in the wine-growing sector and the Nationa l Institute of Appellati ons of Orig in (INAO), each
within its area of competence, sometimes partic ipate in cooperation activities implemented by the
international organizations mentioned above and in the Community's TAIEX and TACIS
programmes.
Assistance activities related to geographical indications, appellations of origin and new plant
varieties mostly form part of agricultural and agri-food technical cooperation under agreements signed
with the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries and the Directorate-General of Customs and the
Directorate-General of Competition, Consumption and Suppression of Fraud.
Moreover, visitors from abroad are regularly received for talks and visits on the topics of
geographical indications and new plant varieties.
A. A
SSISTANCE AND TECHNICAL COOPERATION ACTIVITIES FOR GEOGRAPHICAL INDICATIONS
AND APPELLATIONS OF ORIGIN .
Argentina:
Joint Franco-Argentine Group for Agriculture:  discussion on protection of appellations of
origin and geographical indications.  In this connection:
- Two delegations received (political representatives and professionals) in May 1998
and June 1999;
- meeting with the President of the Argentine Wine-Growing Institute on the question
of misappropriations of appellations of origin, in particular the Beaujolais appellation
of origin, in October 1998.
Canada:
Delegation from Ontario, probably in the autumn of 1999, to study the system of appellations
of origin and local wines.IP/C/W/154/Add.3
Page 20
Chile:
Joint Franco-Chilean Group in June 1999:  decision on cooperation on appellations of origin
and geographical indications.  A delegation to be received in the autumn of 1999.
An expert from the Ministry of Agricultur e received in March 1999 (ACTIM programme).
China
- Visit of a delegation of Chinese growers in connection with high quality wine-
growing, appellations of origin and geographical indications (August 1998);
- continuation of cooperation programme undertaken by the French Ministry of
Agriculture with the Chinese authorities, one especially developed topic being the
protection of appellations of origin and geographical indications;
- a Chinese official delegation from BEST received in April 1999;- the National Institute of Appellations of Origin present at the V&S International
Salon – educational work on appellations of origin.
United States:
Meeting with a group of eminent figures from the University of Missouri (March 1998) on the
topic of appellations of origin and geographical indications.
Hungary:
- Visit by officials from the Hungarian Ministry of Agriculture (November 1998);
- visit by a researcher from the Ministry of Agriculture (July 1999).Mexico:
- Seminar on appellations of origin, geographical indications and trademarks in
Guadalajara with the Mexican Intellectual Property Institute;
- collaboration by the National Institute of Appellations of Origin with the Tequila
Regulatory Council.
Moldova:
- Mission by enterprises in June 1998, one of the topics being geographical indications;
- planned seminar on geographical indications.
Poland:
- Visit by a researcher, a Polish government expert, on the implementation of the
Intellectual Property Code (November 1998);
- seminar in Warsaw in May 1999 on the French product identification and quality
control system.IP/C/W/154/Add.3
Page 21
Czech Republic:
Visit by experts from the Ministry of Agriculture and by the President of the Wine Producers'
Association (September 1998).
Russia:
- Continuation of the work of the Franco-Russian Technical Group on appellations of
origin and geographical indications.  Objectives:  elimination of misappropriations of
French appellations of origin (in particular Cognac  and Champagne ) and
implementation of legislation on geographical indications;
- visit by a delegation of representatives of the various ministries concerned, on the
topic of geographical indications and appellations of origin (February 1998);
- planned symposium in Moscow for Russian professionals.
Viet Nam:
- Symposium organized in Hanoi in July 1998 on issues connected with counterfeiting
and misappropriations of appellations of origins;
- introduction of a legal framework for geographical indications and appellations of
origins.
Developing countries in general:
The International Intellectual Property Study Centre in Strasbourg provides courses on
appellations of origin.
B. FRENCH TECHNICAL COOPERATION AND ACTIVITIES CONCERNING NEW PLANT VARIETIES
Egypt, Russia, Ukraine:
On-site expertise and training in France of some 15 persons on the criteria for granting new
plant variety certificates: distinction, homogeneity, stability.
Mauritania:
Training a person in France on the criteria for granting new plant variety certificates.Viet Nam:
Seminar in July 1998 on intellectual property and agriculture, with a "new plant variety
certificates" theme.
II. MINISTRY OF CULTURE AND COMMUNICATION
In the matter of copyright and neighbouring rights, the French Government plays an active
part in technical cooperation activities, on its own as well as by a substantial contribution to action by
international organizations (WIPO/UNESCO) and the European Community.IP/C/W/154/Add.3
Page 22
France's activities are directed towards both the developing countries (especially the French-
speaking African countries) and the transition countries, and active cooperation takes the form of
exchanges of experts and bringing in trainees, notably under the European Union's PHARE and
TACIS programmes, as well as organizing technical training seminars.
For example, at the end of 1998 the Ministry of Culture and Communication defrayed the
costs of various African decision-makers in collective management entities.  They were able to meet
persons in charge of legislation on literary and artistic property law in the Ministry and the French
counterparts in collective management entities.
The same kind of training session was organized for decision-makers in the Chinese
Government early in 1999.
In connection with the seminar on an introduction to copyright and neighbouring rights
organized by WIPO, a week's training on literary and artistic property is to be held in Paris in the
Ministry of Culture and Communication in early November 1999.
Generally speaking, the Ministry frequently receives high-ranking individuals from WTO
Member countries and takes part in organizing training seminars initiated by professional bodies.
The Ministry of Culture and Communication has also played a part in financing a study
conducted by the CNRS (National Scientific Resear ch Centre) on the preparation of a French-English
glossary on copyright and neighbouring rights that could be circulated as an aid to the work of
representatives of French-speaking and English-speaking countries.
Lastly, a very comprehensive set of files on the law of literary and artistic property is
available at the Ministry of Culture and Communication's site: http://www.culture.fr.
III. NATIONAL INDUSTRIAL PROPERTY INSTITUTE (INPI)
1. Training activities
A number of training activities are carried out every year for officials from intellectual
property offices in developing countries.
A. THE INTERNATIONAL INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY STUDY CENTRE (CEIPI), S TRASBOURG
This is a specialist training centre that forms part of the Strasbourg Law and Economics
Faculty and gives courses on industrial property law with training on marks and designs, patents and
franchising.
