WORLD TRADE WT/TC/NOTIF/TRIPS/1
15October 1996
ORGANIZATION(96-4347)
Original: English
TECHNICAL COOPERATION HANDBOOK ONNOTIFICATION REQUIREMENTS
Agreement onTrade-Related Aspects ofIntellectual Property Rights
1. Thissection oftheHandbook onNotification Requirements covers thenotification obligations
under theAgreement onTrade-Related Aspects ofIntellectual Property Rights (TRIPS). Itconsists
ofthefollowing sixparts:
PartI: Overview ofnotification requirements
PartII: Listing ofthenotification obligations
PartIII: Document(s) concerning guidelines andformats
PartIV: "Mock" examples ofnotifications
PartV: TextoftheTRIPS Agreement
PartVI: TextoftheAgreement between WIPO andtheWTO
2. Foracceding countries, thedeadlines forthesubmission oftheirnotifications willbegoverned
bytheirrespective Protocols ofAccession.
Note: TheHandbook onNotification Requirements doesnotconstitute alegalinterpretation of
thenotification obligations under therespective Agreement(s). Ithasbeen prepared bythe
Secretariat toassist Members incomplying withtheirnotification obligations.TRIPS-I -Page1
TRIPS-I
AGREEMENT ONTRADE-RELATED ASPECTS OF
INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY RIGHTS
OVERVIEW OFNOTIFICATION REQUIREMENTSTRIPS-I -Page2
AGREEMENT ONTRADE-RELATED ASPECTS
OFINTELLECTUAL PROPERTY RIGHTS
I. Members 'obligations under theTRIPS Agreement
1. TheTRIPS Agreement obliges WTO Members toprotect allthemaincategories ofintellectual
property. Theprovision ofintellectual property rights innational lawhastocorrespond atleastto
thestandards ofprotection specified intheAgreement. Moreover, theAgreement contains detailed
commitmentstoprovideproceduresandremediesinnationallawsoastoensurethatintellectualproperty
rights canbeeffectively enforced.
II. Transitional periods
2. AllMembers willeventually havethesame obligations toprotect intellectual property rights,
butdifferent transitional arrangements apply fordeveloped countries, developing countries, certain
countries intransition tomarket economies andleast-developed countries.
3. According toArticles 65and66oftheAgreement, thegeneral transitional periods forthese
Members are1,5,5and11years respectively (calculated fromthedateofentry intoforce oftheWTO
Agreement, i.e.1January 1995). Countries intransition tomarket economies areonlypermitted to
availthemselves ofaperiod of5years onthebasis oftheconditions specified inArticle 65.3. The
transitional period forleast-developed countries isextendable bytheTRIPS Council ifgood reasons
areshown.
4. Aspecial transitional period applies fordeveloping countries intheareaofpatents ifthe
conditions ofArticle 65.4aremetandsubject totheprovisions ofArticle 70.8and70.9.
5. ForallMembers atransitional period ofonly1yearapplies inrespect oftheobligations to
provide national andm.f.n. treatment inaccordance withArticles 3,4and5oftheAgreement.
6. Moreover,duringaperiodoftransition,noMemberisallowedtodiminishthelevelofprotection
forintellectual property existing initsterritory insuchawayastoreduce thedegree ofconsistency
withthe(Article 65.5).
7. Nonotification isrequired inorder toinvoke anyofthetransitional periods.
8. Thedateofapplication ofTRIPS provisions inacceding countries isgoverned bytheirrespective
protocols ofaccession.
9. Itshould alsobenoted thatthetransitional periods under theAgreement areoptional andthat
provisions oftheAgreement canbeimplemented inadvance oftheobligation under theAgreement
todoso.TRIPS-I -Page3
III. Provisions oftheTRIPS Agreement laying down notification requirements:
(a) Article 63.2
Notification oflawsandregulations.
(b) Articles 1.3and3.1
Notification ofcertain options inregard to:
- thedefinition ofbeneficiary persons (Art. 1.3);
- national treatment (Art. 3.1).
(c) Article 4(d)
Notification ofinternational agreements tojustify certain m.f.n. exemptions.
(d) Article 69
Notification ofcontact points.
(e) Other notification requirements
(i) Pursuant totheobligations under Article 2oftheTRIPS Agreement stemming
fromtheprovisions ofArticle 6teroftheParis Convention fortheProtection
ofIndustrial Property, Stockholm Act(1967) ("Paris Convention") ;
(ii) Pursuant totheobligations under notification provisions ofintellectual property
conventions incorporated byreference intotheTRIPS Agreement butnot
explicitly referred toinit,notably those stemming fromtheBerne Convention
fortheProtection ofLiterary andArtistic Works ("Berne Convention" )orthe
International Convention fortheProtection ofPerformers, Producers of
Phonograms andBroadcasting Organizations ("Rome Convention" ):
- Article 14bis(2)(c) oftheBerne Convention
- Article 14bis(3) oftheBerne Convention
- Article 15(4) oftheBerne Convention
- Article IoftheAppendix totheBerne Convention
- Article II(3)(b) oftheAppendix totheBerne Convention
- Article IV(2) oftheAppendix totheBerne Convention
- Article IV(4)(c)(iv) oftheAppendix totheBerne Convention
- Article VoftheAppendix totheBerne Convention
- Article 17oftheRome Convention
- Article 18oftheRome Convention
(iii) Asagreed bytheTRIPS Council inrelation toArticle 67oftheAgreement
ontechnical cooperationTRIPS-I -Page4
ARTICLE 63.2
10. TheTRIPSCouncilhasadoptedproceduresforthenotificationoflawsandregulationspertaining
tothesubject matter oftheTRIPS Agreement under Article 63.2(documents IP/C/2, 3,4and5).
Thebasicprocedures arecontained indocument IP/C/2. TheAgreement Between WIPO andtheWTO
isalsorelevant withregard tothese procedures (seePartVIofthisHandbook).
Initial Notifications
What areMembers required tonotify?
11. Theanswer tothisquestion canbefound inArticle 63.2oftheTRIPS Agreement, which in
conjunctionwithArticle63.1laysdownthatMembersshallnotifythelawsandregulationsmadeeffective
pertaining tothesubject matter oftheAgreement (theavailability, scope, acquisition, enforcement
andprevention oftheabuse ofintellectual property rights)1.
12. According totheprocedures referred toinparagraph 10above, notifications oflawsand
regulations needtocomprise thefollowing elements:
- thetextsofallrelevant lawsandregulations intheiroriginal language ;
- translations intooneWTO language ofmain dedicated lawsandregulations, ifthe
original language isnotaWTO language (seefurther paragraph 13(b) below);
- alisting of"other lawsandregulations" inaccordance withaspecific format (seefurther
paragraph 13(d) below);
- responses toachecklist ofquestions onlawandpractice intheareaofenforcement,
inaddition tothenotification ofthetextsofenforcement lawsandregulations (see
further paragraph 13(d)and(e)below)2.
Modalities
13. Theprocedures fornotification oflawsandregulations under Article 63.2reflect anumber
ofdepartures from normal GATT/WTO practice regarding submission, translation anddistribution
ofnotifications. Itwasrecognised thatthevolume ofthese notifications would beverylarge and
procedures wereadopted toattempt toreduce theburdens forMembers inpreparing them aswellas
fortheSecretariat inprocessing them. Atthesame time, theynevertheless attempt toensure thatthe
purpose ofthenotification system asaninstrument tomonitor implementation would notbeunduly
impaired andcould remain effective.
(a) Notalllawsandregulations needtobenotified inaWTO language. Distinction has
beenmade between so-called "maindedicated intellectual property lawsandregulations "and
"other lawsandregulations ".Document IP/C/2, paragraphs 6and9andocument IP/C/W/8
containsomeguidelinesforMembersinordertohelpthemmaketheirassessmentwhendividing
theirlawsandregulations intothese twocategories. Main lawsandregulations havetobe
notified inEnglish, French orSpanish; otherlawsandregulations canbenotified inaMember 's
national language. Translations oflawsandregulations mustbeaccompanied bytheauthentic
textsofthelawsandregulations inquestion inanational language.
1These notificationsarebeingdistributedintheIP/N/1/- seriesofdocument s.Textsofmaindedicatedintellectualproperty
lawsandregulations arebeing distributed inspecial lawseries ofdocuments (seedocument IP/C/W/20).
2Responses tothisChecklist arebeing distributed intheIP/N/6/- series ofdocumentsTRIPS-I -Page5
(b) Under Article 2(5)oftheAgreement Between WIPO andtheWTO, theassistance of
WIPO willbeavailable todeveloping country Members fortranslation oflawsandregulations
forthepurposes ofArticle 63.2oftheTRIPS Agreement, whether ornottheyareMembers
ofWIPO.
(c) Only thetextsofmain lawsandregulations willbedistributed inWTO documents
andonlyintheWTO language inwhich theyhavebeensubmitted.
(d) Otherlawsandregulationswillnotbedistributedbutonlybeavailableforconsultation
intheWTO Secretariat. However, inorder tomaximise transparency astothecontents of
other lawsandregulations, thefollowing specific procedures havebeenadopted:
- Thenotification ofthetexts ofall"other laws andregulations" must be
accompanied byalisting ofthem according totheformat contained in
document IP/C/4. Thislisting mustbesubmitted atthesametimeasthelaws
andregulations themselves. Amodel ofsuch alisting canbefound in
document IP/C/W/8. According tothetwo-column format, thetitleofthe
lawsandregulations willbepresented ontheleftsideandabriefdescription
ofthem inEnglish, French orSpanish ontherightside.
- Itshould benoted that,unless anenforcement lawisnotified asamain law,
enforcement laws must betaken upinthislisting, including their brief
description. Inaddition, therequirements referred toinsubparagraph (e)below
apply.
(e) Ithasbeenrecognised thatadequate transparency ofthecontents ofenforcement laws,
inparticular astohowTRIPS obligations havebeenimplemented, maynotnecessarily be
achievedbythenotificationoflawsandregulationsaccordingtotheabovementionedprocedures.
Forexample, incountries withacommon lawtradition, thisareaoflawisoften notcodified
butgoverned bycaselaw. Therefore, theTRIPS Council hasadopted achecklist ofissues
onenforcement (document IP/C/5), responses towhich Members havetosubmit inaddition
toanytextsoflawsandregulations including anybriefdescription intheformat referred to
intheprevious indent. Theresponses tothischecklist havetobesubmitted byeachMember
assoonaspossible afterthedateonwhich itstarts applying theimplementing legislation in
question.
When areMembers required tonotify?
14. Thisquestion isanswered byparagraph 2.1oftheDecision oftheTRIPS Council reflected
indocument IP/C/2: "AsofthetimethataMember isobliged tostartapplying aprovision ofthe
TRIPS Agreement ,thecorresponding lawsandregulations shallbenotified without delay (normally
within 30days, except where otherwise provided bytheTRIPS Council)".
15. ThetimethataMember isrequired tonotify legislation depends, therefore, onthemoment
thattheMember isobliged toimplement thecorresponding provision(s) oftheTRIPS Agreement.
Thismoment is,inrespect ofsome obligations under theAgreement, thesame forallMembers. In
respect ofmany obligations, however, themoment differs from Member toMember, depending on
whether theMember inquestion isadeveloped, developing, transition economy, least-developed or
acceding country (seeSection IIabove ).TRIPS-I -Page6
Provisions applicable toanyMember asof1January 1995
(i) Article 70.8and70.9
Each Member withapatent lawwhich doesnotcover inventions ofpharmaceutical
and/or agricultural chemical products aspatentable subject matter inaccordance withArticle 27
oftheAgreement ispermitted todelay theintroduction ofpatentability ofsuchinventions by
product patents inaccordance withthetransitional periods referred toinSection IIabove.
However, anysuchMember isobliged toprovide, during suchatransitional period, forthe
possibility offiling patent applications concerning suchinventions already asofthedateof
entryintoforceoftheWTO Agreement (Article 70.8). Ifcertain conditions aremet,asspecified
inArticle 70.9, exclusive marketing rights havetobemade available toapplicants under Article
70.8inrespect ofpharmaceuticals oragricultural chemicals covered bytheirapplications.
AnyMember obliged togiveeffect totheprovisions ofArticle 70.8and70.9hasto
notify thecorresponding legislation under Article 63.2promptly afterthedateofentry into
force oftheWTO Agreement, being thedateasofwhich application ofthese provisions is
obligated forthecountries concerned (inaccordance withparagraph 2.1ofdocument IP/C/2
mentioned above inparagraph 14).
Members thatprovide product patent protection forpharmaceuticals andagricultural
chemical products commensurate withtherequirements ofArticle 27arenotconcerned by
these obligations.
(ii) Article 65.5
Notification ofamendments ofintellectual property lawsorregulations during the
transitional period ofpossible relevance toArticle 65.5wasdiscussed intheTRIPS Council,
butprocedures forsuchnotifications were notagreed.
Obligations applying toallMembers asof1January 1996
Articles 3,4and5
Oneyearasofthedateofentry intoforce oftheWTO Agreement, allMembers are
obliged tocomply withthenational treatment andm.f.n. provisions ofArticles 3,4and5of
theAgreement and,consequently, tonotify thecorresponding implementing legislation.
ForMembers which arerequired tocomply withallobligations under theAgreement
asof1January 1996, thisnotification requirement overlaps withtheirobligation tonotify all
TRIPS implementing legislation asofthatdate.
Thesituation isdifferent forMembers which areentitled toatransitional period with
respect tootherobligations which extends beyond 1January 1996(seeSection IIabove ).These
Members areonlyrequired, asof1January 1996, tonotify suchprovisions oftheirintellectual
property lawsandregulations asarespecifically relevant inrelation toArticles 3,4and5.
TheTRIPS Council hasconsidered these notification requirements ininformal
consultations andagreed thattheMembers concerned hadarange ofoptions astohowtomeet
these notification requirements inawaybestsuited totheirnational circumstances. Three
options were identified inparticular:
- notifying thespecific provisions oflawsandregulations thatimplement the
obligations setoutinArticles 3,4and5;TRIPS-I -Page7
- notifying allintellectual property lawsandregulations; or
- making ageneral statement thatnationals ofother WTO Members enjoy non-
discriminatory, together withalistofanyexceptions tothatprinciple.
TheCouncil hasrequested theSecretariat toprepare apaper, forconsideration byMembers
inNovember 1996, which would recognize these three options andcontain adraftformat for
thelastoption.
Obligations applying todeveloped country Members asof1January 1996
Members towhich noneoftheoptions foralonger transitional period under Article 65,
paragraphs 2,3and4isavailable arerequired tocomply, asof1January 1996, withall
substantive obligations under theAgreement and,consequently, tonotify thecorresponding
implementing legislation. Thesameapplies tothose Members which arenotusing, ornolonger
using, thetransitional period towhich theymaybeentitled.
Themodalities ofthisnotification requirement, which induecourse mayalsoform
thebasisforthenotificationofimplementinglegislationbyotherMembers,includingdeveloping
country Members, havebeendiscussed above.
Astothetiming oftherequired submission ofthelawsandregulations inquestion,
reference ismade todocuments IP/C/3 andWTO/AIR/240.
How should Members notify?
15. Inaccordance withtheDecision oftheTRIPS Council reflected indocument IP/C/2, thefull
texts oftherelevant legislation must bemade available totheTRIPS Council (forthemodalities
concerning form, translation anddistribution, seeparagraph 13above ).Foranygiven legal text,
twooptions areavailable:
1. Submission ofthetextofthelaworregulation inquestion directly totheWTO
Secretariat3.
2. Communication ofastatement thatthefulltextofthelaworregulation inquestion
canbefound intheWIPO collection oflaws4.Such astatement should beaccompanied by
alistspecifying thelawsandregulations inquestion, soastoallow theWTO Secretariat to
request WIPO tosendcopies fordistribution totheTRIPS Council.
Notification ofAmendments
16. Incaseofamendments tolawsandregulations pertaining tothesubject matter oftheTRIPS
Agreement introduced aftertheinitial notification ofthese lawsorregulations under Article 63.2, or
incaseofother changes inacountry 'slegislation, document IP/C/2, paragraph 2laysdown thata
notification mustbemade totheTRIPS Council without delay afterentry intoforce oftheamendment
(normally within 30dayswhere notranslation isrequired andwithin 60dayswhere translation is
necessary).
3TheWTO Secretariat willsend acopy toWIPO ofalllawsandregulations ofwhich itreceives thefulltext. The
WIPO Governing Bodies haveagreed thatreceipt ofsuchtextswillsuffice ascommunications oflawsandregulations under,
inparticular, theParis Convention ortheBerne Convention.