They include:
- Either intensive two-week industrial proper ty training courses.  These are intended
for nationals from developing countries and are organized in collaboration with
WIPO.  They are funded partly by the INPI.  Candidates are selected in cooperationwith WIPO.  Since 1978, when this intensive training was started, more than thirty
candidates have been selected every year, including three or four with fellowships
awarded by Switzerland, THE United Kingdom or Sweden.  Among the thirty
trainees financed by the INPI, ten French-speakers will again be chosen for a two-
week practical course with the INPI (cf. Annex 1: Trainees from developing countries
at the INPI in 1998).  To date, nearly 600 officials from developing countries have
been trained, including 180 who have attended a practical course at the INPI.  TheIP/C/W/154/Add.3
Page 23
practical course in the developing countries' seminar in Paris will be held this year
from 27 September to 8 October.
- or longer training lasting three to six months, and also intended for officials from
developing countries (annex 2).  The subsistence allowance may be paid by the INPIand the office of origin pays the travel costs.
From October through December 1998, one official from the Vietnamese office was trained at
the CEIPI (patents course).
From October 1998 through June 1999, an official from the African Intellectual Property
Organization (OAPI) was trained at the CEIPI (l ong course: patents, trademarks and designs).
From January through June 1999, an official from the Chinese office, an official from the
Vietnamese office and an official from the Romanian office were trained at the CEIPI (trademarks
and designs course).
B. 
THE CAVILAM IN VICHY
For five years, an advanced French-language course has been given by a specialized institute,
the CAVILAM in Vichy, for some nationals of CIS member States and new States in Eastern Europe
(Kazakhstan, Armenia, Moldova, Latvia, the Slovak Republic, Belarus, Ukraine, the Kyrgyz
Republic, Lithuania, Uzbekistan, Georgia, Estonia and Tadjikistan).
The purpose is to permit the use of French as a procedural language under the provisions of
the Madrid Agreement concerning the International Registration of Marks.
Every year, two or three nationals from these States follows a three-month course (Annex 3).
In this connection, the INPI awards a full fellowship (subsistence, studies and travel costs).
From October through December 1999, the INPI will be paying for a national from
Azerbaijan and one from Turkmenistan.
French language training with foreign offices
Since 1999, the INPI has been financing French courses for officials from offices such as the
Brazilian INPI, the Mexican INPI, the Thai DIP and soon the Uruguayan DPI (Annex 4).  These
courses are given by the Alliance Française or the Institut Français d'Amérique Latine.
2. Courses at the INPI
Delegations from offices in developing countries come to France every year on technical
missions for varying periods, depending on the subject (two days to two weeks).
In these visits, the logistics may be arranged by WIPO or the EPO.  They are then funded by
the organizations concerned (Annex 5).
The INPI may pay the subsistence costs for a visit to France lasting five days to two weeks, if
the visit is arranged under bilateral cooperation agreements (Annex 6).
This is the case with officials from member States of the African Intellectual Property
Organization (OAPI).  The OAPI covers the French-speaking States in Sub-Saharan Africa (Benin,
Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Congo, Côte d'Ivoire, Gabon, Guinea,IP/C/W/154/Add.3
Page 24
Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Senegal and Togo).  Every year, two to four officials from the national
industrial property liaison facilities in those States and the OAPI itself are traine d at the INPI, either in
the various procedures (trademarks, patents, design) or in other fields such as technical documentation
or database management.
It was in this connection that the INPI received an official from the Côte d'Ivoire office
(July 1999) and will be receiving two officials from another OAPI member country in November
1999.
Lastly, foreign delegations of one or more persons representing either national offices or
professional associations come to learn about the INPI's activities and also about the types of filing
and issuing procedures and implementation of intellectual property rights.  Visits may thus beorganized to other administrative bodies, more particularly the Customs and the specialized chambers
of the Paris Court of Appeal.
On average, the INPI receives more than 200 foreign officials every year.
3. Expert Missions
Bilateral:
With the AIPO, for two months every year one or two INPI experts assess four OAPI national
liaison facilities.  The experts may also engage in on-the-spot training of new officials, and
particularly documentalists.
This year, the Mauritania, Burkina Faso and Central African Republic and Cameroon liaison
facilities will be assessed.
In addition, at the request of the OAPI, INPI experts took part in seminars organized in
Bafoussam, Yaoundé, Conakry, Lomé and Dakar in 1998.
Three expert missions with the Chinese Intellec tual Property Office (SIPO) were held in 1998
on regional activity and appellations of origin.
A seminar on protection of intellectual property and a campaign against counterfeiting was
organized in Rabat with the Moroccan Intellectual Property Office in 1998.  In 1999, four expert
missions have taken place so far.
Exchanges of engineers with the French office and the Japan Patent Office (JPO) are held
every year.  An INPI engineer went on mission to Tokyo in 1998 and another mission is scheduled for
1999.
An expert from the Cognac Interprofessional Bureau (BNIC) went to the Polish office in
Warsaw in 1998 for a mission on geographical indications and trademarks.
- With WIPO:Many cooperation activities are conducted in close cooperation with WIPO and through the
French Fund.
These are generally seminars held mostly in Africa and sometimes in Asia, Latin America and
in Arab countries (to which French experts who speak English are invited).IP/C/W/154/Add.3
Page 25
-W i t h  t h e  E P O :
Collaboration with the EPO in the context of cooperation with developing countries has been
strengthened.  This has been facilitated by the activities the European Union wishes to undertake in
South-East Asia and in Eastern Europe.
The EPO looks after the logistics.The INPI has collaborated with the EPO in organizing activities in 1998, namely an audit and
information mission to the INNORPI (Tunisia).
4. Ministry of Foreign Trade
In the context of the ASEM, France has been designated intellectual property facilitator.  In
this connection, the Ministry of Foreign Trade held the first ASEM seminar on intellectual property in
Paris on 24-25 June 1999.  Representatives from administrations in charge of these matters in the
ASEAN countries and the European Union took part , as did representatives from China, Korea and
Japan, as well as professional federations.