4Ithasbeenrecognised thatmany Members havealready communicated thetextsofmany oftheirlawsandregulations
toWIPO, inview oftheir obligations under, inparticular, theParis Convention ortheBerne Convention.TRIPS-I -Page8
Advance Notifications
17. IncaseaMember brings alaworregulation intoconformity withprovisions oftheTRIPS
Agreement inadvance ofitsobligation under theTRIPS Agreement tostartapplying those provisions,
thatMember willuseitsbestendeavours tonotify suchlaworregulation assoonaspossible after
itsentry intoforce (seedocument IP/C/2, paragraph 3).
ARTICLES 1.3and3.1
What should benotified?
18. Article 1.3oftheAgreement defines thepersons thatmust beeligible fortheprotection to
bemade available byMembers under theAgreement. TheArticle doessobyreferring tothecriteria
foreligibility aslaiddown intheParis Convention, theBerne Convention, theRome Convention and
theWashington Treaty fortherelevant areas ofintellectual property. Thus, thesame criteria have
tobeapplied among WTO Members aswell, whether ornottheyaremember States toanyofthe
Conventions orTreaty themselves. Certain oftheexceptions allowed under these criteria, notably
those oftheBerne Convention ortheRome Convention, areallowed oncondition thattheyarenotified
totheTRIPS Council ,whether ornottheyhavebeennotified totheSecretary General oftheUnited
Nations under theBerne Convention ortheRome Convention themselves.
19. Article 3.1oftheAgreement requires national treatment tobegiven topersons eligible for
protection under Article 1.3,subject totheexceptions allowed under theConventions andTreaty
mentioned above. Equally asunder Article 1.3,certain oftheseexceptions under Article 3.1areallowed
oncondition thattheyarenotified totheTRIPS Council.
20. (Forfurther details concerning these notification requirements, reference ismade tothe
background noteprepared bytheSecretariat circulated indocument IP/C/W/5.)
When areMembers required tonotify?
21. Notification under Articles 1.3and3.1isonlyrequired ifaMember wishes toavailitself of
oneoftheexceptions concerned.
22. Since notifications under theseArticles arerelevant toaMember 'snational treatment andm.f.n.
obligations under theAgreement, itshould benoted, asreflected inSection IIabove, thatobligations
relating tonational treatment andm.f.n. areeffective forallWTO Members asof1January 1996.
23. (Reference isalsomade toWTO/AIR/70.)
How should Members notify?
24. Nospecial procedures havebeenadopted bytheCouncil inrespect ofthese notifications.5
5These notifications arebeing distributed intheIP/N/2/-series ofdocumentsTRIPS-I -Page9
ARTICLE 4(d)
What areMembers required tonotify?
25. Under them.f.n. provisions ofArticle 4oftheAgreement, eachMember hastoensure that
anyadvantage, favour, privilege orimmunity thatisavailable initsterritory tocertain foreign right
holders isaccorded topersons eligible under Article 1.3forprotection under theAgreement.
26. Article 4specifies theexemptions tosuchm.f.n. treatment allowed bytheAgreement. One
ofthese exceptions, thatinsub-paragraph (d),requires anotification, namely where theadvantage
inquestion derives from aninternational agreement related totheprotection ofintellectual property
which entered intoforce priortotheentry intoforce oftheWTO Agreement. Theconditions forsuch
exemptions arethattheagreement inquestion isnotified totheTRIPS Council anddoesnotconstitute
anarbitrary orunjustifiable discrimination against persons eligible under Article 1.3fromother WTO
Members.6
When areMembers required tonotify?
27. NotificationunderArticle4(d)isonlyrequiredifaMemberwishestoavailitselfoftheexception
concerned.
28. Asmentioned above inrelation toArticles 1.3and3.1,itshould benoted thatobligations under
Article 4areeffective forallWTO Members asof1January 1996.
29. Notifications under Article 4(d)canbemade atanytime. However, atthemeeting oftheTRIPS
Council of21November 1995, theChairman drew theattention ofMembers totheneedtomake
notifications by1January 1996, iftheywished tohavelegalcover fromthatdateforanyexceptions
tom.f.n. treatment thattheyseektojustify byreference totheprovisions ofArticle 4(d)(see
document IP/C/M/4, paragraph 11).
How should Members notify?
30. Nospecial procedures havebeenadopted bytheCouncil inrespect ofthese notifications.7
ARTICLE 69
What areMembers required tonotify?
31. Article 69oftheAgreement requires Members toestablish andnotify contact points intheir
administrations forthepurposes ofcooperation witheachother aimed attheelimination oftrade in
infringing goods.
6These notifications arebeing distributed intheIP/N/4/- series ofdocuments
7However, itisgenerally feltintheTRIPS Council thatitwould bevaluable tocontinue work onthedevelopment of
criteria thatcould assist individual Members inmaking notifications under Article 4(d), andfurther consultations arebeing
heldonthismatter. Aninformal background noteprepared bytheSecretariat (No.2086of25April 1996) identifies anumber
offactors thatmight berelevant toconsideration astowhether anotification should bemade under Article 4(d).TRIPS-I -Page10
When areMembers required tonotify?
32. Atthemeeting oftheTRIPS Council of21September 1995, Members agreed thatnotifications
should bemade by1January 1996andthatanysubsequent changes totheinformation should benotified
promptly.
How should Members notify?
33. TheCouncil hasagreed (seeWTO/AIR/168) toinvite eachMember tonotify thefollowing
information relating tothecontact point, oreachofthecontact points, thatitestablishes forthepurposes
ofArticle 69:
- thename oftheauthority inquestion;
- itsaddress; and
- itstelephone andtelefax numbers and,where appropriate, E-mail reference;
and,where appropriate, toidentify ateachcontact point acontact official.8
ARTICLE 6TER OFTHE PARIS CONVENTION
34. Article 6teroftheParisConvention concerns theprotection ofstateemblems, official hallmarks
andtheabbreviations andemblems ofintergovernmental organizations against theregistration oruse
astrademarks.Article6terappliesintheTRIPScontextbyvirtueofArticle2.1oftheTRIPSAgreement
andlaysdown notification procedures forthecommunication byMembers (andintergovernmental
organizations) toother Members ofsuchemblems thattheydonotwishtobecapable ofconstituting
valid trademarks andforthetransmittal ofobjections totheprotection claimed foranemblem.
35. Theapplication oftheprovisions ofArticle 6terforthepurposes oftheTRIPS Agreement
isaddressed intheAgreement Between WIPO andtheWTO andintheDecision oftheTRIPS Council
of11December 1995 (document IP/C/7). Accordingly, communications under Article 6terforthe
purposes oftheTRIPS Agreement should becommunicated through theintermediary oftheInternational
Bureau ofWIPO, 34chemin desColombettes, 1211 Geneva 20.
36. Asregards thepractical effects forWTO Members, thefollowing points should benoted:
- Inrespect ofWTO Members that arealso Member States oftheParis
Convention (1967), allnotifications made under Article 6teroftheParis Convention
itselfwillautomatically apply under theTRIPS Agreement, whether theyweremade
inthepastorwillbemade inthefuture. Thisapplies bothtothecommunication of
emblems andofobjections totheprotection claimed foranemblem.
- Thesame willapply inrespect ofWTO Members thatareMember States oftheParis
Conventionbutnotofthe1967versionofthatConvention,exceptiftheyarenotobliged
under theearlier version oftheParis Convention toprotect emblems of
intergovernmental organizations. Inregard totheseemblems, theprocedures outlined
below inrespect ofWTO Members thatarenotMember States ofanyversion ofthe
Paris Convention willapply.
8These notifications arebeing distributed intheIP/N/3/- series ofdocumentsTRIPS-I -Page11
- TheInternational Bureau ofWIPO hascommunicated, inJanuary 1996, allemblems
communicated before January 1996under Article 6teroftheParisConvention tothose
WTO Members which arenotMember States oftheParis Convention. After January
1996, anewWTO Member thatisnotaMember State oftheParis Convention isto
receive asetofemblems ascommunicated totheInternational Bureau under the
provisions ofArticle 6terbefore thedatethattheWTO Agreement enters intoforce
forthenewMember inquestion.
- WTO Members thatarenotMember States oftheParis Convention areentitled to
communicate emblems andtotransmit objections through theInternational Bureau of
WIPO inaccordance withtheprocedures asadministered bytheInternational Bureau
inthecontext oftheParis Convention (1967).
- WTO Members thatarenotMember States oftheParisConvention can,thus,transmit
objections under Article 6ter(4)
(i) within atime-limit of12months from receipt ofthecommunication; or
(ii) iftheystillbenefit from atransitional period under Article 65or66ofthe
Agreement (seeparagraph 2above), within 12months fromthedateonwhich
theirTRIPS obligations inrespect ofArticle 6terstartapplying.
IfsuchaWTO Member becomes aMember StateoftheParis Convention before the
datereferred tounder (ii),thetime-limit forthetransmittal ofobjections willbe12
months from thedateofbecoming Member oftheParis Convention.
OTHER NOTIFICATION REQUIREMENTS
UNDER THE BERNE CONVENTION ORTHE ROME CONVENTION
INCORPORATED BYREFERENCE INTO THE TRIPS AGREEMENT
What areMembers required tonotify?
37. Articles 14bis(2)(c) and14bis(3)oftheBerne Convention: Article 14bis(2)(b) oftheBerne
ConventionasincorporatedintotheTRIPSAgreementappliestoaWTOMemberwhichinitslegislation
includes among theowners ofcopyright inacinematographic work authors whohave brought
contributions tothemaking ofthework. InsuchaMember itmust bepresumed thatthese authors
haveconsented, intheabsence ofanycontract tothecontrary, tocertain ways inwhich thefilmmay
beexploited. IfsuchMember 'slegislation requires thattheconsent oftheauthors must havebeen
inwriting, Article 14bis(2)(c)requires thatMember toinform other Members ofthisrequirement by
means ofanotification. Article 14bis(3)requires thataMember thelawofwhich doesnotmake the
presumptionbindingontheprincipaldirectorofthefilmmustsimilarlymakeanotification.Thepurpose
ofthese notification requirements istoallow those concerned toknow theMembers thelegislation
ofwhich applies thepresumption insucharestricted wayandtomake theirarrangements accordingly.
38. Article 15(4) oftheBerne Convention: Article 15(4) oftheBerne Convention asincorporated
intotheTRIPS Agreement ismainly directed attheprotection offolklore. Itdeals withunpublished
works where theidentity oftheauthor isunknown, butwhere there isevery ground topresume that
heorsheisanational ofagiven WTO Member. Insuchasituation theMember concerned may
designateacompetentauthoritytoprotecttheinterestsoftheauthor.OtherMembersshouldbeinformed
about thisauthority bymeans ofanotification giving fullinformation.TRIPS-I -Page12
39. Appendix totheBerne Convention: Article 9.1oftheTRIPS Agreement requires Members
tocomply withtheAppendix totheBerne Convention (1971), which contains special provisions for
developing countries. TheAppendix contains anumber ofnotification procedures which arediscussed
below.
(a) Article IoftheAppendix: Paragraph 1requires adeveloping country Member wishing
toavailitself ofthepossibilities provided intheAppendix todeclare thatitwillavailitself
ofthefaculty provided inArticle IIand/or Article IIIoftheAppendix (compulsory licenses
for,respectively, translations andreproductions) bymeans ofanotification. According to
paragraph 2suchdeclarations canbemade forrenewable periods oftenyears. Suchdeclaration
mayberenewed bymeans ofanotification. Paragraph 5dealswiththepossibility foracountry
tomake notifications inrespect ofterritories forwhich ithasinternational responsibility.
(b) Article II(3)(b) oftheAppendix: Thisprovision deals withthesituation where a
developing country Member secures theagreement ofalldeveloped Members, inwhich the
samelanguage isingeneral useasinthatdeveloping country Member, toprovide forashorter
period thantheusual three years afterpublication fortheapplication ofcompulsory licences
tosubstitute fortheexclusive right oftranslation. Theprovision requires thatanysuch
agreement shallbenotified.
(c) Article IV(2) oftheAppendix :Thisprovision deals withthesituation where an
applicant foracompulsory licence ofthetypes provided forinArticles IIandIIIcannot find
theowner oftheright inquestion. Insuchasituation, heorshemust sendacopy ofthe
application toanynational orinternational information centre which mayhavebeendesignated
bytheMember inwhich thepublisher ofthework concerned isbelieved tohavehisprincipal
place ofbusiness. Theparagraph provides thatsuchinformation centres must havebeen
designated inanotification bytheMember concerned.
(d) ArticleIV(4)(c)(iv)oftheAppendix:ThisprovisionallowsdevelopingcountryMembers
toexport copies oftranslations made under compulsory licence, provided thatanumber of
conditions aremet: thelanguage ofthetranslation mustnotbeEnglish, French orSpanish;
therecipients areindividuals whoarenationals oftheMember whose competent authority has
granted thelicense, ororganizations grouping suchindividuals; thecopies must besentfor
teaching, scholarship orresearch purposes; there mustbenocommercial purpose; andthere
mustbeanagreement between theMember granting thelicence andthattowhich thecopies
aresent. Theprovision requires thatsuchanagreement shallbenotified bytheMember in
which thelicense hasbeengranted.
(e) Article VoftheAppendix: ThisArticle provides thatadeveloping country Member
maychoose, bywayofadeclaration made atthetimeofratification oraccession, the"ten-year
régime" which appeared inthe1896 ActoftheBerne Convention fortranslations instead of
thecompulsory licensing system provided forinArticle IIoftheAppendix.
40. Article 17oftheRome Convention: Article 14.6oftheTRIPS Agreement allows aWTO
Member toavailitself ofexceptions permitted under theRome Convention. Article 17oftheRome
Convention allows astatewhich, on26October 1961granted protection toproducers ofphonograms
solely onthebasis ofthecriterion offixation tocontinue todoso,provided itmakes anotification
tothiseffect atthetimeofratification, acceptance oraccession.
41. Article 18oftheRome Convention: Articles 1.3,3.1and14.6oftheTRIPS Agreement relate
tocertainexceptionsundertheRomeConventiontheinvocationofwhichrequirenotification.Article18
oftheRome Convention provides thatanystatewhich hasinvoked suchanexception bymeans of
notifications under Articles 5(3), 6(2), 16(1) or17oftheRome Convention may, byafurther
notification, reduce thescope oforwithdraw thenotification inquestion.TRIPS-I -Page13
When areMembers required tonotify?
42. Notifications under these provisions areonlyrequired ifaMember wishes totakeadvantage
oftheprovisions inquestion.
Articles 14bis(2)(c) and14bis(3):WTO Members towhich these notification requirements
apply should make necessary notifications asoftherelevant datereferred toinparagraph 3
above. IfaMember subsequently changes itslegislation inawaythatwould require notification
under these provisions, itshould notify asofthetimeofthechange.
Article 15(4) oftheBerne Convention: Thepurpose ofArticle 15(4) oftheBerne Convention
istofacilitate benefitting from theprotection available inother WTO Members. Therefore,
itwould beintheinterest ofaMember wishing toavailitselfofthepossibility stemming from
theincorporation oftheprovisions ofArticle 15(4) oftheBerne Convention intotheTRIPS
Agreement inrelation toother WTO Members tonotify theauthority designated without delay,
while being freetodosoatanytime.
TheAppendix totheBerne Convention: Notification under Article I(1)oftheAppendix may
bedeposited atthetimeofdepositing theinstrument ofratification oraccession, oranytime
thereafter.
Asfarasthecalculation ofrenewable periods oftenyears isconcerned (Article I(2)ofthe
Appendix), thisisaquestion thattheCouncil would needtolookintoifanyMember were
toinvoke anyoftheprovisions oftheAppendix asincorporated intotheTRIPS Agreement.
Other notifications stemming from theincorporation oftheprovisions oftheAppendix into
theTRIPS Agreement canbemade atanytime. Theonlyexception inthisregard isArticle V(1)
asincorporated intotheTRIPS Agreement which requires thatthechoice provided inthat
paragraph hastobemade atthetimeofratification oraccession.
Articles 17and18oftheRome Convention: Anotification under Article 17oftheRome
Convention hastobemade atthetimeofratification, acceptance oraccession. Afurther
notification under Article 18oftheRome Convention asincorporated intotheTRIPS Agreement
canbemade atanytime.
How should Members notify?
43. Atitsmeeting of22February 1996, theTRIPS Council invited eachMember wishing tomake
notifications under anyofthese provisions tomake them totheTRIPS Council, eveniftheMember
inquestion hadalready made anotification under theBerne Convention ortheRome Convention in
regard tothesame issue.9
44. Otherwise, nospecial procedures havebeenadopted inrespect ofthese notifications.
9These notifications arebeing distributed intheIP/N/5/- series ofdocuments.TRIPS-I -Page14
NOTIFICATION REQUIREMENT FOR DEVELOPED COUNTRY MEMBERS AS
AGREED BYTHE TRIPS COUNCIL INTHE CONTEXT OFARTICLE 67
What areMembers required tonotify?