WIPO, the WTO, the EPO and the European Commission also played a part in the seminar,
along with the representatives of European and Asian firms.  Thailand, which is the co-facilitator, will
be organizing the next seminar in the year 2000.IP/C/W/154/Add.3
Page 26
ANNEX 1
Developing Country Seminars 1998
Developing Country Seminars 98 (9)Area Industrial property, INPI and IRPI practical course
Duration (in days) 14
Venue INPI Paris and IRPI
Acronym Country
MCI Haiti
MIC MauritiusMICPP Central African Republic
MISE Togo
AIPO Côte d'IvoireOCPI CubaOMAPI MadagascarOPIM MoroccoTGS SenegalIP/C/W/154/Add.3
Page 27
ANNEX 2
CEIPI Training Courses since 1998
CEIPI:  Long course (1:  Mali)Area Patents, trademarks, designs
Duration (days) 273
Venue Strasbourg
Acronym Country
DNIM Mali
NOIP Vietnam
Rospatent Russian Federation
CEIPI Trademarks and Designs Course (3:  Romania, Viet Nam, China)
Area Trademarks, designs
Duration (days) 150
Venue Strasbourg
Acronym Country
NOIP Viet Nam
CEIPI Trademarks and Designs Course (3:  Romania, Viet Nam, China)
Area Trademarks, designs
Duration (days) 150
Venue Strasbourg
Acronym Country
OEIM Romania
SAIC ChinaIP/C/W/154/Add.3
Page 28
ANNEX 3
CAVILAM 1998
French language training
Area French language
Duration (days) 88
Venue Vichy
Acronym Country
NCPI TadjikistanIP/C/W/154/Add.3
Page 29
ANNEX 4
French Courses since 1998
French Courses (10)Area French language
Duration (days) 45
Venue Rio de Janeiro, Brazilian INPI
Acronym Country
INPI Brazil
French Courses (15)
Area French language
Duration (days) 40
Venue Bangkok, Thai DIP
Acronym Country
DIP Thailand
French Courses (31)
Area French language
Duration (days) 146
Venue Mexico City
Acronym Country
IMPI Mexico
CAVILAM (Tadjikistan) (1)
Area French language
Duration (days) 88
Venue Vichy
Acronym Country
NCPI TadjikistanIP/C/W/154/Add.3
Page 30
ANNEX 5
Visits at the Request of WIPO Since 1998
Visit by a Brazilian delegation (2)Area Databases
Duration (days) 2
Venue INPI Paris
Acronym Country
Brazilian INPI Brazil
Brazilian INPI Brazil
Visit by a delegation from the Moroccan and Tunisian offices and WIPO on the natural
language  (9)
Area Natural language
Duration (days) 2
Venue INPI Paris and LEXIQUEST firm, Montreuil
Acronym Country
INNORPI Tunisia
INNORPI TunisiaINNORPI TunisiaLEXIQUEST France
LEXIQUEST France
WIPO MoroccoWIPO SwitzerlandWIPO SwitzerlandWIPO SwitzerlandIP/C/W/154/Add.3
Page 31
Visits at the Request of the EPO Since 1998
Visit by a JPO official (2)
Area Industrial property in general
Duration (days) 1
Venue INPI Paris
Acronym Country
JPO Netherlands
Visit by a JPO official (2)
Area Industrial property in general
Duration (days) 1
Venue Paris
Acronym Country
JPO Japan
Visit by a JPO official
Area Patents
Duration (days) 1
Venue INPI Paris
Acronym Country
JPO Japan
Visit by a Ukrainian delegation (2)
Area Management of patent documents
Duration (days) 4
Venue INPI ParisIP/C/W/154/Add.3
Page 32
Acronym Country
SPOU Ukraine
Visit by a Ukrainian delegation (2)
Area Management of patent documents
Duration (days) 4
Venue INPI Paris
Acronym Country
SPOU Ukraine
Visit by a Vietnamese Customs delegation
Area Industrial property and Customs
Duration (days) 1
Venue INPI Paris
Acronym Country
NOIP Viet Nam
Visit by a JPO official (Mrs. Isohatu) (3)
Area Patents
Duration (days) 15
Venue INPI Paris
Acronym Country
JPO Japan
Visit by a Tunisian delegation (2)
Area Trade register
Duration (days) 5
Venue Paris, Tours, Libourne (ORT)IP/C/W/154/Add.3
Page 33
Acronym Country
INNORPI Tunisia
Visit by Moroccan Artisans Organization (2)
Area Trade register and occupational register
Duration (days) 1
Venue INPI Paris
Acronym Country
NCIAM Morocco
Visit by Mr. Aniss (Moroccan Trade Register)
Area Trade and Company Register
Duration (days) 5
Venue INPI Paris, Créteil Commercial Court, ORT
Acronym Country
RCCM Morocco
Visit by Mr. Maliby (Moroccan RCC)
Area Trade register, electronic filing system
Duration (days) 8
Venue INPI Paris, Nanterre, ORT Libourne
Acronym Country
RCCM Morocco
Visit by Mrs. Belcaid (Moroccan office)
Area PCT
Duration (days) 5
Venue INPI ParisIP/C/W/154/Add.3
Page 34
Acronym Country
WIPO Morocco
Visit by the Director of the Côte d'Ivoire Industrial Property Office
Area: Patents, documentation, distinctive signs
Duration (days): 14
Venue: INPI Paris
Acronym: Country
OAPI: Côte d'Ivoire
Visit by the Deputy-Director of the JPO (Mr. Sasaki) (5)
Area: Industrial property
Duration (days): 1
Venue: INPI Paris
Acronym: Country
JETRO: Germany
JPO Japan
Visit by a Chinese delegation – Pharmsearch (6)
Area: Pharmsearch
Duration (days): 62
Venue: INPI Paris and Pharmsearch, Nancy
Acronym: Country
CIPS: China
CPO
Visit  by a delegation from the Mexican Industrial Property Institute (2)
Area: Regional action
Duration (days): 8
Venue: INPI Paris, Marseilles, Sophia-AntipolisIP/C/W/154/Add.3
Page 35
Acronym: Country
IMPI: Mexico
Visit by a delegation from the Chinese Patent Office (9)
Area: General visit of INPI + two regional offices
Duration (days): 16
Venue: INPI Paris, INPI Lille, INPI Rennes
Acronym: Country
CPO: China
Visit by a delegation from the Romanian Office (5)
Area: Computer services and regional action
Duration (days): 8
Venue: INPI Paris and Sophia Antipolis
Acronym: Country
OEIM: Romania
Visit by a delegation from the China Intellectual Property Society (2)
Area: Regional action and agents
Duration (days): 9
Venue: INPI Paris, INPI Strasbourg and Lyons, CNCPI
Acronym: Country
CIPS: China
Visit by a delegation from the CPO (6)
Area: Administrative reform of the INPI
Duration (days): 14
Venue: INPI Paris and LilleIP/C/W/154/Add.3
Page 36
Acronym: Country
CPO: China
Visit by a Russian delegation (3)
Area: Regional action and designs
Duration (days): 7
Venue: INPI Paris, Compiègne and Marseilles
Acronym: Country
Rospatent: Russian Federation
Visit by a Thai delegation VIP (6)
Area: Police, customs, CFME-ACTIM, AO, Secretariat of State for
Industry, ENM, Court of Appeal, INPI Bordeaux
Duration (days): 7
Venue: Paris,  Bordeaux
Acronym: Country
CIPITC: Thailand
DIPOIPITLIP/C/W/154/Add.3
Page 37
GERMANY
German Patent and Trademark Office:
Project "Strengthening of the Industrial Pr operty System in the Kingdom of Thailand"
The German Patent and Trademark Office is at present assisting the Kingdom in establishing
and strengthening the industrial property system.  The project started on 1 January 1997 and was
actually planned to come to an end by 31 March 2000, but will now be continued until the end of
2001.  The project is funded by the Agency for Technical Cooperation (Gesellschaft für technische
Zusammenarbeit (GTZ) GmbH).
The objective of the project is to strengthen the industrial property system, above all, to
provide the Department of Intellectual Property (DIP) within the Ministry of Commerce with the
know-how available at the GPTO.  DIP is meant to become well positioned to meet the demands
made on a modern patent and trademark office, in quality and quantity, now that industrial propertyprotection has been gaining importance in the countries of east Asia, in particular.  At the same time,
the Thai industry's awareness of the significance of intellectual property and industrial property
protection is to be enhanced.
The assistance by the GPTO is taking place in Bangkok as well as in Germany in all fields of
the patent system, i.e. in the field of patents, trademarks, utility models, industrial designs,
information/documentation/DEPATIS as well as the planning/organization and the exploitation of
copyright.
The training in the respective technical fields is, on the one hand, divided into units of two to
three weeks in Germany where experts of the GPTO provide theoretical and practical training to staff
members of the Thai office.  On the other hand, staff members of the GPTO also travel to Thailand to
gain knowledge on the situation in Thailand and give concrete support on the spot.  The project,
started in 1997, is currently being carried out.  In addition to training measures for Thai partner
experts in the fields of "Copyright law" and "Collecting Societies", "Utility Models and Industrial
Designs" and " Documentation/Information" at the German Patent and Trademark Office, a
symposium on "Collective Administration" was held in Bangkok in 1997.  Participants of thissymposium were experts of the GPTO as well as representatives of the collecting societies.
Furthermore, in November, the President of the office, Mr. Norbert Haugg, held a lecture on
"Commercial Exploitation of IP Products" within th e framework of the symposium and discussed the
present cooperation with the Head of the Thai Patent Office.
In 1998 German experts carried out short-term missions in Thailand.  Special mention should
be given to the symposium on German trademark law held in Bangkok in January with the
participation of recognized national experts, which received wide approval.  Other measures carried
out by experts of the German Patent and Trademark Office in Thailand concerned the patent
examination procedure, utility model law as well as training in the field of chemistry, biotechnologyand mechanics.  At the GPTO two-week measures took place which focused on "General
Administration", "Collecting Societies" as well as the setting-up of an information system at the
GPTO.  Three officials of the Thai patent office seized the opportunity for a one-day visit to the
Federal Patent Court to gather information on the organization and structure of the Federal Patent
Court.IP/C/W/154/Add.3
Page 38
In 1999, training measures took place in Germany on the following topics:  "Utility Model
Registration and Administration", "Overall Examination Procedures in the Fields of Electronics,
Mechanics, Physics, Biotechnology and Chemistry" as well as "Examination Procedures for Trade
Marks and Service Marks Considering Current Thai Cases".  It is worth noting that a growing number
of experts from the GPTO, the Federal Patent Court and the collecting societies as well as patentattorneys have been on missions in Thailand within this year.  Training courses have been held under
the headings of "Suggestions and Guidelines fo r Drafting Utility Model Ministerial Regulations",
"Information Services", "Profile of Patent Attorney Profession", "Drafting Law on Copyright
Collecting Societies and Collective Administration", "Drafting Licensing Contract", "IP Information
Services" and "Qualification on Nice & Madrid Agreement".   In addition another two-week
international symposium on the exchange of intellectual property information is planned to take place
at the end of the year.
Project "Modernization of the industrial Property System in Turkey"
The project, funded by GTZ, has constantly been continued since its beginning in 1996.  It is
planned to last four years and will be completed at the end of September 2000.
Cooperation between the Turkish Patent Institute (TPE) and the German Patent and
Trademark Office is planned to focus on modernizing industrial property protection.
Within the framework of technical cooperation with the Turkish Patent Institute the first
concrete training measures were performed in 1997.  For instance, training courses on patents and
utility models took place in Munich.  Experts of the German Patent Office carried out measures in the
field of trade marks, patents, information/documentation on the spot.  In 1998, the short-term
measures on the topics "Examination Procedure", "S ervice Marks", "Training Courses for Long-term
Examiners", and "Trademark Examination" took place.  The training of partner experts in Germanyfocused on the topics "Chemistry Examination Pr ocedure", "Patent Examination Procedure" and
"Trademark Examination".  Worth mentioning is al so an international trade mark symposium held in
Istanbul in June 1998 with the participation of renowned experts from the Federal Patent Court, the
Higher Regional Court of Munich, the German Chamber of Patent Attorneys, The German Trade
Mark Association and the Vice-President of the Ge rman Patent and Trademark Office.  In 1999, the
very intensive cooperation with the Turkish Patent Institute has been continued with a training
measure on "DEPATIS".  However, the main part of the training of officials of the TPE at the GPTOin Germany will take place in the second half of the year with the measures "Trademark Examination"
(two two-week courses), "Information Staff" and "PCT Receiving Office".