45. Atitsmeeting of22to25July1996, theCouncil forTRIPS agreed thateachdeveloped country
Member should notify acontact pointfortechnical cooperation onTRIPS, inparticular fortheexchange
ofinformation between donors andrecipients oftechnical assistance.
When areMembers required tonotify?
46. Developed country Members have been requested tonotify their contact point(s) by
1September 1996 (seeWTO/AIR/388).10
How should Members notify?
47. Developed country Members have been requested tonotify, inparticular, thefollowing
information concerning theircontact point(s):
(i) thename oftheauthority inquestion;
(ii) itsaddress;
(iii) itstelephone andtelefax numbers and,where appropriate, E-mail reference; and
(iv) where appropriate, toidentify ateachcontact point acontact official.
10These notifications arebeing distributed intheIP/N/7 series ofdocuments.TRIPS-II -Page1
TRIPS-II
AGREEMENT ONTRADE-RELATED ASPECTS
OFINTELLECTUAL PROPERTY RIGHTS
NOTIFICATION OBLIGATIONSTRIPS-II -Page2
AGREEMENT ONTRADE-RELATED ASPECTS OFINTELLECTUAL PROPERTY RIGHTS
NOTIFICATION OBLIGATIONS
Item Notification requirement Type ofmeasure Periodicity Format Members
notifyingTowhom
1. TRIPS Agreement,
Art.1.3-producers of
phonogramsStipulation inthenotifying Member 'slawof
limited eligibility criteria fortheprotection of
producers ofphonograms (byexcluding either
thecriterion offixation orthecriterion of
publication) [inaccordance withthe
provisions ofArticle 5(3)ofthe"Rome
Convention"]Adhoc IP/C/W/5
(guidelines)WTO
Members -
adhocCouncil for
TRIPS
2. TRIPS Agreement, Art.1.3-
broadcasting organizationsStipulation inthenotifying Member 'slawof
limited eligibility criteria fortheprotection of
broadcasting organizations (tothose having
theirheadquarters inaWTO Member and
transmitting abroadcast from thesame
Member) [inaccordance withtheprovisions
under Article 6(2)ofthe"Rome Convention"]Adhoc IP/C/W/5
(guidelines)WTO
Members -
adhocCouncil for
TRIPSTRIPS-II -Page3
AGREEMENT ONTRADE-RELATED ASPECTS OFINTELLECTUAL PROPERTY RIGHTS
NOTIFICATION OBLIGATIONS
Item Notification requirement Type ofmeasure Periodicity Format Members
notifyingTowhom
3. TRIPS Agreement, Art.2.1
[Article 6ter(3)ofthe"Paris
Convention (1967)"]Protection against registration oruseasa
trademark (ofState emblems, andofficial
signs andhallmarks indicating control and
warranty, orarmorial bearings, flags, other
emblems, abbreviations, andnames of
intergovernmental organizations)Adhoc Inaccordance
withthe
procedures
applicable in
WIPO under
Article 6terof
theParis
Convention
(1967)WTO
Members -
adhocWIPO (see
Article 3
ofthe
Agreement
Between
WIPO and
theWTO
and
document
IP/C/7)TRIPS-II -Page4
AGREEMENT ONTRADE-RELATED ASPECTS OFINTELLECTUAL PROPERTY RIGHTS
NOTIFICATION OBLIGATIONS
Item Notification requirement Type ofmeasure Periodicity Format Members
notifyingTowhom
4. TRIPS Agreement,
Art.3.1-literary orartistic
worksSpecification bythenotifying Member of
countries which arenotWTO Members,
whose nationals willbesubject torestrictions
concerning theeligibility fornational
treatment inrespect ofliterary orartistic
works firstpublished inaWTO Member,
unless theyarehabitually resident inaWTO
Member [inaccordance withtheprovisions of
Article 6(3)ofthe"Berne Convention
(1971)"]Adhoc IP/C/W/5
(guidelines)WTO
Members -
adhocCouncil for
TRIPSTRIPS-II -Page5
AGREEMENT ONTRADE-RELATED ASPECTS OFINTELLECTUAL PROPERTY RIGHTS
NOTIFICATION OBLIGATIONS
Item Notification requirement Type ofmeasure Periodicity Format Members
notifyingTowhom
5. TRIPS Agreement,
Art.3.1-broadcasting rightsStipulation inthenotifying Member 'slaw
limiting therights tobeprovided to
broadcasting organizations under Article 14.3
oftheTRIPS Agreement asregards theright
stipulated inArticle 13(d) [inaccordance with
theprovisions ofArticle 16(1)(b) ofthe
"Rome Convention"]. Asaresult, other WTO
Members willbeallowed tolimitthe
eligibility fornational treatment inrespect of
thisrightcorrespondingly.Adhoc IP/C/W/5
(guidelines)WTO
Members -
adhocCouncil for
TRIPS
6. TRIPS Agreement, Art.4(d) Limitation ofMFN treatment onthebasis of
aninternational agreement (related to
intellectual property which entered intoforce
prior tothedateofentry intoforce ofthe
WTO Agreement)Adhoc No WTO
Members -
adhocCouncil for
TRIPSTRIPS-II -Page6
AGREEMENT ONTRADE-RELATED ASPECTS OFINTELLECTUAL PROPERTY RIGHTS
NOTIFICATION OBLIGATIONS
Item Notification requirement Type ofmeasure Periodicity Format Members
notifyingTowhom
7. TRIPS Agreement, Art.9.1
[Art. 14bis(2)(c) ofthe"Berne
Convention (1971)"]Stipulation inthenotifying Member 'slawthat
therulethatcertain authors aretobe
presumed tohaveconsented tocertain ways
inwhich theirfilmisexploited must have
beeninwritingAdhoc IP/C/W/15
(guidelines)WTO
Members -
adhocCouncil for
TRIPS
8. TRIPS Agreement, Art.9.1
[Art. 14bis(3)ofthe"Berne
Convention (1971)"]Stipulation inthenotifying Member 'slawthat
therulethatcertain authors aretobe
presumed tohaveconsented tocertain ways
inwhich theirfilmisexploited isnotbinding
ontheprincipal director ofthefilmAdhoc IP/C/W/15
(guidelines)WTO
Members -
adhocCouncil for
TRIPS
9. TRIPS Agreement, Art.9.1
[Art. 15(4) ofthe"Berne
Convention (1971)"]Designation ofthecompetent authority to
represent unknown authors offolkloreAdhoc IP/C/W/15
(guidelines)WTO
Members -
adhocCouncil for
TRIPS
10. TRIPS Agreement, Art.9.1
[Art. IoftheAppendix tothe
"Berne Convention (1971)"]Declaration bythenotifying developing
country Member thatitavails itself ofthe
faculty ofcompulsory licensing for
translations/reproductionsAdhoc
(every
10years)IP/C/W/15
(guidelines)Developing
country WTO
MembersCouncil for
TRIPSTRIPS-II -Page7
AGREEMENT ONTRADE-RELATED ASPECTS OFINTELLECTUAL PROPERTY RIGHTS
NOTIFICATION OBLIGATIONS
Item Notification requirement Type ofmeasure Periodicity Format Members
notifyingTowhom
11. TRIPS Agreement, Art.9.1
[Art. II(3)(b) oftheAppendix to
the"Berne Convention (1971)"]Agreement thatthenotifying developing
country Member secured ofalldeveloped
country Members, inwhich thesame
language isingeneral useasinthat
developing country Member, toprovide fora
shorter period thantheusual three years after
publication fortheapplication ofcompulsory
licensing tosubstitute fortheexclusive right
oftranslationAdhoc IP/C/W/15
(guidelines)Developing
country WTO
MembersCouncil for
TRIPS
12. TRIPS Agreement, Art.9.1
[Art. IV(2) oftheAppendix to
the"Berne Convention (1971)"]Designation ofaninformation center forthe
purposes ofcompulsory licensingAdhoc IP/C/W/15
(guidelines)Developing
country WTO
MembersCouncil for
TRIPSTRIPS-II -Page8
AGREEMENT ONTRADE-RELATED ASPECTS OFINTELLECTUAL PROPERTY RIGHTS
NOTIFICATION OBLIGATIONS
Item Notification requirement Type ofmeasure Periodicity Format Members
notifyingTowhom
13. TRIPS Agreement, Art.9.1
[Art. IV(4)(c)(iv) ofthe
Appendix tothe"Berne
Convention (1971)"]Agreement between thenotifying developing
country Member granting acompulsory
licence fortheexport ofcopies oftranslations
made under thecompulsory licence and
another WTO Member towhich thecopies
aresentandallowing forsuchexportsAdhoc IP/C/W/15
(guidelines)Developing
country WTO
MembersCouncil for
TRIPS
14. TRIPS Agreement, Art.9.1
[Art. V(1)(ii) oftheAppendix to
the"Berne Convention (1971)"]Application ofthe10yearrégime instead of
compulsory licensingAdhoc(atthe
timeof
ratification,
acceptance or
accession)IP/C/W/15
(guidelines)Developing
country WTO
MembersCouncil for
TRIPS
15. TRIPS Agreement, Art.14.6
[Art. 17ofthe"Rome
Convention"]Protection ofproducers ofphonograms solely
onthebasis ofthecriterion offixationAdhoc(atthe
timeof
ratification,
acceptance or
accession)IP/C/W/15
(guidelines)WTO
MembersCouncil for
TRIPSTRIPS-II -Page9
AGREEMENT ONTRADE-RELATED ASPECTS OFINTELLECTUAL PROPERTY RIGHTS
NOTIFICATION OBLIGATIONS
Item Notification requirement Type ofmeasure Periodicity Format Members
notifyingTowhom
16. TRIPS Agreement, Art.14.6
[Art. 18ofthe"Rome
Convention"]Reduction ofscope orwithdrawal ofearlier
notification ofanexception under Article
5(3), 6(2), 16(1) or17oftheRome
Convention asincorporated intotheTRIPS
AgreementAdhoc IP/C/W/15
(guidelines)WTO
MembersCouncil for
TRIPS
17. TRIPS Agreement, Art.63.2 Laws /regulations made effective bythe
notifying Member (pertaining tothe
availability, scope, acquisition, enforcement
andprevention oftheabuse ofintellectual
property rights)Once (assoon
aspossible
afteran
obligation
under the
TRIPS
Agreement
becomes
effective)IP/C/2
IP/C/4
IP/C/5WTO
MembersCouncil for
TRIPSTRIPS-II -Page10
AGREEMENT ONTRADE-RELATED ASPECTS OFINTELLECTUAL PROPERTY RIGHTS
NOTIFICATION OBLIGATIONS
Item Notification requirement Type ofmeasure Periodicity Format Members
notifyingTowhom
18. TRIPS Agreement, Art.63.2 Amendment ofalaw/regulation (pertaining
totheavailability, scope, acquisition,
enforcement andprevention oftheabuse of
intellectual property rights)Adhoc(in
caseof
subsequent
modifications
oflawsand
regulations or
the
introduction
ofnewones)IP/C/2
IP/C/4
IP/C/5WTO
Members -
adhocCouncil for
TRIPS
19. TRIPS Agreement, Art.69 Specification ofcontact points (inMembers '
administrations for,among other things,
exchanging information ontrade ingoods
infringing intellectual property rights)Once
(1January
1996 or,for
new
Members,
promptly
upon
accession)WTO/AIR/168 WTO
MembersCouncil for
TRIPSTRIPS-II -Page11
AGREEMENT ONTRADE-RELATED ASPECTS OFINTELLECTUAL PROPERTY RIGHTS
NOTIFICATION OBLIGATIONS
Item Notification requirement Type ofmeasure Periodicity Format Members
notifyingTowhom
20. TRIPS Agreement, Art.69 Changes totheinformation onspecified
contact points (inMembers 'administrations
for,among other things, exchanging
information ontrade ingoods infringing
intellectual property rights)Adhoc WTO/AIR/168 WTO
Members -
adhocCouncil for
TRIPS
21. Asagreed bytheCouncil for
TRIPS inthecontext ofArticle
67oftheTRIPS Agreement
(IP/C/M/8, paragraphs 37and
38)Specification bythenotifying developed
country Member ofcontact points for
technical cooperation onTRIPSOnce
(1September
1996)WTO/AIR/388 Developed
country WTO
MembersCouncil for
TRIPSTRIPS-III -Page1
TRIPS-III
AGREEMENT ONTRADE-RELATED ASPECTS
OFINTELLECTUAL PROPERTY RIGHTS
DOCUMENTS
IP/C/2
IP/C/3
IP/C/4
IP/C/5
IP/C/7
IP/C/W/3
IP/C/W/5
IP/C/W/8
IP/C/W/15
IP/C/W/20
WTO/AIR/70
WTO/AIR/168
WTO/AIR/388RESTRICTED
WORLD TRADE IP/C/2
30November 1995
ORGANIZATION(95-3867)
Council forTrade-Related Aspects of
Intellectual Property Rights
PROCEDURES FOR NOTIFICATION OF,AND POSSIBLE ESTABLISHMENT OFA
COMMON REGISTER OF,NATIONAL LAWS AND REGULATIONS
UNDER ARTICLE 63.2
Decision oftheCouncil forTRIPS of21November 1995
These procedures willbereviewed bytheCouncil, inthelightofexperience, attheendof
1997, interaliatoidentify anyelements which haveproved unduly burdensome inrelation tothe
usefulness oftheinformation provided.
Section 1:General
1. Each Member shallnotify totheTRIPS Council, through theWTO Secretariat, itslawsand
regulations pertaining tothesubject matter oftheTRIPS Agreement (theavailability, scope, acquisition,
enforcementandpreventionoftheabuseofintellectualpropertyrights),inaccordancewiththeguidelines
setoutbelow.
2.1 AsofthetimethataMember isobliged tostartapplying aprovision oftheTRIPS Agreement,
thecorresponding lawsandregulations shallbenotified without delay (normally within 30days, except
where otherwise provided bytheTRIPS Council).
2.2 Anysubsequent amendments ofaMember 'slawsandregulations shallbenotified without delay
aftertheirentry intoforce(normally within 30dayswhere notranslation isrequired andwithin 60days
where translation isnecessary).
3. AMember whohasamended alaworregulation tobring itintoconformity withprovisions
oftheTRIPS Agreement inadvance ofitsobligation under theTRIPS Agreement tostartapplying
those provisions willuseitsbestendeavours tonotify suchlaworregulation assoonaspossible after
itsentry intoforce.
4. Where, onthedateofitsinitial notification ofalaworregulation relating toaprovision of
theTRIPS Agreement, aMember hasalready communicated thelaworregulation inquestion tothe
International Bureau ofWIPO inalanguage orlanguages consistent withtheseguidelines, thatMember
would befree,ifitsowishes, toprovide theWTO Secretariat withastatement totheeffect thatthe
fulltextcanbefound intheWIPO collections, instead ofsending thefulltexttotheWTO Secretariat.
TheWTO Secretariat would seekfromtheInternational Bureau ofWIPO acopyfromitscollections
which would thenbetreated inaccordance withSections 2and3below.
5. Wherever possible, notifications shallbemade inmachine-readable aswellashardcopyform.
./.IP/C/2
Page2
Section 2:Main dedicated intellectual property lawsandregulations
6. EachMembershallnotifyinaWTOlanguagethetextsofitsmainlawsandregulationsdedicated
tointellectual property. These lawsandregulations would include themain lawsandregulations on
theavailability, scope andacquisition ofeachofthecategories ofintellectual property covered bythe
TRIPS Agreement, together withsuchother mainlawsandregulations asarededicated tointellectual
property, suchasthose onborder enforcement.
7. These lawsandregulations willbeimmediately circulated intherelevant WTO language by
theWTO Secretariat toMembers oftheTRIPS Council asCouncil documents. Translation intoother
WTO languages willonlybeundertaken bytheWTO Secretariat ontherequest ofaMember made
intheTRIPS Council andwithin thelimits oftheWTO Secretariat 'sresources.
8. Where anauthentic national textofalaworregulation isnotavailable inaWTO language,
copies oftheauthentic textofthatlaworregulation inanational language shallbenotified, inaddition
tothetranslation intoaWTO language. Such copies shallbeavailable intheWTO Secretariat for
consultation byinterested delegations.
Section 3:Other lawsandregulations
9. Thisheading relates toallnational lawsandregulations which arenotdedicated tointellectual
property rights assuchbutwhich nonetheless pertain totheavailability, scope, acquisition, enforcement
andprevention ofabuse ofintellectual property rights (notably lawsandregulations intheareas of
enforcement andtheprevention ofabusive practices) aswellasthose lawsandregulations dedicated
tointellectual property which arenotconsidered "main lawsandregulations" falling under Section 2
above.