One example for a short-term mission of experts to Turkey is the participation of the Head of
the Department 1 of the GPTO in the "International Conference on Industrial Property Protection inTurkey and the World at 5
th year of Turkish Patent Institute".  There are plans for further missions oon
the subjects "Library", "Use of DC-ROM", "Workshop Service Divisions", "Law on Employees
Inventions", "Workshop Operation of EDP", "Protocol on the Madrid Agreement on the Registration
of Marks" and "Trademark Examination in Practice".  In October, a conference on
"Commercialization of IP Rights" is planned to take place with the participation of a patent attorney, arepresentative of industry and a patent broker.
Project "Strengthening of Industrial Property Rights in the Republic of Croatia"
The project started in 1997 and will officially be completed at the end of 1999.  However, a
continuation of the cooperation would be welcomed on the Croatian side.  The GPTO is prepared to
give further assistance in the scope of the remain ing budget of the Agency for Technical Cooperation
(GTZ).  However, GTZ has not yet taken a final decision.IP/C/W/154/Add.3
Page 39
The project aims at supporting the Republic of Croatia in drawing up legislation in the field of
patent and copyright law.  The substance of counselling has included, in particular, examination of
draft laws relating to patent law, law on design ations of origin, trademark law, law on industrial
designs and copyright law and, in addition, trai ning in the field of patent examination and
organization of information services.
Following to measures carried out in almost every field of industrial property protection
during the years 1997 and 1998, courses on the following subjects were held at the GPTO in 1999.
"Documents and Data Flow concerning Industria l Property Granting Procedure", "The Collective
Administration and the Supervision of Copyright Collecting Societies", "Full Examination Procedure
of Several Cases of Patent Application" as well as "Cancellation Procedure in the Field of
Trademarks".  Special mention should be given to the discussions and comments provided by German
experts in the first six months of current year on the following Croatian draft laws presented in 1999:
"Layout -design", "Trademark", "Copyright Law", "Industrial Design", "Law on Copyright Collecting
Societies and Collective Administration" and "Patent Law".
Project "Promotion of the Patent System in the People's Republic of China"
This project, which is financed by the Reconstruction Loan Corporation (Kreditanstalt fur
Wiederaufbau – KfW), is based on a so-called Twinning Agreement between the GPTO and SIPO of
1995.  The project started in 1997, its duration has not been fixed exactly, but it is limited by its
budget.
The objective of the project is to continue the cooperation which has been existing for more
than 15 years between the GPTO and SIPO.  There is a frequent exchange of experts of both Offices.
On the occasion of a stay in Beijing upon invitation by the Chinese Trademark Office, the President
of the GPTO visited the Chinese Patent Office late in 1997 in order to discuss the training required.
During a further visit in April 1998, concrete training measures and a schedule for the last six months
of 1998, were established.  In total, 16 staff members of the China Intellectual Property Office were
given training at the Federal Patent Court and the German Patent and Trademark Office in the fields
of general administration, utility models/industrial designs and automation in autumn 1998.  Training
of foreign partner experts regularly includes the Federal Patent Court in order to introduce them to its
structure and the cooperation with the German patent and Trademark Office.
The cooperation with SIPO, which is based on a long tradition, will be continued in the
current year.  The lead was taken in May 1999 by a three-member delegation comprising the President
of the GPTO, the President of the Chamber of Patent  Attorneys and the Head of Department 2 of the
GPTO:
Further activities will take place during the last six months of 1999.  The support given to the
Chinese Office will focus on measures in China relating mainly to the subjects "DP and Organization
of Workflow" and "Training of Examiners in the Field of Chemistry, Genetic Engineering,
Electronics and Physics".
Project of Cooperation with the Chinese Copyright Authority
The project of cooperation with the National Copyright Administration of the People's
Republic of China (NCAC), which had come to a pr eliminary end in autumn 1997 with a journey of a
high-ranking delegation of the German collecting societies headed by the President of the German
Patent and Trademark Office to the People's Republic of China, was continued in April 1999 with the
visit of a Chinese ten-member delegation to Germany.  The objective of the project, which was startedIP/C/W/154/Add.3
Page 40
in 1995, is to support the Chinese side in establishing copyright collecting societies.  This year's
measure was initiated because of the current preparations for a reform of the Chinese copyright law.
Cooperation with the New Independent States and Romania
The German Patent and Trade Mark Office has maintained the excellent contacts to the
Russian Federation.  In March 1999, the Directory of the Russian Agency for Patents and Trademarks
visited the German Patent and Trade Mark Office and the Federal Patent Court.  On behalf of the
Foundation for International legal Cooperation (IRZ) the German Patent and Trade Mark Office
established a comprehensive comment on the draft of the patent and trademark law of the Russian
Federation in the summer of 1998.
Cooperation with the State Patent Office of Ukraine has been further intensified.  In October
1998, two staff members of the Ukraine Office gathered information on the structure, the tasks and
the equipment of the library area.  Within the framework of the initiative of the President of the
Federal Republic aiming at "intensifying the cooperation between Germany and the Ukraine" a
seminar on industrial property protection was planned by IRZ to be held in Kyiv in December 1998.Due to bad weather conditions the lecturers of the German Patent and Trademark Office could not
take part in the seminar, the seminar is again on the agenda of 1999.
In March 1999, two high-ranking staff members of the Ukraine Office were guests of the
German Patent and Trademark Office.  During their one-week stay, which was financed by IRZ, theguests were given comprehensive information on patent examination procedure.
Furthermore, a one-week study visit was organized for two patent examiners of the Romanian
State Office for Inventions and Trademarks in April 1999.
Developing Countries and Other Countries
In October 1998, two staff members of the Industrial Property Office of the Republic of
Korea gathered information on patent examination and utility model law.  In April 1999, two further
staff members of this Office were introduced to budget matters at the German Patent and Trade Mark
Office.
Within the framework of the development cooperation activities of WIPO, seven Kenyan
judges visited the German Patent and Trademark Office in November 1998.
The visit of a high-ranking delegation of the National Centre of Registries of El Salvador in
April 1999 was also organized in cooperation with WIPO.  The group was informed on generaladministration matters as well as on patent information and trade marks.
Within the framework of the programme "ecological product development" of the Federal
Republic of Germany, a comprehensive training of a civil servant of Nepal was organized at the
German Patent and Trademark Office from January to March 1999.
In March 1999, a training course on "Streamlining search and examination results" took place
in Munich and in Geneva.  It is jointly organized each year with varying topics by the European
Patent Office, the German Patent and Trademark Office and WIPO.  Examiners from a number of
Asian, Latin American and African countries attended.
In cooperation with WIPO, the German Patent and Trademark Office is again organizing a
three-week seminar for patent experts from developing countries in 1999.  The training will focus on
the patent examination, grant and opposition procedures as well as trade mark procedure.  This year'sIP/C/W/154/Add.3
Page 41
participants will presumably come from Brazil, E gypt, Ethiopia, Kenya, Korea (Democratic People's
Republic), India, Sudan as well as Trinidad and Tobago.
Within the framework of development cooperation with WIPO, 81 free reports on the state of
the art were again established in 1998 for the following developing countries:  Chile, Cuba, Jamaicaand Mexico.
Exchange of Search and Examination Results
The German Patent Office made agreements with the following offices to regularly exchange,
search and examination results of applications for which a priority was claimed in the respective other
country:
State Intellectual Property Office of the People's Republic of China (SIPO)
Belarus Patent Office
State Intellectual Property Office of the Republic of Croatia
Mongolian Intellectual Property OfficeRussian Agency for Patents and Trademarks (ROSPATENT)
Industrial Property Office of the Slovak Republic
Slovenian Intellectual Property Office
Department of Intellectual Property in Thailand
Hungarian Patent Office
International Exchange of Literature
Patent specifications and other publications are at present being exchanged with the following
countries outside the European Patent Organization:
Algeria, Argentina, Australia, Belarus, Braz il, Bulgaria, Canada, China, Colombia, Croatia,
Cuba, the Czech Republic, Egypt, Estonia, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Israel, Japan,
Kazakhstan, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, the Republic of Korea, the Kyrgyz
Republic, Latvia, Lithuania, Mexico, Moldova, Mongolia, Peru, the Philippines, Poland,
Romania, the Russian Federation, the Slovak Republic, Slovenia, Thailand, Tunisia, Turkey,
the Ukraine, the United Arab Emirates, the United States of America, Uzbekistan andViet Nam.
German Association for International Judicial Cooperation
Cooperation with Lithuania in the field of protection of industrial property:
Cooperation with the Lithuanian Patent Office commenced in 1996.  The aim of the project is
to achieve closer cooperation in the field of trademark and patent law.
An information visit to Germany by employees from the Lithuanian Patent Office and by
Lithuanian judges on the subject of matters of asserting industrial property rights and copyright took
place in autumn 1998.  The main subjects dealt with were practical issues relating to the seizure of
pirated goods and legal aspects of product piracy.  The Lithuanian delegation also obtained
information on questions of asserting industrial  property rights through court proceedings.  In
addition, the Lithuanian Patent Office held a seminar on the subject of "infringement proceedings inpatent and trademark law".IP/C/W/154/Add.3
Page 42
Cooperation with the Russian Federation:
1. Cooperation with the Russian Patent Agency
Cooperation began in 1993 with the aim of assisting the Russian Federation in their
implementation of the new Russian patent trademark and utility model legislation.
At the suggestion of the Russian Patent Agen cy, the German Foundation last year obtained
expert opinions on draft legislation amending and supplementing the Patent Act and Trademark Act
from the Federal Patent Court, the German Patent and Trademark Office and a patent attorney.  The
opinions were submitted in the autumn of last year.  Since the previously existing Patent Agency was
recently incorporated into the Russian Ministry of Justice and therefore no longer constitutes anindependent government institution.  It is currently unclear what form consultations will take in the
future.
2. Cooperation with the Russian Centre for Private Law
The aim of the cooperation, which began in 1995, is to give advice to the Russian Federation
in the elaboration and/or reform of legislation on the protection of copyright and industrial property
rights.
Copyright and related rights are to be regulated in the third part of the Civil Code of the
Russian Federation.  German experts in this field commissioned by the German Foundation are
providing advice in the form of written and oral observations to the Centre for Private Law in drawing
up the relevant provisions.  A discussion among experts on this subject is to take place in autumn
1999.  The draft legislative reform will shortly be submitted to Parliament.
Cooperation with the Ukraine in various legal fields
Cooperation was commenced in 1993 for an indefinite period.  The main matter of concern is
assistance in the reform of legislation on intellectual property law and insolvency law, as well as
assistance in the further training of judges and patent examiners.
From 7 to 10 December 1998, a seminar on the pr otection of industrial property took place
near Kiev, which was held jointly with the Ukrainian Supreme Commercial Court.  Along with a large
number of judges from the commercial courts, representatives of the State Patent Office of the
Ukraine also participated in the event.  In numerous contributions, Ukrainian experts reported on the
current stage of legislation in the Ukraine relating to the field of intellectual property, as well as on
judicial practice with respect to protection of industrial property in the commercial courts of theUkraine.  This event was continued with the seminar on protection of industrial property and
insolvency law, which was held from 9 to 12 March 1999 in Yalta by the German Foundation
together with the Commercial Court of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea in order to familiarise
also the regions of Ukraine with this subject.  Th ese seminars were held within the framework of the
initiative of the President of the Federal Republic aiming at "intensifying legal partnership betweenGermany and the Ukraine".  This initiative is to a great extent devoted to the further training of
judges.
From 8 to 12 March 1999 the German Foundation arranged for two employees of the State
Patent Office of Ukraine to visit the German Patent and Trademark Office in Munich for seminars.The Ukrainian guests were informed, inter alia,  on the process of patent registration, on examination,
search and opposition guidelines, on practical examples from the experience of an examiner and on
the administrative handling of a patent registration.  A seminar on patent and trademark law is
planned to take place in autumn 1999 in Kiev.IP/C/W/154/Add.3
Page 43
SPAIN
1. Spanish technical cooperation on industrial property
Spanish technical cooperation on industrial property is carried out through the Spanish
Patents and Trademarks Office (OEPM), an independ ent body of the Ministry of Industry and Energy.
2. Description of technical cooperation
(a) Multilateral cooperation:
(i) Cooperation with the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO);
(ii) cooperation with the European Patent Office (EPO);
(iii) cooperation with the Office for Harmonization in the Internal Market
(OHIM);
(iv) trilateral cooperation (OEPM-WIPO-EPO).