10. Each Member shall notify these lawsandregulations inanational language totheWTO
Secretariat. Theyshallalsoprovide inaWTO language alisting oftheselawsandregulations, together
withabriefdescription oftherelevance ofeachlawandregulation totheprovisions oftheTRIPS
Agreement.
11. Thislisting willbedistributed asaTRIPS Council document totheMembers oftheTRIPS
Council. Thecopies ofthelawsandregulations inquestion willbeavailable forconsultation inthe
WTO Secretariat byinterested delegations. Copies willonlybedistributed asCouncil documents if
arequest ismade intheTRIPS Council. Ifsucharequest ismade andwhere thelawandregulation
inquestion hasnotbeennotified inaWTO language, thenotifying Member shallmake available a
copyofthelaworregulation, orrelevant partofthelaworregulation, inaWTO language. Members
agree tokeepsuchrequests toaminimum and,wherever possible, toseekthetranslation ofaparticular
partofalegislative instrument, rather thanrequest thewhole texttobetranslated.
12. Inregard totheprovisions oftheTRIPS Agreement onenforcement, eachMember shall, in
addition, provide, assoonaspossible afterthedateofitsapplication ofthese provisions, responses
totheattached checklist ofissues contained indocument IP/C/5 indicating howitsnational legislation
responds totherequirements oftheTRIPS Agreement identified inthechecklist. These responses
shallidentify therelevant provisions ofnational lawsandregulations. Theresponses willbecirculated
asadocument oftheTRIPS Council.RESTRICTED
WORLD TRADE IP/C/3
30November 1995
ORGANIZATION(95-3868)
Council forTrade-Related Aspects
ofIntellectual Property Rights
SCHEDULE FOR CONSIDERATION OFNATIONAL
IMPLEMENTING LEGISLATION IN1996/1997
Decision oftheCouncil forTRIPS of21November 1995
Atitsmeeting of21November 1995, theCouncil forTRIPS adopted theattached schedule
fortheconsideration ofnational implementing legislation in1996/1997.
./.SCHEDULE FOR CONSIDERATION OFNATIONAL
IMPLEMENTING LEGISLATION IN1996/1997
Decision oftheCouncil forTRIPS of21November 1995
SUBJECT AREA DATE FOR SUBMISSION OF
THE LAWS AND
REGULATIONS
(REQUIRING TRANSLATION)DATE BYWHICH ADVANCE
NOTICE OFQUESTIONS TO
BEGIVENDATE FOR DISCUSSION IN
COUNCIL
Copyright andRelated Rights EndJanuary 1996 EndApril 1996 July1996
Trademarks
Geographical Indications
Industrial DesignsEndJanuary 1996 EndAugust 1996 November 1996
Patents
Layout-Designs ofIntegrated
Circuits
Undisclosed Information
Control ofAnti-competitive
Practices inContractual LicensesEndJanuary 1996
(End May1996)(Date tobedetermined) 1997
(Exact datetobedetermined)
Enforcement EndJanuary 1996
(End July1996)(Date tobedetermined) 1997
(Exact datetobedetermined)RESTRICTED
WORLD TRADE IP/C/4
30November 1995
ORGANIZATION(95-3869)
Council forTrade-Related Aspects
ofIntellectual Property Rights
FORMAT FOR LISTING OF"OTHER LAWS AND REGULATIONS"
TOBENOTIFIED UNDER ARTICLE 63.2
Decision oftheCouncil forTRIPS of21November 1995
1. When notifying "other lawsandregulations" inaccordance withSection 3oftheDecision on
Procedures forNotification of,andPossible Establishment ofaCommon Register of,National Laws
andRegulations under Article 63.2(IP/C/2), eachMember shallprovide thelisting ofsuchlawsand
regulations onthebasis oftheattached format.
2. Thelistings shallbestructured along thelinesofthecategorization intheTRIPS Agreement
itself, i.e.
Copyright andrelated rights
Trademarks
Geographical indications
Industrial designs
Patents (including plant variety protection)
Layout-designs (topographies) ofintegrated circuits
Protection ofundisclosed information
Prevention oftheabuse ofintellectual property rights
Civil judicial procedures andremedies
Provisional judicial measures
Special requirements related toborder measures
Criminal procedures
Anyadministrative procedures andremedies notcovered above
Where alaworregulation isrelevant tomore thanoneheading, itwould needtobementioned under
eachoftherelevant headings.
./.IP/C/4
Page2
FORMAT FOR LISTING OF"OTHER LAWS AND REGULATIONS"
TITLE
DATE OFADOPTION AND ENTRY
INTO FORCEBRIEF DESCRIPTION
Copyright andrelated rights
Trademarks
Geographical indications
etc.
(seeheadings inparagraph 2above)RESTRICTED
WORLD TRADE IP/C/5
30November 1995
ORGANIZATION(95-3870)
Council forTrade-Related Aspects
ofIntellectual Property Rights
CHECKLIST OFISSUES ONENFORCEMENT
Decision oftheCouncil forTRIPS of21November 1995
Inproviding information onnational enforcement lawandpractices inresponse tothechecklist
ofissues below, assoon aspossible afterthetimethataMember isobliged tostartapplying the
provisionsoftheTRIPSAgreementonenforcement,eachMembershouldidentifytherelevantprovisions
ofnational lawsandregulations. Where aresponse differs according totheintellectual property right
(IPR) inquestion, theresponse should begiven onanIPR-by-IPR basis. Thechecklist follows the
structure ofPartIIIoftheTRIPS Agreement; when considering whatinformation would berelevant
inresponse totheissues listed, Members maywishtoconsult thecorresponding provision ofPartIII
oftheTRIPS Agreement ontheEnforcement ofIntellectual Property Rights.
Thechecklist willbereviewed bytheCouncil, inthelightofexperience attheendof1997,
interaliatoidentify anyelements which haveproven unduly burdensome inrelation totheusefulness
oftheinformation provided.
_______________
Civil andAdministrative Procedures andRemedies
(a) Civiljudicial procedures andremedies
1. Specify thecourts which havejurisdiction overIPRinfringement cases.
2. Which persons have standing toassert IPRs? How maytheyberepresented? Arethere
requirements formandatory personal appearances before thecourt bytherightholder?
3. What authority dothejudicial authorities havetoorder, attherequest ofanopposing party,
aparty toaproceeding toproduce evidence which lieswithin itscontrol?
4. What means existtoidentify andprotect confidential information brought forward asevidence?
5. Describe theremedies thatmaybeordered bythejudicial authorities andcriteria, legislative
orjurisprudential, fortheiruse:
- injunctions;
- damages, including recovery ofprofits, andexpenses, including attorney 'sfees;IP/C/5
Page2
- destruction orother disposal ofinfringing goods andmaterials/implements fortheir
production;
- anyother remedies.
6. Inwhatcircumstances, ifany,dojudicial authorities havetheauthority toorder theinfringer
toinform theright holder oftheidentity ofthird persons involved intheproduction and
distribution ofthegoods orservices found tobeinfringing andoftheirchannels ofdistribution?
7. Describe provisions relating totheindemnification ofdefendants wrongfully enjoined. To
whatextent arepublic authorities and/or officials liable insuchasituation andwhat"remedial
measures" areapplicable tothem?
8. Describe provisions governing thelength andcostofproceedings. Provide anyavailable data
ontheactual duration ofproceedings andtheircost.
(b) Administrative procedures andremedies
9. Reply totheabove questions inrelation toanyadministrative procedures onthemerits and
remedies thatmayresult from these procedures.
Provisional Measures
(a) Judicial measures
10. Describe thetypes ofprovisional measures thatjudicial authorities mayorder, andthelegal
basis forsuchauthority.
11. Inwhatcircumstances maysuchmeasures beordered inaudita altera parte?
12. Describe themainprocedures fortheinitiation, ordering andmaintenance inforceofprovisional
measures, inparticular relevant time-limits andsafeguards toprotect thelegitimate interests
ofthedefendant.
13. Describe provisions governing thelength andcostofproceedings. Provide anyavailable data
ontheactual duration ofproceedings andtheircost.
(b) Administrative measures
14. Reply totheabove questions inrelation toanyadministrative provisional measures.
Special Requirements Related toBorder Measures
15. Indicate forwhich goods itispossible toapply forthesuspension bythecustoms authorities
oftherelease intofreecirculation, inparticular whether these procedures areavailable also
inrespect ofgoods which involve infringements ofintellectual property rights other than
counterfeit trademark orpirated copyright goods asdefined intheTRIPS Agreement (footnote
toArticle51).Specify,togetherwithrelevantcriteria,anyimportsexcludedfromtheapplication
ofsuchprocedures (such asgoods fromanother member ofacustoms union, goods intransit
ordeminimis imports). Dotheprocedures apply toimports ofgoods putonthemarket in
another country byorwiththeconsent oftherightholder andtogoods destined forexportation?IP/C/5
Page3
16. Provide adescription ofthemainelements oftheprocedures relating tothesuspension ofthe
release ofgoods bycustoms authorities, inparticular thecompetent authorities (Article 51),
therequirements foranapplication (Article 52)andvarious requirements related totheduration
ofsuspension (Article 55). How have Articles 53(security orequivalent assurance), 56
(indemnification oftheimporter andoftheowner ofthegoods) and57(right ofinspection
andinformation) beenimplemented?
17. Describe provisions governing thelength andcostofproceedings. Provide anyavailable data
ontheactual duration ofproceedings andtheircost. How longisthevalidity ofdecisions
bythecompetent authorities forthesuspension oftherelease ofgoods intofreecirculation?
18. Arecompetent authorities required toactupon their owninitiative and,ifso,inwhat
circumstances? Arethere anyspecial provisions applicable toexofficio action?
19. Describe theremedies thatthecompetent authorities havetheauthority toorder andanycriteria
regulating theiruse.
Criminal Procedures
20. Specify thecourts which havejurisdiction overcriminal actsofinfringement ofIPRs.
21. Inrespect ofwhich infringements ofwhich intellectual property rights arecriminal procedures
andpenalties available?
22. Which public authorities areresponsible forinitiating criminal proceedings? Aretheyrequired
todothisontheirowninitiative and/or inresponse tocomplaints?
23. Doprivate persons havestanding toinitiate criminal proceedings and,ifso,who?
24. Specify, bycategory ofIPRandtypeofinfringement where necessary, thepenalties andother
remedies thatmaybeimposed:
- imprisonment;
- monetary fines;
- seizure, forfeiture anddestruction ofinfringing goods andmaterials andimplements
fortheirproduction;
- other.
25. Describe provisions governing thelength andanycostofproceedings. Provide anyavailable
dataontheactual duration ofproceedings andtheircost,ifany.RESTRICTED
WORLD TRADE IP/C/7
12January 1996
ORGANIZATION(96-0098)
Council forTrade-Related Aspects
ofIntellectual Property Rights
IMPLEMENTATION OFTHE OBLIGATIONS UNDER THE TRIPS AGREEMENT
STEMMING FROM THE INCORPORATION OFTHE PROVISIONS OF
ARTICLE 6TEROFTHE PARIS CONVENTION (1967)
Decision oftheCouncil forTRIPS of11December 1995
Forthepurposes oftheimplementation ofobligations between WTO Members under theTRIPS
Agreement stemming fromtheincorporation intotheTRIPS Agreement oftheprovisions ofArticle 6ter
oftheParis Convention (1967), thefollowing arrangements shallapply:
(i) thecommunicationofemblemsandthetransmittalofobjectionsbetweenWTOMembers
bytheInternationalBureauoftheWorldIntellectualPropertyOrganizationinaccordance
withtheAgreementbetweentheWorldIntellectualPropertyOrganizationandtheWorld
TradeOrganizationof22December1995shallconstitutethecommunicationofemblems
andthetransmittal ofobjections under theTRIPS Agreement;
(ii) onthedatethatArticle 2oftheTRIPS Agreement applies toaWTO Member that
isalsoaStateparty totheParis Convention, thatWTO Member shallhavethesame
obligations under theTRIPS Agreement vis-à-vis other WTO Members alsoStates
party totheParisConvention thatithasunder theParisConvention, without prejudice
totheadditional obligations under theTRIPS Agreement onWTO Members notbound
under theParis Convention toprotect theemblems ofinternational intergovernmental
organizations;
(iii) where anemblem iscommunicated toaWTO Member from another WTO Member
andatleastoneoftheWTO Members inquestion isnotaparty totheParisConvention,
theperiod of12months available under theTRIPS Agreement forthetransmittal of
objections pursuant totheprovisions ofArticle 6ter(4)oftheParis Convention shall
notbegin earlier thanthedateofapplication ofArticle 2oftheTRIPS Agreement by
theWTO Member receiving thecommunication. Thesame shallapply inrespect of
anycommunication ofanemblem ofaninternational intergovernmental organization
toaWTO Member notparty totheParis Convention ornotbound under theParis
Convention toprotect suchemblems.
Forthepurposes oftheabove, "emblem" means anyarmorial bearing, flagandother State
emblem ofaWTO Member, oranyofficial signorhallmark indicating control andwarranty adopted
byit,and,inthecaseofaninternational intergovernmental organization, anyarmorial bearing, flag,
other emblem, abbreviation orname ofthatorganization.RESTRICTED
WORLD TRADE IP/C/W/3
26April 1995
ORGANIZATION(95-1062)
Council forTrade-Related Aspects ofIntellectual Property Rights
NOTIFICATIONS ALREADY MADE UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF
THE BERNE CONVENTION AND THE ROME CONVENTION REFERRED
TOINARTICLES 1.3AND 3.1OFTHE TRIPS AGREEMENT
Note bytheSecretariat
1. Atitsmeeting of9March 1995, theCouncil forTRIPS discussed thequestion ofprocedures
fornotifications under Articles 1.3and3.1oftheTRIPS Agreement. Inorder tofacilitate further
deliberations onthismatter, theCouncil requested theSecretariat tocompile, withtheassistance of
theWIPO andtheUnited Nations Legal Office, acomplete listing ofthenotifications already made
under therelevant provisions oftheBerne Convention andtheRome Convention.
2. Inresponse tothisrequest, thisNoteanditsAnnex liststhenotifications already made under
Article 6oftheBerne Convention andArticles 5(3),6(2)and16(1)(b) oftheRome Convention which
arereferred toinArticles 1.3and3.1oftheTRIPS Agreement.
TheBerne Convention
3. Theprovision contained inArticle 6oftheParis Act(1971) oftheBerne Convention wasfirst
added asaprotocol in1914andlaterincluded intheBerne Convention proper intheRome Act(1928).
Since thenonlyminor changes havebeenmade toit.According totheinformation provided bythe
International Bureau oftheWIPO, whose Director General isthedepositary oftheStockholm Act
(1967) andtheParis Act(1971) oftheBerne Convention, nonotification hasbeen made under
Article 6(3)ofeither ofthesaidActs.
TheRome Convention
4. TheAnnex tothisNotecontains thenotifications already made under Articles 5(3)and6(2)
oftheRome Convention, which arereferred toinArticle 1.3oftheTRIPS Agreement, and
Article 16(1)(b) oftheRome Convention, which isreferred toinArticle 3.1oftheTRIPS Agreement.
TheAnnex isprepared onthebasisofanup-to-date listofStates parties totheRome Convention and
thecorresponding textsofreservations anddeclarations thatwasprovided on29March 1995 bythe
Treaty Section oftheOffice ofLegal Affairs oftheUnited Nations, whose Secretary-General isthe
depositary oftheConvention. Thedocuments were extracts fromthepublication Multilateral Treaties
Deposited withtheSecretary-General, which ispublished inEnglish andFrench only. Thedepositary
notifications, onthebasisofwhich thispublication isprepared, aredrafted inEnglish andFrench only.
5. TheAnnex reproduces thetextsofonlythose reservations anddeclarations contained inthe
documents provided bytheUnited Nations thatrelate totheprovisions oftheRome Convention which
arereferred toinArticles 1.3and3.1oftheTRIPS Agreement. Thecomplete listing ofallreservations
anddeclarations andother information onthestatus oftheRome Convention isavailable intheabove
mentioned publication. Thecomplete listing isalsoavailable intheWTO Secretariat forconsultation
byinterested delegations.IP/C/W/3
Page2
ANNEX
INTERNATIONAL CONVENTION FOR THE PROTECTION OFPERFORMERS,
PRODUCERS OFPHONOGRAMS AND BROADCASTING ORGANIZATIONS
Done atRome on26October 1961
ENTRY INTO FORCE : 18May1964, inaccordance witharticle 25.
REGISTRATION: 18May1964, No.7247.
TEXT: United Nations, Treaty Series, VOL. 496,P.43.
STATUS : Signatories: 26.Parties: 47.
Note: TheConvention wasdrawn upbytheDiplomatic Conference ontheInternational Protection
ofPerformers, Producers ofPhonograms andBroadcasting Organisations convened jointly bythe
International Labour Organisation, theUnited Nations Educational, Scientific andCultural Organization
andtheInternational Union fortheProtection ofLiterary andArtistic Works. TheConference was
heldatRome attheinvitation oftheGovernment ofItalyfrom 10to26October 1961.
Participant Signature , Ratification, Participant Signature, Ratification,
succession (d)accession (a) succession (d) accession (a)
succession (d) succession (d)
Argentina 26Oct1961 2Dec1991 Iceland 26Oct1961 15Mar1994
Australia 30Jun1992 a India 26Oct1961
Austria 26Oct1961 9Mar1973 Ireland 30Jun1962 19Jun1979
Barbados 18Jun1983 a Israel 7Feb1962
Belgium 26Oct1961 Italy 26Oct1961 8Jan1975
Bolivia 24Aug1993 a Jamaica 27Oct1993 a
Bosnia andHerzegovina 12Jan1994 d Japan 26Jul1989 a
Brazil 26Oct1961 29Jun1965 Lebanon 26Jun1962
Burkina Faso 14Oct1987 a Lesotho 26Oct1989 a
Cambodia 26Oct1961 Luxembourg 25Nov1975 a
Chile 26Oct1961 5Jun1974 Mexico 26Oct1961 17Feb1964
Colombia 17Jun1976 a Monaco 22Jun1962 6Sep1985
Congo 29Jun1962 a Netherlands 7Jul1993 a
Costa Rica 9Jun1971 a Niger 5Apr1963 a
Czech Republic 30Sep1993 d Nigeria 29Jul1993 a
Denmark 26Oct1961 23Jun1965 Norway 10Apr1978 a
Dominican Republic 27Oct1986 a Panama 2Jun1983 a
Ecuador 26Jun1962 19Dec1963 Paraguay 30Jun1962 26Nov1969
ElSalvador 29Mar1979 a Peru 7May1985 a
Fiji 11Jan1972 a Philippines 25Jun1984 a
Finland 21Jun1962 21Jul1983 Slovakia 28May1993 d
France 26Oct1961 3Apr1987 Spain 26Oct1961 14Aug1991
Germany 26Oct1961 21Jul1966 Switzerland 24Jun1983 a
Greece 6Oct1992 a Sweden 26Oct1961 13Jul1962
Guatemala 14Oct1976 a United Kingdom 26Oct1961 30Oct1963
Holy See 26Oct1961 Uruguay 4Apr1977 a
Honduras 16Nov1989 a Yugoslavia 26Oct1961
Hungary 10Nov1994 aIP/C/W/3
Page3
Declarations andReservations under Articles 5(3),6(2)and16(1)(b)
(Unless otherwise indicated, thedeclarations andreservations weremade
upon ratification, accession orsuccession.)
AUSTRALIA
Declarations:
Australia, pursuant toarticle 5(3),willnotapply thecriterion ofpublication;
Australia, pursuant toarticle 6(2),willprotect broadcasts onlyiftheheadquarters ofthe
broadcasting organisation issituated inanother Contracting State andthebroadcast wastransmitted
from atransmitter situated inthesame Contracting State;
...
Australia, pursuant toarticle 16(1)(b),willnot,asregards article 13,apply item(d)ofthat
article.
AUSTRIA
...
3. Inaccordance witharticle 16,paragraph 1(b),oftheConvention, Austria willnotapply
article 13(d).
CONGO
Inacommunication received on16May1964, theGovernment oftheCongo hasnotified the
Secretary-General thatithasdecided tomake itsaccession subject tothefollowing declarations:
(1) Article 5,paragraph 3:the"criterion ofpublication" isexcluded;
...
DENMARK
1) With regard toarticle 6,paragraph 2:Protection willbegranted tobroadcasting
organisations onlyiftheirheadquarters issituated inanother Contracting Stateandiftheirbroadcasts
aretransmitted from atransmitter situated inthesame Contracting State.
...
FIJI
(1) Inrespect ofArticle 5(1)(b)andinaccordance withArticle 5(3)oftheConvention,
Fijiwillnotapply, inrespect ofphonograms, thecriterion offixation;IP/C/W/3
Page4
(2) Inrespect ofArticle 6(1)andinaccordance withArticle 6(2)oftheConvention, Fiji
willprotect broadcasts onlyiftheheadquarters ofthebroadcasting organisation issituated inanother
Contracting Stateandthebroadcast wastransmitted fromatransmitter situated inthesameContracting
State;
...
FRANCE
Article 5
TheGovernment oftheFrench Republic declares, inconformity witharticle 5,paragraph 3
oftheConvention, concerning theprotection ofphonograms, thatitrejects thecriterion ofthefirst
publication infavour ofthecriterion offirstfixation.
...
GERMANY
1. TheFederal Republic ofGermany makes useofthefollowing reservations provided
forinarticle 5,paragraph 3,andarticle 16,paragraph 1a(iv)oftheInternational Convention for
theProtection ofPerformers, Producers ofPhonograms andBroadcasting Organisations:
1) Asregards theprotection ofproducers ofphonograms itwillnotapply thecriterion
offixation referred toinarticle 5,paragraph 1(b)oftheConvention;
...
ICELAND
Declarations:
Iceland, pursuant toarticle 5,paragraph 3,willnotapply thecriterion offixation.
Iceland, pursuant toarticle 6,paragraph 2,willprotect broadcasts onlyiftheheadquarters
ofthebroadcasting organisation issituated inanother Contracting State andifthebroadcast was
transmitted from atransmitter situated inthesame Contracting State.
...
IRELAND
(1) With regard toarticle 5,paragraph 1,andinaccordance witharticle 5,paragraph 3,
oftheConvention: Ireland willnotapply thecriterion offixation;
(2) With regard toarticle 6,paragraph 1,andinaccordance witharticle 6,paragraph 2,
oftheConvention: Ireland willprotect broadcasts onlyiftheheadquarters ofthebroadcasting
organization issituated inanother Contracting Stateandthebroadcast wastransmitted fromatransmitter
situated inthesame Contracting State;
...IP/C/W/3
Page5
ITALY
(1) With regard toarticle 6,paragraph 1,andinaccordance witharticle 6,paragraph 2,
oftheConvention: Italywillprotect broadcasts onlyiftheheadquarters ofthebroadcasting organization
issituated inanother Contracting Stateandthebroadcast wastransmitted fromatransmitter situated
inthesame Contracting State;
...
(3) With regard toarticle 13andinaccordance witharticle 16,paragraph 1(b),ofthe
Convention: Italywillnotapply theprovisions ofarticle 13(d);
...
JAPAN
Declaration:
(1) Pursuant toarticle 5,paragraph 3oftheConvention, theGovernment ofJapan will
notapply thecriterion ofpublication concerning theprotection ofproducers ofphonograms,
...
LESOTHO
Reservations:
...
Withregard toarticle 13:
...[TheKingdom ofLesotho] doesnotconsider itself bound bytheprovisions ofitem(d).
LUXEMBOURG
1. Withregard totheprotection ofproducers ofphonograms, Luxembourg willnotapply
thecriterion ofpublication butonlythecriteria ofnationality andfixation, inaccordance witharticle 5,
paragraph 3,oftheConvention.
...
3. With regard tobroadcasting organizations, inaccordance witharticle 16,paragraph
1(b),oftheConvention, Luxembourg willnotapply theprotection envisaged inarticle 13(d)against
communication tothepublic oftheirtelevision broadcasts.IP/C/W/3
Page6
MONACO
Reservations:
1. Withregard totheprotection ofproducers ofphonograms, Monaco willnotapply the
criterion ofpublication butonlythecriteria ofnationality andfixation, inaccordance witharticle 5,
paragraph 3.
...
3. With regard tobroadcasting organizations, inaccordance witharticle 16,paragraph
1(b),Monaco willnotapply theprovisions ofarticle 13(d) concerning protection against communication
tothepublic oftelevision broadcasts.
NIGER
Declarations:
(1) Article 5,paragraph 3:the"criterion ofpublication" isexcluded;
...
NIGERIA
Declarations:
1. With regard toarticle 5,paragraph 3,theFederal Republic ofNigeria willnotapply
thecriteria ofpublication under article 5,paragraph 1(c).
2. With regard toarticle 6,paragraph 2,theFederal Republic ofNigeria willprotect
broadcasts onlyiftheheadquarters ofthebroadcasting organization issituated inanother Contracting
State andifthebroadcast istransmitted from atransmitter situated inthesame Contracting State.
...
NORWAY
Reservations:
...
d) Pursuant toarticle 6,paragraph 2,reservation ismade totheeffect thatbroadcasts
areonlyprotected iftheheadquarters ofthebroadcasting organisation issituated inanother Contracting
State, andthebroadcast istransmitted from atransmitter inthesame Contracting State.
...IP/C/W/3
Page7
SPAIN
Declarations:
Article 5
[TheGovernment ofSpain] willnotapply thecriterion offirstpublication andwillapply instead
thecriterion offirstfixation.
Article 6
[TheGovernment ofSpain] willprotect broadcasts onlyiftheheadquarters ofthebroadcasting
organization issituated inanother Contracting Stateandthebroadcast wastransmitted fromatransmitter
situated inthesame Contracting State.
...
SWITZERLAND
Reservations:
Adarticle 5
TheSwiss Government declares, inaccordance witharticle 5,paragraph 3oftheConvention,
thatitrejects thecriterion offirstfixation. Itwilltherefore apply thecriterion offirstpublication.
...
SWEDEN
...
(d) Withregard toarticle 16,paragraph 1,sub-paragraph (b):theprovisions ofarticle 13,item(d),
willbeapplied onlywithrespect tothecommunication tothepublic oftelevision broadcasts inacinema
orsimilar place.
...
UNITED KINGDOM OFGREAT BRITAIN AND NORTHERN IRELAND
(1) Inrespect ofarticle 5(1)(b)andinaccordance witharticle 5(3)oftheConvention,
theUnited Kingdom willnotapply, inrespect ofphonograms, thecriterion offixation;IP/C/W/3
Page8
(2) Inrespect ofarticle 6(1)andinaccordance witharticle 6(2)oftheConvention, the
United Kingdom willprotect broadcasts onlyiftheheadquarters ofthebroadcasting organisation is
situated inanother Contracting Stateandthebroadcast wastransmitted fromatransmitter situated in
thesame Contracting State;
...
Territorial Application
Participant Dateofreceipt of
thenotificationTerritories
United Kingdom120Dec1966
10Mar1970Gibraltar
Bermuda
1Theterritorial applications wereeffected subject tothesame declarations asthose made onbehalf oftheUnited Kingdom
upon ratification oftheConvention.RESTRICTED
WORLD TRADE IP/C/W/5
18May1995
ORGANIZATION(95-1311)
Council forTrade-Related Aspects ofIntellectual Property Rights
NOTIFICATION POSSIBILITIES PROVIDED INARTICLES 1.3AND 3.1
OFTHE TRIPS AGREEMENT
Background Note bytheSecretariat
1. Articles 1.3and3.1oftheTRIPS Agreement allow Members toavailthemselves ofcertain
options inregard tothedefinition ofbeneficiary persons andnational treatment, provided that
notifications aremade totheTRIPS Council. Inresponse torequests fromdelegations, theSecretariat
hasprepared thisnoteinorder toattempt toexplain thenature oftheoptions available todelegations
andofthenotifications required.
I. Article 1.3oftheTRIPS Agreement
2. Article 1.3defines thepersons ofother Members thateachMember mustaccord thetreatment
inregard totheprotection ofintellectual property provided forunder theAgreement. These persons
arereferred toas"nationals" butinclude persons, natural orlegal, whohaveaclose attachment to
other Members without necessarily being nationals. Thecriteria fordetermining which persons must
thusbenefit fromthetreatment provided forunder theAgreement arethose laiddown forthispurpose
inthemain pre-existing intellectual property conventions, applied ofcourse withrespect toallWTO
Members, whether ornottheyareparty tothose conventions.
3. Inrelation toperformers, producers ofphonograms andbroadcasting organizations, Article 1.3
oftheTRIPS Agreement requires eachMember oftheWTO toapply thesame criteria fordetermining
eligible beneficiaries asprovided intherelevant provisions oftheRome Convention. Articles 4,5
and6oftheRome Convention laydown thecriteria forthispurpose. However, according to
Articles 5(3)and6(2)oftheRome Convention, certain criteria applicable toproducers ofphonograms
andbroadcasting organizations maybeexcluded bymeans ofanotification. Article 1.3oftheTRIPS
Agreement requires anyTRIPS Member availing itselfofthesepossibilities tomake suchanotification
totheCouncil forTRIPS.
(a) Producers ofphonograms
4. Inaccordance withthecriteria specified inArticle 5(1)oftheRome Convention asincorporated
intotheTRIPS Agreement, eachMember oftheWTO hastoprotect producers ofphonograms ifany
oneofthefollowing conditions ismet:
(a) theproducer ofthephonogram isanational ofanother WTO Member (criterion of
nationality);
(b) thefirstfixation ofthesound wasmade inanother WTO Member (criterion offixation);
(c) thephonogram wasfirstpublished inanother WTO Member (criterion ofpublication).IP/C/W/5
Page2
Itissufficient ifoneofthese conditions issatisfied.1
5. Thecriterion ofnationality maynotbeexcluded. However, inaccordance withtheprovisions
ofArticle 5(3)oftheRome Convention, aWTO Member maydeclare bymeans ofanotification that
itdoesnotapply either thecriterion offixation orthatofpublication. NoMember mayexclude both
atthesame time. IfaMember doesnotmake anynotification, itwillhavetoprotect eachphonogram
producer which meets anyoneofthethree criteria.
(b) Broadcasting organizations
6. Inaccordance withthecriteria specified inArticle 6(1)oftheRome Convention, eachWTO
Member hastoprotect broadcasting organizations ifeither ofthefollowing conditions ismet:
(a) theheadquarters ofthebroadcasting organization issituated inanother WTO Member;
(b) thebroadcast wastransmitted from atransmitter situated inanother WTO Member.
7. Inaccordance withtheprovisions ofArticle 6(2)oftheRome Convention asincorporated into
theTRIPS Agreement, aWTO Member maydeclare bymeans ofanotification thatitwillprotect
broadcasts onlyifbothconditions aremet,i.e.thattheheadquarters ofthebroadcasting organization
issituated inanother WTO Member andthebroadcast wastransmitted fromatransmitter situated in
thesame WTO Member. Once more, ifnonotification ismade, aWTO Member willhavetoprotect
broadcasting organizations which meeteither ofthecriteria.
II. Article 3.1oftheTRIPS Agreement
8. Article 3.1laysdown thebasicnational treatment obligation. EachMember isobliged toaccord
tothenationals ofother Members treatment nolessfavourable thanthatitaccords toitsownnationals
withregard totheprotection ofintellectual property. Thisobligation issubject totheexceptions already
provided intheParis, Berne andRome Conventions andtheTreaty onIntellectual Property inRespect
ofIntegratedCircuits.Furthermore,inrespectofperformers,producersofphonogramsandbroadcasting
organizations, thisobligation onlyapplies inrespect oftherights provided under theTRIPS Agreement.
9. Twooftheexceptions tonational treatment under theprovisions ofthepre-existing international
conventions referred toareconditional onnotification obligations; these aretheexceptions provided
inArticle 6oftheBerne Convention 1971andArticle 16(1)(b) oftheRome Convention. Article 3.1
oftheTRIPS Agreement requires thatanyMember availing itself ofthese possibilities inrespect of
itsTRIPS national treatment obligations shallmake thenotifications inquestion totheTRIPS Council.
(a) Possibility ofrestricting protection ofworks made bynationals ofnon-WTO Members
10. InaccordancewiththecriteriacontainedinArticle3(1)oftheBerneConvention,asincorporated
intotheTRIPS Agreement byitsArticles 1.3and9.1,WTO Members areobliged togrant protection,
including national treatment, toauthors whoarenotnationals2ofaWTO Member fortheirworks first
1Ifaphonogram wasfirstpublished inanon-WTO Member butitwasalsopublished, within thirty days ofitsfirst
publication, inaWTO Member (simultaneous publication), itshall beconsidered, inaccordance withtheprovisions of
Article 5(2)oftheRome Convention, asfirstpublished intheWTO Member.
2Authors whoarenotnationals ofoneoftheWTO Members butwhohave theirhabitual residence inoneofthem,
areassimilated tonationals ofthatMember inaccordance withArticle 3(2)oftheBerne Convention.IP/C/W/5
Page3
published inaWTO Member (criterion ofpublication).3Thisrulecould giverisetothesituation
whereby anational ofanon-WTO country which doesnotprotect inanadequate manner theworks
ofauthors ofWTO Members would nonetheless beeligible tobenefit fromTRIPS protection byfirst
publishing hisorherwork inaWTO Member. Thisisthesituation thatisaddressed, inrelation to
theBerne Convention, byArticle 6(1)oftheBerne Convention, which allows theprotection ofsuch
persons toberestricted, including inrespect ofnational treatment.4Therestrictions permissible under
Article 6(1)oftheBerne Convention inrespect ofBerne member states arealsopermissible under
theTRIPS Agreement inrespect ofWTO Members byvirtue oftheincorporation ofthisprovision
byreference inArticle 9.1oftheTRIPS Agreement anditsrecognition, inrelation tonational treatment,
inArticle 3.1.