(b) Bilateral cooperation:
(i) Bilateral memoranda with Latin American countries;
- sending experts to Latin American offices;- organization of information visits;
- exchange of patent documents and CD-ROMs with Latin American
countries.
(ii) Memoranda of understanding with specific countries.
3. Technical cooperation on copyright and related rights
1. SPANISH TECHNICAL COOPERATION ON INDUSTRIAL PROPERTY
(a) Spain has a long tradition of industrial property technical assistance to developing countries.
Activities have been carried on in this connection since 1982.
(b) The recipient countries are essentially the Latin American countries, with which Spain has
signed 18 bilateral memoranda.
(c) Spanish cooperation is financed from the general budget of the Spanish Patents and
Trademarks Office (OEPM), which covers the cost of cooperation personnel and other
expenditures for various activities.
(d) Generally speaking technical assistance in the form of services (personnel training, sending
experts for specific projects, seminars, exchanges of information, etc.) is preferred to "direct"
financing, such as providing electronic office equipment.IP/C/W/154/Add.3
Page 44
2. DESCRIPTION OF TECHNICAL COOPERATION
A. MULTILATERAL COOPERATION
With regard to multilateral cooperation, Spain has been carrying out its development aid
programmes in industrial property in conjunction with three international organizations, the WorldIntellectual Property Organization (WIPO), the European Patent Office (EPO) and the Office for
Harmonization in the Internal Market (OHIM).
(i) Cooperation with WIPO
WIPO offers an extraordinarily wide range of c ooperation activities.  Spain participates in the
following:
Specific training
The OEPM, together with WIPO, organizes two-week training courses for experts.
In September 1999, the "Course on Legal, Administrative and Economic Aspects of Industrial
Property" was again held at the OEPM headquarters in Madrid.
The September 1999 course involved the participation of 15 officials from as many national
intellectual property offices in Latin American countries.
This course, held annually, was started in 1982 and is one of the OEPM's oldest cooperation
activities.  It is intended to provide industrial property training for Latin American experts.  Over the
years, the seminar has helped to train 250 experts, with the participation, on some occasions, of
directors of the national intellectual property offices.
Information and/or training visits
At the request of WIPO, every year the OEPM receives delegations of experts of all levels
from developing countries.  The visits last one or two days and the purpose is to demonstrate the
structure or functioning of the OEPM, in terms of administrative and financial management as well as
actual operations.
Participation in WIPO courses and seminars
In the courses and seminars organized every year by WIPO in the context of cooperation with
Latin America and the Caribbean, Spain plays an active part in sending speakers, officials from the
Office and experts in various sectors.  Mention should be made of the traditional WIPO Academy
held every two years in Geneva, to which the OEPM sends a lecturer on matters usually pertaining to
the international aspect of industrial property.
(ii) Cooperation with the European Patent Office (EPO)
These technical cooperation activities focus exclusively on patents and cooperation is
extended to the Latin American countries.  EPO-OEPM cooperation involves training activities;
technical assistance in patent documentation and information;  promotion of the use of the system
covered by the Patent Cooperation Treaty (PTC) for patent formalities;  assistance in installing,
developing and using the Internet;  and providing technical means and assistance to improve patent
examination procedures.IP/C/W/154/Add.3
Page 45
(iii) Cooperation with the OHIM
The OEPM's cooperation with the OHIM is intended to promote an acquaintance with
legislation and the use of the Spanish and Community systems in connection with trademarks in the
Latin American geographical area, for which purpose roving seminars are organized.
(iv) Trilateral cooperation (OEPM/WIPO/EPO)
The "Patent Search and Examination Seminar", an activity which has been carried out
annually since 1982, was held this year in June 1999.  Sixteen officials from as many industrial
property offices in Latin American countries took part in this year's seminar.  It is one of the OEPM's
oldest cooperation activities, started initially with  the collaboration of WIPO and, recently, with that
of the EPO.
The seminar is intended basically to cover the technical aspects of the patent search and
examination procedure.  The programme includes various practical sessions at which participants
work on real cases of interest to them, under the direct supervision of OEPM patent examiners.
Similarly, trilateral cooperation includes annual seminars to promote the PCT in Latin
America, and the 1999 seminar was held in Montevideo.  The importance of promoting adherence to
the PCT system by a large number of Spanish-speaking countries ties in with the objective of
strengthening cooperation between the OEPM and the industrial property offices of the Latin
American countries so as to reinforce the use of Spanish as an official language in international
searches under the PCT procedure.
B. BILATERAL COOPERATION
(i) Bilateral memoranda with Latin American countries
This is Spain's most important technical cooperation activity in the field of intellectual
property.  The bilateral memoranda date back more than 15 years and have been updated and directedto the needs of these countries, with new services which take the following forms.
• Sending experts to Latin American offices for technical assistance tasks:
- Assistance in legislative training for the TRIPS Agreement;
- patent examination, including search reports on prior art;
- organizational structuring of industrial property offices, including the drafting
of standards;
- streamlining of procedures for granting trademarks;
- outreach activities (seminars, exhibitions, inventors' fairs, etc.);  and
- activities relating to international patent classification (IPC) and classification
of products and services for the purposes of the international nomenclature of
marks established under the Nice Agreement.IP/C/W/154/Add.3
Page 46
• Organization of information visits
These cases involve on-site training of staff from Latin American countries with
which a cooperation memorandum has been signed.  Depending on the training
needed, OEPM tutors are assigned for "à la carte" activities adapted to the trainee's
needs.  About ten such visits are received every year.
• Exchange of patent documents and CD -ROMs with Latin American countries
The purpose of the exchange of patent documents between the OEPM and Latin
American industrial property offices is the functioning of the Spanish-language
Patent Documentation Centre.
(ii) Memoranda of understanding with specific countries
To date, various memoranda of understanding have  been signed with the patent offices of the
Russian Federation, Estonia and Moldova, the purpose being mutual exchange of documentation,
more specifically the periodic bulletins of the offices, industrial property legislation, the annual
reports of the offices and patent documents published on CD-ROM.  Moreover, on 21 January 1999
the OEPM and the Moroccan Industrial Property Office of the Kingdom of Morocco signed adeclaration of intent to foster cooperation in industrial property protection, including legal assistance
in regard to  accession to the more important of international industrial property instruments.  The
declaration of intent envisages, before the end of 1999, a seminar for Moroccan judges on
infringements of intellectual property and trademark rights.