11. Thepermissible restrictions oftheprotection ofsuchauthors whoarenotnationals ofWTO
Members areoftwotypes. First, where anational ofanon-WTO Member whoisnotitually resident
inaWTO Member firstpublishes awork inaWTO Member, theWTO Member offirstpublication
mayrestrict theprotection given tothatwork ifthecountry ofwhich theauthor inquestion isanational
failstoprotect inanadequate manner theworks ofitsauthors. Thesecond typeofrestriction of
protection, including inrelation tonational treatment, isthat,iftheMember offirstpublication restricts
protection inthewaydescribed above, other Members mayalsodoso;theyarenotrequired togrant
tothework inquestion awider protection thanthatgranted toitintheMember offirstpublication.
12. Inaccordance withtheprovisions ofArticle 6(3)oftheBerne Convention asincorporated into
theTRIPS Agreement andasreaffirmed inArticle 3.1oftheTRIPS Agreement, aWTO Member which
restricts protection inthese ways isobliged tomake anotification totheCouncil forTRIPS.
13. These possible restrictions ontheprotection ofworks created bynationals ofnon-Member
states appear tohavebeenverylittleusedunder theBerne Convention. According totheinformation
provided bytheInternational Bureau oftheWIPO (depositary ofthe1967and1971ActsoftheBerne
Convention) andtheSwiss Government (depositary ofprevious ActsoftheBerne Convention), no
useofArticle 6hasbeennotified under theBerne Convention itself. Onenotification wasmade earlier,
when thisprovision formed partofthe1914 protocol totheBerne Convention, butthisnotification
isnolonger applicable.
(b) Communication tothepublic oftelevision broadcasts
14. According toArticle 14.3oftheTRIPS Agreement, broadcasting organizations shallhavethe
righttoprohibit thecommunication tothepublic oftheirtelevision broadcasts when undertaken without
theirauthorization. OnthebasisofArticle 14.6, anyWTO Member maylimitthisrighttotheextent
permitted bytheRome Convention.
15. According toArticle 13(d) oftheRome Convention, broadcasting organizations shallenjoy
therighttoauthorize orprohibit thecommunication tothepublic oftheirtelevision broadcasts ifsuch
communication ismade inplaces accessible tothepublic against payment ofanentrance fee;itshall
beamatter forthedomestic lawoftheState where protection ofthisright isclaimed todetermine
theconditions under which itmaybeexercised. However, aStatemay,according toArticle 16(1)(b),
inanotification deposited withtheSecretary-General oftheUnited Nations, declare thatitwillnot
3Works firstpublished inanon-WTO Member which were alsopublished, within thirty daysoftheirfirstpublication,
inaWTO Member (simultaneous publication) alsobenefit from theprotection inaccordance withparagraphs (1)(b) and
(4)ofArticle 3oftheBerne Convention.
4Inaccordance withArticle 6(2)oftheBerne Convention, nosuchrestrictions shall affect therights which anauthor
mayhave acquired inrespect ofawork published inaWTO Member before such restrictions were putintoforce.IP/C/W/5
Page4
apply Article 13(d). Suchanotification alsoaffects thescope ofthenational treatment obligation of
otherContracting States: theyarenotobliged toprovide similar protection tobroadcasting organizations
whose headquarters areintheState thathasmade thenotification.
16. Theincorporation ofArticle 16(1)(b) intotheTRIPS Agreement byreference means that,if
aMember oftheWTO doesnotwishtogrant thisrighttothebroadcasting organizations ofother WTO
Members, itmaymake anotification tothateffect. Thenotification hastobemade, according to
Article 3.1,totheTRIPS Council. Insuchacase, other Members arenotobliged togrant thisright
tobroadcasting organizations whose headquarters areinthatMember, thusbeing authorized toderogate
from thenormal national treatment rule.
III. Timing andrelationship between various notifications
(a) Timing ofnotifications
17. Notifications under Articles 5(3),6(2)and16(1)(b) oftheRome Convention maybedeposited
atthetimeofratification, acceptance oraccession, oranytimethereafter; inthelastcase, theyshall
become effective sixmonths aftertheyhavebeendeposited. AMember oftheWTO wishing toavail
itself ofthese possibilities under theTRIPS Agreement maysimilarly make suchnotifications tothe
TRIPS Council atthetimeofratification, acceptance oraccession, oranytimelater. Inthefirstcase,
thenotification comes effective fromthebeginning ofthemembership, inthelastcasesixmonths after
thenotification hasbeendeposited.
18. Thenotifications inquestion arerelevant toaMember 'snational treatment andmost-favoured-
nation treatment obligations, either directly soorbecause theyaffect thepersons ofother Members
eligiblefornationalandm.f.n.treatment.TheTRIPSobligationsrelatingtonationalandmost-favoured-
nation treatment (Articles 3,4and5)become effective forallWTO Members asof1January 1996.
IfaMember wishes tohavesuchnotifications effective bythistime, itshould make thenecessary
notifications totheTRIPS Council before 1July1995. However, itmaymake notifications evenat
alaterstage. Inthatcasetheybecome effective sixmonths later. Acountry mayalsochoose tomake
notifications atthetimeofratification, acceptance oraccession.
19. Whereas mostWTO Members already provide some protection forphonogram producers and
aretherefore subject tothenational andm.f.n. treatment obligations inthisrespect asof1January 1996,
some Members maynotyethaveanyparticular form ofprotection forbroadcasting organizations.
Thequestion ofgranting national andm.f.n. treatment, andtherefore theissue ofwhether tomake
anotification inrespect ofrules stemming from Article 6(2)andArticle 16(1)(b) oftheRome
ConventionasincorporatedintotheTRIPSAgreement,wouldnotariseuntilanysuchtimeassubstantive
protection ofbroadcasting organizations isintroduced.
20. AMember oftheWTO wishing toavailitselfofthepossibility stemming fromtheincorporation
oftheprovisions ofArticle 6(3)oftheBerne Convention intotheTRIPS Agreement maymake a
notification totheTRIPS Council atanytime.
(b) Relationship between various notifications
21. Notifications already made under Articles 5(3), 6(2)and16(1)(b) oftheRome Convention
apply between itsContracting States inrelation totheirobligations under thatConvention. Such
notifications have noautomatic status under theTRIPS Agreement, which ispartofaseparate
international treaty -theWTO Agreement. Ontheother hand, possible notifications tobemade under
Articles 1.3and3.1oftheTRIPS Agreement relating tophonogram producers orbroadcasting
organizations willapply between theMembers oftheWTO inrelation totheirobligations under the
TRIPS Agreement andwillnotaffect theexisting obligations between theContracting States oftheIP/C/W/5
Page5
Rome Convention. Thesame principles apply toanynotifications relating toArticle 6oftheBerne
Convention.
22. Thetextsoftherelevant provisions oftheTRIPS Agreement, Berne Convention andRome
Convention arereproduced intheAnnex.IP/C/W/5
Page6
ANNEX
Agreement onTrade-Related Aspects ofIntellectual Property Rights
Article 1
Nature andScope ofObligations
...
3. Members shallaccord thetreatment provided forinthisAgreement tothenationals ofother
Members.1Inrespect oftherelevant intellectual property right, thenationals ofother Members shall
beunderstood asthose natural orlegalpersons thatwould meetthecriteria foreligibility forprotection
provided forintheParis Convention (1967), theBerne Convention (1971), theRome Convention and
theTreaty onIntellectual Property inRespect ofIntegrated Circuits, wereallMembers oftheWTO
members ofthose conventions.2AnyMember availing itselfofthepossibilities provided inparagraph 3
ofArticle 5orparagraph 2ofArticle 6oftheRome Convention shallmake anotification asforeseen
inthoseprovisionstotheCouncilforTrade-RelatedAspectsofIntellectualPropertyRights(the"Council
forTRIPS").
Article 3
National Treatment
1. EachMember shallaccord tothenationals ofother Members treatment nolessfavourable than
thatitaccords toitsownnationals withregard totheprotection3ofintellectual property, subject to
theexceptions already provided in,respectively, theParis Convention (1967), theBerne
Convention (1971), theRome Convention ortheTreaty onIntellectual Property inRespect ofIntegrated
Circuits. Inrespect ofperformers, producers ofphonograms andbroadcasting organizations, this
obligation onlyapplies inrespect oftherights provided under thisAgreement. AnyMember availing
itself ofthepossibilities provided inArticle 6oftheBerne Convention (1971) orparagraph 1(b)of
Article 16oftheRome Convention shallmake anotification asforeseen inthose provisions tothe
Council forTRIPS.
...
1When "nationals" arereferred tointhisAgreement, theyshallbedeemed, inthecaseofaseparate customs territory
Member oftheWTO, tomean persons, natural orlegal, whoaredomiciled orwhohave arealandeffective industrial or
commercial establishment inthatcustoms territory.
2InthisAgreement, "Paris Convention" refers totheParis Convention fortheProtection ofIndustrial Property; "Paris
Convention (1967)" refers totheStockholm ActofthisConvention of14July1967. "Berne Convention" refers totheBerne
Convention fortheProtection ofLiterary andArtistic Works; "Berne Convention (1971)" refers totheParis Actofthis
Convention of24July1971. "Rome Convention" refers totheInternational Convention fortheProtection ofPerformers,
Producers ofPhonograms andBroadcasting Organizations, adopted atRome on26October 1961. "Treaty onIntellectual
Property inRespect ofIntegrated Circuits" (IPIC Treaty) refers totheTreaty onIntellectual Property inRespect ofIntegrated
Circuits, adopted atWashington on26May 1989. "WTO Agreement" refers totheAgreement Establishing theWTO.
3Forthepurposes ofArticles 3and4,"protection" shallinclude matters affecting theavailability, acquisition, scope,
maintenance andenforcement ofintellectual property rights aswellasthose matters affecting theuseofintellectual property
rights specifically addressed inthisAgreement.IP/C/W/5
Page7
Berne Convention
Article 6
(1) Where anycountry outside theUnion failstoprotect inanadequate manner theworks
ofauthors whoarenationals ofoneofthecountries oftheUnion, thelatter country mayrestrict the
protection given totheworks ofauthors whoare,atthedateofthefirstpublication thereof, nationals
oftheother country andarenothabitually resident inoneofthecountries oftheUnion. Ifthecountry
offirstpublication avails itself ofthisright, theother countries oftheUnion shallnotberequired to
grant toworks thussubjected tospecial treatment awider protection thanthatgranted tothem inthe
country offirstpublication.
(2) Norestrictions introduced byvirtue ofthepreceding paragraph shallaffect therights
which anauthor mayhaveacquired inrespect ofawork published inacountry oftheUnion before
suchrestrictions were putintoforce.
(3) Thecountries oftheUnion which restrict thegrant ofcopyright inaccordance with
thisArticle shall givenotice thereof totheDirector General oftheWorld Intellectual Property
Organization (hereinafter designated as"theDirector General") byawritten declaration specifying
thecountries inregard towhich protection isrestricted, andtherestrictions towhich rights ofauthors
whoarenationals ofthosecountries aresubjected. TheDirector General shallimmediately communicate
thisdeclaration toallthecountries oftheUnion.
Rome Convention
Article 5
1. Each Contracting State shallgrant national treatment toproducers ofphonograms if
anyofthefollowing conditions ismet:
(a) theproducer ofthephonogram isanational ofanother Contracting State (criterion
ofnationality);
(b) thefirstfixation ofthesound wasmade inanother Contracting State (criterion of
fixation);
(c) thephonogramwasfirstpublishedinanotherContractingState(criterionofpublication).
2. Ifaphonogramwasfirstpublishedinanon-contractingStatebutifitwasalsopublished,
within thirty daysofitsfirstpublication, inaContracting State (simultaneous publication), itshall
beconsidered asfirstpublished intheContracting State.
3. Bymeans ofanotification deposited withtheSecretary-General oftheUnited Nations,
anyContracting State maydeclare thatitwillnotapply thecriterion ofpublication or,alternatively,
thecriterion offixation. Such notification maybedeposited atthetimeofratification, acceptance
oraccession, oratanytimethereafter; inthelastcase, itshallbecome effective sixmonths afterit
hasbeendeposited.IP/C/W/5
Page8
Article 6
1. Each Contracting Stateshallgrant national treatment tobroadcasting organisations if
either ofthefollowing conditions ismet:
(a) theheadquarters ofthebroadcasting organisation issituated inanother Contracting
State;
(b) thebroadcast wastransmitted fromatransmitter situated inanother Contracting State.
2. Bymeans ofanotification deposited withtheSecretary-General oftheUnited Nations,
anyContracting State maydeclare thatitwillprotect broadcasts onlyiftheheadquarters ofthe
broadcasting organisation issituated inanother Contracting State andthebroadcast wastransmitted
from atransmitter situated inthesame Contracting State. Such notification maybedeposited atthe
timeofratification, acceptance oraccession, oratanytimethereafter; inthelastcase,itshallbecome
effective sixmonths afterithasbeendeposited.
Article 16(1)(b)and(2)
1. AnyState,uponbecomingpartytothisConvention,shallbeboundbyalltheobligations
andshallenjoy allthebenefits thereof. However, aStatemayatanytime, inanotification deposited
withtheSecretary-General oftheUnited Nations, declare that:
...
(b) asregards Article 13,itwillnotapply item(d)ofthatArticle; ifaContracting State
makes suchadeclaration, theother Contracting States shallnotbeobliged togrant therightreferred
toinArticle 13,item(d),tobroadcasting organisations whose headquarters areinthatState.
2. Ifthenotification referred toinparagraph 1ofthisArticle ismade afterthedateof
thedepositoftheinstrumentofratification,acceptanceoraccession,thedeclarationwillbecomeeffective
sixmonths afterithasbeendeposited.RESTRICTED
WORLD TRADE IP/C/W/8
28July1995
ORGANIZATION(95-2202)
Council forTrade-Related Aspects
ofIntellectual Property Rights
DRAFT FORMAT FOR LISTING OF"OTHER LAWS AND REGULATIONS"
TOBENOTIFIED UNDER ARTICLE 63.2
Note bytheSecretariat
1. Paragraph 10oftheWorking Hypothesis onProcedures forNotification of,andPossible
Establishment ofaCommon Register of,National Laws andRegulations under Article 63.2(IP/C/W/6)
provides thateachMember shallprovide inaWTO language alisting ofits"other lawsandregulations"
together withabriefdescription oftherelevance ofeachlawandregulation toprovisions oftheTRIPS
Agreement. Atthemeeting oftheCouncil forTRIPS on24May1995, theChairman saidthatafairly
simple two-column typeofpresentation, withthetypeoflaworregulation inquestion inonecolumn
andabrief description ofthesubject ofthelaworregulation andofitsrelevance totheTRIPS
Agreement intheother column, might beenvisaged (IP/C/M/2, paragraph 14).TheCouncil agreed
tohissuggestion thattheSecretariat berequested toprepare adraftformat (IP/C/M/2, paragraphs 34
and35). Thepurpose ofthisnoteistorespond tothisrequest.
2. Itwillberecalled that,inthelightofthevolume oflegislation tobenotified pursuant to
Article 63.2oftheTRIPS Agreement, theWorking Hypothesis departs fromcustomary GATT/WTO
practice ofrequiring thatnotifications ofnational legislation beinaGATT/WTO language andbe
circulated toallMembers inthethree working languages oftheGATT/WTO. Adistinction ismade
betweenthe"maindedicatedintellectualpropertylawsandregulations"and"otherlawsandregulations".
Legislation falling inthefirstcategory would havetobenotified inaWTO language andwould be
distributed inthatlanguage toallMembers asTRIPS Council documents. Translations intootherWTO
languages would onlybemade bytheWTO Secretariat ontherequest ofaMember intheTRIPS Council
andwithin thelimits oftheWTO Secretariat 'sresources. Notifications ofthe"other laws and
regulations" could bemade inanational language, evenwhere thatwasdifferent fromaWTO language,
andwould notbecirculated automatically totheMembers, butwould beavailable forconsultation
byMembers intheSecretariat. Copies would bedistributed toMembers asCouncil documents only
ifarequest were made intheTRIPS Council.
3. Given, therefore, thatthese "other lawsandregulations" would notnormally bedistributed
toMembers inaWTO language, theWorking Hypothesis provides thateachMember shallprovide
inaWTO language alisting ofthese "other lawsandregulations", together withabriefdescription
oftherelevance ofeachlawandregulation totheprovisions oftheTRIPS Agreement.
4. Adraft format forsuchlistings, along thelines suggested bytheChairman attheTRIPS
Council 'smeeting of24May1995, canbefound atAnnex 1.Annex 2contains some hypothetical
examples oftheinformation thatmight beprovided insuchalisting, inorder togiveMembers amore
concrete appreciation ofwhatmight beinvolved. Theremaining paragraphs ofthisnoteconsider a
number ofissues relevant totheinformation thatshould appear inaMember 'slisting.IP/C/W/8
Page2
What arethe"other lawsandregulations" thatwould figure onthelisting?
5. Article 63.2oftheTRIPS Agreement requires thenotification oflawsandregulations made
effective byaMember pertaining tothesubject matter oftheTRIPS Agreement (theavailability, scope,
acquisition, enforcement andprevention oftheabuse ofintellectual property rights). Itisclearfrom
Article 63,paragraphs 1and2,thatthenotification obligation doesnotextend tofinaljudicial decisions
andadministrative rulings ofgeneral application. The"other lawsandregulations" thatwould figure
onthelisting arethose lawsandregulations tobenotified under Article 63.2minus the"main dedicated
lawsandregulations". Therefore, inorder toestablish whatarethese "other lawsandregulations",
itisnecessary todefine whatarethe"main dedicated intellectual property lawsandregulations".
6. IntheWorking Hypothesis, itisstated thatthese main dedicated intellectual property laws
andregulations would include themainlawsandregulations ontheavailability, scope andacquisition
ofeachofthecategories ofintellectual property together withsuchother main lawsandregulations
asarededicated tointellectual property, suchasthose onborder enforcement. Thus, thebasic law
applicable toeachareaofintellectual property would nodoubt fallwithin thiscategory. Onthewhole,
secondary legislation, laying outmore detailed provisions fortheimplementation ofthebasic law,
especially those ofanessentially procedural nature, could besupposed generally nottofallwithin this
category buttofigure onthelisting of"other lawsandregulations". However, there maybesome
regulations which aresoclosely related totheobligations oftheTRIPS Agreement thattheyshould
betreated as"main dedicated intellectual property lawsandregulations"; examples might include
regulationsspecifyingtheprotectionofforeignnationalsanddetailedprovisionsoncompulsorylicensing
giving effect toTRIPS provisions. Inregard toenforcement, some provisions, especially those relating
toremedies, often fallinlawsandregulations dedicated totheintellectual property rightinquestion.
These would thusnormally benotified aspartofthe"main dedicated lawsandregulations". There
mayalsobe,insome countries, lawsorregulations ofamore horizontal nature, butwhich nonetheless
dealspecifically withintellectual property enforcement andaresufficiently important totheTRIPS
Agreement tobeconsidered asamainlaworregulation; examples might include provisions establishing
acourt todealspecifically withintellectual property matters orprovisions onthecustoms enforcement
ofintellectual property rights. Thesituation inrespect oflegislation onprevention oftheabuse of
intellectual property rights islikely tobesimilar tothatforenforcement.
7. The"other lawsandregulations" would include alllaws, however important inrelation tothe
provisions oftheTRIPS Agreement, which arenotdedicated (i.e.specific) tointellectual property
butofmore general application. Much legislation inregard toprocedures fordomestic enforcement,
e.g.thecodes ofcivilandcriminal procedures, andmuch legislation withregard totheprevention
ofabusive practices, e.g.competition oranti-trust laws, arelikely tofallinthiscategory. Asindicated
inthethirdsentence oftheprevious paragraph, thiscategory of"other lawsandregulations" would
alsoinclude those lawsandregulations which, although dedicated tointellectual property, arenotmain
lawsandregulations.
8. Ofcourse, itwillinevitably besomewhat arbitrary what, atthemargin, isputinonecategory
ortheother. Thisisajudgment thatwillhavetobemade inthefirstinstance byeachMember when
deciding howtonotify. If,however, another Member considers thatatextsubjected tothesimplified
procedure ofthelisting should havebeentreated asa"main dedicated laworregulation", theWorking
Hypothesis contains mechanisms fordealing withthesituation. Thatother Member canrequest the
notification ofthelaworregulation, orrelevant parts ofit,inaWTO language anditscirculation
toMembers oftheTRIPS Council. Itshould alsoberecalled that,intheareaofenforcement where
lawsarelesslikely tobe"dedicated" andtherefore more likely tofigure onthelisting, theWorking
Hypothesis provides forachecklist ofissues.IP/C/W/8
Page3
Treatment ofconsolidated texts
9. Thequestion might ariseastowhether consolidated textsoflawsandregulations should be
notified, evenwhere theydonothavelegalstanding inthecountry inquestion. Itissuggested that,
intheinitial notification oflawsandregulations, tobemade asofthetimethatthecorresponding
substantive obligations under theTRIPS Agreement become applicable, Members should beencouraged
tosubmit anyconsolidated textsthatexist, bothofthemaindedicated lawsandregulations andofthe
others, wherever theMember issatisfied thattheyaccurately represent thestateofitslegislation. This
doesnotmean thatdelegations would beinvited toprepare consolidations specifically forthepurposes
oftheirTRIPS notifications, although ofcourse theywould befreetodosoiftheysowished; rather
itissuggested thattheyshould useanyexisting consolidated textsandnotify them together withany
amendments subsequent totheirpreparation.
10. Inregard tonotifications oflegislation subsequent totheinitial notification, other Members
maywellfindthenotification ofamendments useful, since theywould enable Members toseeeasily
thechange thathasbeenmade. TheCouncil maytherefore wishtosuggest that,inregard tosuch
subsequent changes tonational legislation, theamendments benotified, Members might alsobeinvited
toprovide copies ofconsolidated texts, whether ofanofficial orunofficial nature, when andifthey
prepare them.
Structure oflisting
11. Thelistings might bestructured along thelinesofthecategorization intheTRIPS Agreement
itself, i.e.
Copyright andrelated rights
Trademarks
Geographical indications
Industrial designs
Patents (including plant variety protection)
Layout-designs (topographies) ofintegrated circuits
Protection ofundisclosed information
Prevention oftheabuse ofintellectual property rights
Civil judicial procedures andremedies
Provisional judicial measures
Special requirements related toborder measures
Criminal procedures
Anyadministrative procedures andremedies notcovered above
Where alaworregulation isrelevant tomore thanoneheading, itwould needtobementioned under
eachoftherelevant headings.IP/C/W/8
Page4
ANNEX 1
DRAFT FORMAT FOR LISTING OF"OTHER LAWS AND REGULATIONS"
TITLE
DATE OFADOPTION AND ENTRY
INTO FORCEBRIEF DESCRIPTION
Copyright andrelated rights
Trademarks
Geographical indications
etc.
(seeheadings inparagraph 11ofcover note)IP/C/W/8
Page5
ANNEX 2
HYPOTHETICAL ILLUSTRATIVE EXAMPLES OFINFORMATION
TOBEPROVIDED UNDER FORMAT
TITLE
DATE OFADOPTION AND ENTRY
INTO FORCEBRIEF DESCRIPTION
Copyright andrelated rights
Copyright Regulation No....of19.., adopted
...,entry intoforce ...
Regulation No....of19.., adopted ...,entry
intoforce ...TheRegulation contains provisions on
detailed application oftheprovisions ofthe
Copyright ActNo....of19... relating tothe
calculation ofdroit desuiteremuneration,
ephemeral recordings forbroadcasting
purposes andtheprocedures oftheCopyright
Tribunal aswellascertain miscellaneous
provisions
TheRegulation amends theprovisions ofthe
Copyright Regulation No....of19... relating
tothecalculation ofdroit desuite
remuneration
Patents
Patent Regulation No....of19.., adopted ...,
entry intoforce ...
Regulation No....of19.., adopted ...,entry
intoforce ...
Regulation onthePatent Office No....of
19.., adopted ....,entry intoforce ...
Regulation onPatent FeesNo....of19..,
adopted ...,entry intoforce ...TheRegulation contains provisions on
detailed application oftheprovisions ofthe
Patent ActNo....of19... relating topatent
applications
TheRegulation amends Patent Regulation
No....of19..byadding necessary
provisions giving effect totheprocedural
requirements flowing from theadherence to
thePatent Cooperation Treaty
TheRegulation contains detailed provisions
ontheorganization ofthePatent Office
TheRegulation establishes thepatent feesIP/C/W/8
Page6
TITLE
DATE OFADOPTION AND ENTRY
INTO FORCEBRIEF DESCRIPTION
Prevention oftheabuse ofintellectual
property rights
Restrictive Trade Practices ActNo....of
19.., adopted ...,entry intoforce ...TheActmakes actionable, incertain
situations, certain licensing practices and
conditions which restrain competition. The
relevant provisions mayinparticular cases be
applied toanabuse ofintellectual property
rights
Civil judicial procedures andremedies
ActonCivil Procedures No....19.., adopted
...,entry intoforce ...
ActonLiability No....of19.., adopted ..,
entry intoforce ...
Provisional judicial measures
ActonProvisional Measures No....of19..,
adopted ...,entry intoforce ...
Criminal procedures
ActonCriminal Procedures No....of19..,
adopted ...,entry intoforce ...TheAct,together withthesubsequent
amendments, establishes thebasic procedures
forciviljudicial proceedings
TheActcontains provisions onthe
calculation ofdamages
TheActcontains provisions oncertain
provisional measures applicable tocivil
and/or criminal procedures
TheActtogether withthesubsequent
amendments establishes thebasic procedures
forcriminal proceedingsRESTRICTED
WORLD TRADE IP/C/W/15
20November 1995
ORGANIZATION(95-3607)
Council forTrade-Related Aspects ofIntellectual Property Rights
NOTIFICATION PROVISIONS OFINTELLECTUAL PROPERTY CONVENTIONS
INCORPORATED BYREFERENCE INTO THE TRIPS AGREEMENT
BUT NOT EXPLICITLY REFERRED TOINIT
Background Note bytheSecretariat
1. Atitsmeeting of21September 1995, theTRIPS Council, discussing those notification
requirements under theprovisions oftheBerne Convention andtheRome Convention thatwere
incorporated byreference intotheTRIPS Agreement butnotexplicitly referred toinitandwhich had
beenlisted inparagraphs 7to9ofdocument PC/IPL/7/Add.1, requested theSecretariat toprepare
abackground document setting out,first,thenature ofthevarious notification provisions inquestion;
second, theinformation thattheSecretariat would beabletoobtain, withtheassistance ofWIPO and
theUnited Nations Legal Office, onthenotifications thathadalready beenmade under therelevant
provisions oftheBerne Convention andtheRome Convention byTRIPS Members; andthird, taking
intoaccount thewaytheTRIPS Agreement hadhandled other notification provisions, come forward
withoptions forhowtheTRIPS Council might giveeffect alsotothese requirements. Thepurpose
ofthisnoteistorespond tothisrequest.
2. Annex 1tothisnotecontains thenotifications already made pursuant totherelevant provisions
oftheBerne Convention andtheRome Convention andwhich arecurrently effective. Thepartof
theAnnex relating totheBerne Convention isprepared onthebasisofalistofthenotifications issued
inrespect oftherelevant provisions oftheBerne Convention andtheAppendix thereto provided on
17October 1995 bytheInternational Bureau oftheWIPO, whose Director General isthedepositary
oftheStockholm Act(1967) andtheParisAct(1971) oftheBerne Convention. ThepartoftheAnnex
relating totheRome Convention isprepared onthebasis ofalistofStates parties totheRome
Convention andthecorresponding texts ofreservations anddeclarations thatwasprovided on
29March 1995 bytheTreaty Section oftheOffice ofLegal Affairs oftheUnited Nations, whose
Secretary-General isthedepositary oftheConvention. Thedepositary notifications aredrafted by
bothorganizations inEnglish andFrench only. Thecomplete listings andother information provided
byWIPO andtheUnited Nations areavailable intheWTO Secretariat forconsultation byinterested
delegations.
3. Thetextsoftherelevant provisions oftheBerne Convention andtheRome Convention are
reproduced inAnnex 2.
I Nature ofthenotification provisions
(a) TheBerne Convention
4. Article 9.1oftheTRIPS Agreement requires Members tocomply withArticles 14bis(2)(c)
and14bis(3)andArticle 15(4) oftheBerne Convention andtheAppendix thereto. Thenature of
thenotification provisions contained inthese Articles andtherelevant Articles oftheAppendix is
discussed below.IP/C/W/15
Page2
5. Articles 14bis(2)(c) and14bis(3)oftheBerne Convention: Article 14bis(2)(b) oftheBerne
ConventionasincorporatedintotheTRIPSAgreementappliestoaWTOMemberwhichinitslegislation
includes among theowners ofcopyright inacinematographic work authors whohave brought
contributions tothemaking ofthework. InsuchaMember itmust bepresumed thatthese authors
haveconsented, intheabsence ofanycontract tothecontrary, tocertain ways inwhich thefilmmay
beexploited. IfsuchMember 'slegislation requires thattheconsent oftheauthors must havebeen
inwriting, Article 14bis(2)(c)requires thatMember toinform other Members ofthisrequirement by
means ofanotification. Article 14bis(3)requires thataMember thelawofwhich doesnotmake the
presumptionbindingontheprincipaldirectorofthefilmmustsimilarlymakeanotification.Thepurpose
ofthese notification requirements istoallow those concerned toknow theMembers thelegislation
ofwhich applies thepresumption insucharestricted wayandtomake theirarrangements accordingly.
6. Under theBerne Convention onecountry hasmade anotification asforeseen inArticle
14bis(2)(c)andonecountry asforeseen inArticle 14bis(3)oftheBerne Convention. Forthetextof
these notifications, seeAnnex 1.
7. Article 15(4) oftheBerne Convention: Article 15(4) oftheBerne Convention asincorporated
intotheTRIPS Agreement ismainly directed attheprotection offolklore. Itdeals withunpublished
works where theidentity oftheauthor isunknown, butwhere there isevery ground topresume that
heorsheisanational ofagiven WTO Member. Insuchasituation theMember concerned may
designateacompetentauthoritytoprotecttheinterestsoftheauthor.OtherMembersshouldbeinformed
about thisauthority bymeans ofanotification giving fullinformation.
8. Under theBerne Convention onecountry hasmade anotification asforeseen inArticle 15(4)
oftheBerne Convention. Forthetextofthisnotification, seeAnnex 1.
9. Appendix totheBerne Convention: Article 9.1oftheTRIPS Agreement requires Members
tocomply withtheAppendix totheBerne Convention (1971), which contains special provisions for
developing countries. TheAppendix contains anumber ofnotification procedures which arediscussed
below.
(a) Article IoftheAppendix: Paragraph 1requires adeveloping country Member wishing
toavailitself ofthepossibilities provided intheAppendix todeclare thatitwillavailitself
ofthefaculty provided inArticle IIand/or Article IIIoftheAppendix (compulsory licenses
for,respectively, translations andreproductions) bymeans ofanotification. According to
paragraph 2suchdeclarations canbemade forrenewable periods oftenyears. Suchdeclarations
mayberenewed bymeans ofanotification. Paragraph 5dealswiththepossibility foracountry
tomake notifications inrespect ofterritories forwhich ithasinternational responsibility.
(b) Article II(3)(b) oftheAppendix: Thisprovision deals withthesituation where a
developing country Member secures theagreement ofalldeveloped Members, inwhich the
samelanguage isingeneral useasinthatdeveloping country Member, toprovide forashorter
period thantheusual three years afterpublication fortheapplication ofcompulsory licences
tosubstitute fortheexclusive right oftranslation. Theprovision requires thatanysuch
agreement shallbenotified.
(c) Article IV(2) oftheAppendix :Thisprovision deals withthesituation where an
applicant foracompulsory licence ofthetypes provided forinArticles IIandIIIcannot find
theowner oftheright inquestion. Insuchasituation, heorshemust sendacopy ofthe
application toanynational orinternational information centre which mayhavebeendesignated
bytheMember inwhich thepublisher ofthework concerned isbelieved tohavehisprincipal
place ofbusiness. Theparagraph provides thatsuchinformation centres must havebeen
designated inanotification bytheMember concerned.IP/C/W/15
Page3
(d) ArticleIV(4)(c)(iv)oftheAppendix:ThisprovisionallowsdevelopingcountryMembers
toexport copies oftranslations made under compulsory licence, provided thatanumber of
conditions aremet: thelanguage ofthetranslation mustnotbeEnglish, French orSpanish;
therecipients areindividuals whoarenationals oftheMember whose competent authority has
granted thelicense, ororganizations grouping suchindividuals; thecopies must besentfor
teaching, scholarship orresearch purposes; theremustbenocommercial purpose; andthere
mustbeanagreement between theMember granting thelicence andthattowhich thecopies
aresent. Theprovision requires thatsuchanagreement shallbenotified bytheMember in
which thelicense hasbeengranted.