3. TECHNICAL COOPERATION ON COPYRIGHT AND RELATED RIGHTS
The following technical cooperation activities may be cited in connection with copyright and
related rights:
- Seven fellowships for practical industrial property training at the Sub-Directorate of
Industrial Property (Ministry of Education and Culture) from 2 to 19 November 1999,
intended for law graduates from Latin America, in the context of cultural cooperation
assistance for Latin America in 1999 by the Directorate General of Cultural
Cooperation and Communication for 1999;
- Twenty fellowships for Latin American professionals under the Latin American
Professionals Training Programme of the cultural sector of the Directorate General of
Cultural Cooperation and Communication, fo r participation in the Iberoamerican
Congress on Cultural Administration and Policies (Bilbao, 22-24 September 1999),
which included matters concerning copyright and related rights in the new
technological environment;
- Transfer of computer equipment to the Cuban Copyright Office (CENDA);- Cooperation in the International Forum on Audiovisual Acting and Interpretation,
organized by the Actors Society of Spain (AISGE), Madrid 4-7 October 1999, whichwill include major representation of the audiovisual sector from the developing
countries.IP/C/W/154/Add.3
Page 47
SWEDEN
In the course of 1999, the following activities rela ting to technical assistance in the field of
intellectual property are being undertaken in Sweden.  They are basically a continuation of thecorresponding activities in 1998.
1. WIPO/Government of Sweden Training Course on Copyright and Related rights, for nearly
two weeks, in Stockholm, for 20 pa rticipants from 19 developing countries, financed by the Swedish
International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida).  During that Course also the contents and the
implementation of the TRIPS Agreement were being dealt with and discussed, on the basis of
presentations by Swedish lecturers.
2. A Course, organized by the Swedish Patent and Registration Office in cooperation with
WIPO and financed by Sida, for about 10 participan ts from developing countries, dealing mainly with
patent examination and patent information.
3. On-going cooperation between the Governments of Sweden and of Latvia for the
strengthening of the patent system and the company registration regime, and also dealing with
copyright matters.
4. Bilateral cooperation between  the Swedish Patent and Registration Office and the Patent
Office of China, concerning the strengthening of the patent system in China.
5. Swedish officials are being used as lecturers in various intellectual property seminars and
other events, organized either on a bilateral basis or by WIPO or the European Patent Office.
6. Assistance, financed by Sida, is being given, through the Patent and Registration Office, to
developing countries as regards technology searches for the purpose of patent registration and
technology transfer.IP/C/W/154/Add.3
Page 48
UNITED KINGDOM
UK Intellectual Property Development
Cooperation Activities in 1998/1999
Main Activities
DATE PURPOSE OF VISIT VENUE BENEFITING
COUNTRYFUNDED
BY
1998
12
FebruaryDemonstration of Trademark
Directorate (TMD) computer
systemsUK Patent
office-
UKPOJETRO/Japan JPO
w/c18
MayVisit by Latvian Officials UKPO Latvia Private
18-19 June Visit to TMD by Registrar of
Trinidad & Tobago IP OfficeUKPO Trinidad & Tobago Private
2 July Visit to discuss problems of IP
protectionUKPO CIS Russian
Institute of
IP
23 June
23 June Visit by Officials of Russian IP
Office to TMDUKPO Russia Private
7 August Visit by Officials of the New
Zealand Patent Office to TMDUKPO New Zealand Private
11
SeptemberVisit to Trademarks Registry and
Patent OfficeUKPO Japan JPO
14
SeptemberSix weeks visit to TMD to study
aspects of Madrid Protocol and
Nice Classification of GoodsUKPO Japan JPO
1-2
OctoberVisit by Officials of Swiss IP
Office to study TMD proceduresUKPO Switzerland Private
12-13
NovemberStudy visit by Kenyan Industrial
Property TribunalUKPO Kenya WIPO
16-19
NovemberStudy visit by Vietnamese Officials
to UK Design RegistryUKPO Vietnam OHIM
30
November
– 3
DecemberStudy visit by Officials of the
Polish IP Office as part of a
programme of assistance to Poland
in European Integration ProgrammeUKPO Poland UK Know
How Fund
8
DecemberStudy visit by Korean Officials to
Patent Office Legal DivisionUKPO Korea Korean IP
Tribunal
14-15
DecemberVisit by Registrar of Bermuda to
study patents and designs
proceduresUKPO Bermuda Bermuda
17
DecemberOfficials of the Polish Ministry of
Culture visited the Copyright
Directorate to study requirements
for TRIPS and EU Enlargement
responsibilitiesUKPO –
Copyright
DirectoratePoland PolandIP/C/W/154/Add.3
Page 49
1999
19-21
JanuaryVisit by Official of Hong Kong,
China IP Office to study TMD
proceduresUKPO Hong Kong, China Private
9-10
MarchStudy visit to Designs Registry by
Officials of the Mongolian IP
OfficeUKPO Mongolia WIPO
19-24
MarchVisit and tour of TMD UKPO Turkey Private
23-24
MarchVisit by JPO Officials to study
patent proceduresUKPO Japan JPO
w-c 10
May & 17-
19 MayVisit by Officials of Maltese IP
OfficeUKPO Malta Private
17-19 May Visit to TMD by Eritrean Minister UKPO Eritrea Private
21-25 June Visit by Asst. Registrar of the
Cayman Islands Govt to study
patent and design proceduresUKPO Cayman Islands Cayman
Islands
20 June – 3
JulyTraining Mission to Vietnamese IP
OfficeViet Nam
Patent
OfficeViet Nam OHIM
12 October Week long visit by the Sri Lankan
Registrar of TrademarksUKPO Sri Lanka Unilever
CONTINUATION OF BILATERAL AGREEMENT WITH CHINA
DATE DIRECTION
7-13 June 1998 UK Officials visited SIPO
2-5 November 1998 UK Officials visited SIPO
24 May – 4 June 1999 Chinese Officials visited UKPO
12 – 16 July 1999 Chinese Officials visited UKPO
__________