(e) Article VoftheAppendix: ThisArticle provides thatadeveloping country Member
maychoose, bywayofadeclaration made atthetimeofratification oraccession, the"ten-year
régime" which appeared inthe1896 ActoftheBerne Convention fortranslations instead of
thecompulsory licensing system provided forinArticle IIoftheAppendix.
10. Under theBerne Convention onenotification made under Article IoftheAppendix iscurrently
effective. Forthetextofthisnotification, seeAnnex 1.
(b) TheRome Convention
11. Article 17oftheRome Convention: Article 14.6oftheTRIPS Agreement allows aWTO
Member toavailitself ofexceptions permitted under theRome Convention. Article 17oftheRome
Convention allows astatewhich, on26October 1961granted protection toproducers ofphonograms
solely onthebasis ofthecriterion offixation tocontinue todoso,provided itmakes anotification
tothiseffect atthetimeofratification, acceptance oraccession.
12. Under theRome Convention fourcountries havemade anotification asforeseen inArticle 17.
Forthetextofthese notifications, seeAnnex 1.1
13. Article 18oftheRome Convention: Articles 1.3,3.1and14.6oftheTRIPS Agreement relate
tocertainexceptionsundertheRomeConventiontheinvocationofwhichrequirenotification.Article18
oftheRome Convention provides thatanystatewhich hasinvoked suchanexception bymeans of
notifications under Articles 5(3), 6(2), 16(1) or17oftheRome Convention may, byafurther
notification, reduce thescope oforwithdraw thenotification inquestion.
14. Under theRome Convention certain countries havereduced inscope orwithdrawn some of
theirearlier notifications under Articles 5(3),6(2),16(1) or17bymeans ofafurther notification under
Article 18.Annex todocument IP/C/W/3 andAnnex 1tothisdocument contain thenotifications already
made under Articles 5(3),6(2),16(1)(b) and17assubsequently modified bysuchfurther notifications.
Notifications under Article 18oftheRome Convention havenotbeenlisted separately inAnnex 1.
II Notification procedures
(a) Procedures
15. TheCouncil hasalready dealt withnotification procedures under certain provisions ofthe
Berne andRome Conventions incorporated intotheTRIPS Agreement byreference similar tothe
provisions discussed inthisNote, when ittookthedecision concerning notifications under Articles 1.3
and3.1oftheTRIPS Agreement (paragraphs 11and12ofdocument IP/C/M/2). IftheCouncil wishes
tohandle questions relating tonotifications addressed inthisNote inthesame way, itwould invite
1Three ofthese countries have conveyed information totheCouncil forTRIPS regarding theusetheyhave made of
Article 17oftheRome Convention (seedocuments IP/N/2/DNK/1, IP/N/2/FIN/1 andIP/N/2/ITA/2).IP/C/W/15
Page4
MemberswishingtomakesuchnotificationstomakethemtotheCouncilforTRIPS,eveniftheMember
inquestion hadalready made anotification under theBerne orRome Convention inregard tothesame
issue.
(b) Timing ofnotifications
16. Articles 14bis(2)(c) and14bis(3)oftheBerne Convention: Under Articles 14bis(2)(c) and
14bis(3)oftheBerne Convention asincorporated intotheTRIPS Agreement Members arerequired
tomake anotification insituations described inparagraph 5above. Developed country Members,
towhich thenotification obligations stemming fromtheincorporation oftheprovisions oftheseArticles
intotheTRIPS Agreement apply, should make necessary notifications asof1January 1996andother
Members asoftherelevant dateofapplication ofArticle 9.1oftheTRIPS Agreement fortheMember
inquestion. IfaMember subsequently changes itslegislation inawaythatwould require notification
under these provisions, itshould notify asofthetimeofthechange.
17. Article 15(4) oftheBerne Convention: Thepurpose ofArticle 15(4) oftheBerne Convention
istofacilitate benefitting fromtheprotection available inother WTO Members. Therefore, itwould
beintheinterest ofaMember wishing toavailitselfofthepossibility stemming fromtheincorporation
oftheprovisions ofArticle 15(4) oftheBerne Convention intotheTRIPS Agreement inrelation to
other WTO Members tonotify theauthority designated without delay, while being freetodosoat
anytime.
18. TheAppendix totheBerne Convention: Notification under Article I(1)oftheAppendix may
bedeposited atthetimeofdepositing theinstrument ofratification oraccession, oranytimethereafter.
19. Asfarasthecalculation ofrenewable periods oftenyears isconcerned (Article I(2)ofthe
Appendix), thisisaquestion thattheCouncil would needtolookintoifanyMember weretoinvoke
anyoftheprovisions oftheAppendix asincorporated intotheTRIPS Agreement. Itwould notseem
necessary fortheCouncil tocome toaviewonthematter atthispoint.
20. Other notifications stemming from theincorporation oftheprovisions oftheAppendix into
theTRIPS Agreement canbemade atanytime. Theonlyexception inthisregard isArticle V(1)as
incorporated intotheTRIPS Agreement which requires thatthechoice provided inthatparagraph has
tobemade atthetimeofratification oraccession.
21. Articles 17and18oftheRome Convention: Anotification under Article 17oftheRome
Convention hastobemade atthetimeofratification, acceptance oraccession. Afurther notification
under Article 18oftheRome Convention asincorporated intotheTRIPS Agreement canbemade
atanytime.IP/C/W/15
Page5
ANNEX 1
NOTIFICATIONS MADE UNDER THE NOTIFICATION PROVISIONS OFTHE BERNE
CONVENTION AND ROME CONVENTION INCORPORATED BYREFERENCE INTO THE
TRIPS AGREEMENT BUT NOT EXPLICITLY REFERRED TOINIT
Berne Convention
Article 14bis(2)(c)
PORTUGAL
TheDirector General oftheWorld Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) presents his
compliments totheMinister forForeign Affairs and,hasthehonor toinform himofthereceipt, on
November 5,1986, ofadeclaration, dated November 3,1986, oftheGovernment ofthePortuguese
Republic, made pursuant totheprovisions ofparagraph 2(c)ofArticle 14bisoftheBerne Convention
fortheProtection ofLiterary andArtistic Works ofSeptember 9,1886, asrevised atParis on
July24,1971("Paris Act(1971)") totheeffect thattheundertaking byauthors tobring contributions
tothemaking ofacinematographic work must beinawritten agreement.
Article 14bis(3)
INDIA
TheDirector General oftheWorld Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) presents his
compliments totheMinister forForeign Affairs andhasthehonor tonotify himthattheGovernment
oftheRepublic ofIndia, referring toitsratification, witheffect fromJanuary 10,1975, oftheBerne
Convention fortheProtection ofLiterary andArtistic Works ofDecember 9,1886, asrevised atParis
onJuly241971 ("Paris Act(1971)"), withthedeclaration thatitsratification thereof doesnotapply
toArticles 1to21andtheAppendix oftheParis Act(1971) (seeBERNE Notification No.59),
deposited, onFebruary 1,1984, adeclaration extending theeffects ofitsratification tothesaidArticles
andtheAppendix, subject tothefollowing declarations:
1. Withreference toArticle 14bisoftheConvention, theGovernment ofIndia declares,
inaccordance withparagraph 3ofthesaidArticle, thatthisratification shallnotapply tothe
provisions ofArticle 14bis,paragraph 2(b)thereof;
...
Article 15(4)
INDIA
TheDirector General oftheWorld Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) presents his
compliments totheMinister forForeign Affairs andhasthehonor tonotify himthattheGovernment
oftheRepublic ofIndia, referring toitsratification, witheffect fromJanuary 10,1975, oftheBerne
Convention fortheProtection ofLiterary andArtistic Works ofDecember 9,1886, asrevised atParis
onJuly241971 ("Paris Act(1971)"), withthedeclaration thatitsratification thereof doesnotapply
toArticles 1to21andtheAppendix oftheParis Act(1971) (seeBERNE Notification No.59),
deposited, onFebruary 1,1984, adeclaration extending theeffects ofitsratification tothesaidArticles
andtheAppendix, subject tothefollowing declarations:
...IP/C/W/15
Page6
2. TheGovernment ofIndia declares anddesignates theRegistrar oftheCopyrights of
India asacompetent authority interms ofArticle 15,paragraph 4(a)oftheConvention;
...
Article IoftheAppendix
THAILAND
TheDirector General oftheWorld Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) presents his
compliments totheMinister forForeign Affairs andhasthehonor torefer tothedeposit bythe
Government oftheKingdom ofThailand, onSeptember 29,1980, ofitsinstrument ofaccession to
theBerne Convention fortheProtection ofLiterary andArtistic Works ofSeptember 9,1886, asrevised
atParis onJuly24,1971 ("Paris Act(1971)"), andamended onSeptember 28,1979, which deposit
wasaccompanied byadeclaration thatitsaccession didnotapply toArticles 1to21andtheAppendix
oftheParis Act(1971) (seeBERNE Notification No.101).
TheDirector General ofWIPO hasthehonor tonotify thattheGovernment oftheKingdom
ofThailand deposited, onMay23,1995, adeclaration extending theeffects ofthesaidaccession to
Articles 1to21oftheParisAct(1971) andanotification declaring thattheGovernment oftheKingdom
ofThailand avails itselfofthefaculty provided forinArticle II(Limitations ontheRight ofTranslation)
oftheAppendix oftheParis Act(1971).
Articles 1to21oftheParis Act(1971) willenter intoforce, withrespect totheKingdom of
Thailand, onSeptember 2,1995.
Asfarastherelevant provisions oftheAppendix areconcerned, thesaidnotification willbe
effective from September 2,1995, toOctober 10,2004, unless itiswithdrawn earlier (seeArticle
1(2)(b) and(3)oftheAppendix oftheParis Act(1971)).
Rome Convention
Article 17
DENMARK
...
4) Withregard toarticle 17:Denmark willgrant theprotection provided forinarticle
5onlyifthefirstfixation ofthesound wasmade inanother Contracting State(thecriterion offixation)
andwillapply forthepurposes ofparagraph 1(a)(iii)and(iv)ofarticle 16thesaidcriterion instead
ofthecriterion ofnationality.
FINLAND
...
6. Article 17.Finland willapply, forthepurposes ofarticle 5,thecriterion offixation
alone and,forthepurposes ofarticle 16,paragraph 1(a)(iv),thecriterion offixation instead ofthe
criterion ofnationality."IP/C/W/15
Page7
ITALY
...
(4) Withregard toarticle 5andinaccordance witharticle 17oftheConvention, Italywill
apply onlythecriterion offixation forthepurposes ofarticle 5;thesame criterion, instead ofthe
criterion ofnationality, willbeapplied forthepurposes ofthedeclarations provided forinarticle 16,
paragraph I(a)(iii)and(iv),oftheConvention.
SWEDEN
Notifications deposited withtheinstrument ofratification:
...
(e) With regard toarticle 17.
Withdrawal oramendment ofthenotifications deposited withtheinstrument ofratification:
With application ofarticle 18oftheConvention, anotification notifying itswithdrawal or
amendment ofthenotifications deposited withtheinstrument ofratification onJuly13,1962, asfollows:
...
3. Thenotification relating toarticle 17iswithdrawn insofarasreproduction of
phonograms isconcerned. Sweden willfrom July1,1986, grant protection according toarticle 10
oftheConvention toallphonograms.
...IP/C/W/15
Page8
ANNEX 2
NOTIFICATION PROVISIONS OFTHE BERNE CONVENTION AND THE ROME
CONVENTION INCORPORATED BYREFERENCE INTO THE TRIPS AGREEMENT,
BUT NOT EXPLICITLY REFERRED TOINIT
Berne Convention
Article 14bis
(1) Without prejudice tothecopyright inanywork which mayhave beenadapted or
reproduced, acinematographic work shallbeprotected asanoriginal work. Theowner ofcopyright
inacinematographic work shallenjoy thesame rights astheauthor ofanoriginal work, including
therights referred tointhepreceding Article.
(2)(a)Ownership ofcopyright inacinematographic work shallbeamatter forlegislation
inthecountry where protection isclaimed.
(b) However, inthecountries oftheUnion which, bylegislation, include among theowners
ofcopyright inacinematographic work authors whohavebrought contributions tothemaking ofthe
work, suchauthors, iftheyhaveundertaken tobring suchcontributions, maynot,intheabsence of
anycontrary orspecial stipulation, object tothereproduction, distribution, public performance,
communication tothepublic bywire, broadcasting oranyother communication tothepublic, orto
thesubtitling ordubbing oftexts, ofthework.
(c) Thequestion whether ornottheform oftheundertaking referred toabove should,
fortheapplication ofthepreceding subparagraph (b),beinawritten agreement orawritten actof
thesameeffect shallbeamatter forthelegislation ofthecountry where themaker ofthecinematographic
work hashisheadquarters orhabitual residence. However, itshallbeamatter forthelegislation of
thecountry oftheUnion where protection isclaimed toprovide thatthesaidundertaking shallbein
awritten agreement orawritten actofthesame effect. Thecountries whose legislation soprovides
shall notify theDirector General bymeans ofawritten declaration ,which willbeimmediately
communicated byhimtoalltheother countries oftheUnion.
(d) By"contrary orspecial stipulation" ismeant anyrestrictive condition which isrelevant
totheaforesaid undertaking.
(3) Unlessthenationallegislationprovidestothecontrary,theprovisionsofparagraph(2)(b)
above shallnotbeapplicable toauthors ofscenarios, dialogues andmusical works created forthemaking
ofthecinematographic work, ortotheprincipal director thereof. However, those countries ofthe
Union whose legislation doesnotcontain rulesproviding fortheapplication ofthesaidparagraph (2)(b)
tosuchdirector shallnotify theDirector General bymeans ofawritten declaration ,which willbe
immediately communicated byhimtoalltheother countries oftheUnion.
Article 15(4)
(4)(a)Inthecaseofunpublished works where theidentity oftheauthor isunknown, butwhere
there isevery ground topresume thatheisanational ofacountry oftheUnion, itshallbeamatter
forlegislation inthatcountry todesignate thecompetent authority which shallrepresent theauthor
andshallbeentitled toprotect andenforce hisrights inthecountries oftheUnion.IP/C/W/15
Page9
(b)Countries oftheUnion which make suchdesignation under theterms ofthisprovision
shallnotify theDirector General bymeans ofawritten declaration giving fullinformation concerning
theauthority thusdesignated. TheDirector General shallatoncecommunicate thisdeclaration toall
other countries oftheUnion.
Article I(1),(2),(5)oftheAppendix
(1) Anycountryregardedasadevelopingcountryinconformitywiththeestablishedpractice
oftheGeneral Assembly oftheUnited Nations which ratifies oraccedes tothisAct,ofwhich this
Appendix forms anintegral part,andwhich, having regard toitseconomic situation anditssocial or
cultural needs, doesnotconsider itselfimmediately inaposition tomake provision fortheprotection
ofalltherights asprovided forinthisAct,may,byanotification deposited withtheDirector General
atthetimeofdepositing itsinstrument ofratification oraccession or,subject toArticle V(1)(c),at
anytimethereafter, declare thatitwillavailitself ofthefaculty provided forinArticle II,orofthe
faculty provided forinArticle III,orofbothofthose faculties. Itmay, instead ofavailing itself of
thefaculty provided forinArticle II,make adeclaration according toArticle V(1)(a).
(2)(a)Anydeclaration under paragraph (1)notified before theexpiration oftheperiod often
years fromtheentry intoforce ofArticles 1to21andthisAppendix according toArticle 28(2) shall
beeffective untiltheexpiration ofthesaidperiod. Anysuchdeclaration mayberenewed inwhole
orinpartforperiods oftenyears eachbyanotification deposited withtheDirector General notmore
thanfifteen months andnotlessthanthree months before theexpiration oftheten-year period then
running.
(b)Anydeclaration under paragraph (1)notified aftertheexpiration oftheperiod oftenyears
from theentry intoforce ofArticles 1to21andthisAppendix according toArticle 28(2) shallbe
effective untiltheexpiration oftheten-year period thenrunning. Anysuchdeclaration mayberenewed
asprovided forinthesecond sentence ofsubparagraph (a).
(5)Anycountry which isbound bytheprovisions ofthisActandwhich hasdeposited a
declaration oranotification inaccordance withArticle 31(1) withrespect totheapplication ofthis
Acttoaparticular territory, thesituation ofwhich canberegarded asanalogous tothatofthecountries
referred toinparagraph (1),may, inrespect ofsuchterritory, make thedeclaration referred toin
paragraph (1)andthenotification ofrenewal referred toinparagraph (2).Aslongassuchdeclaration
ornotification remains ineffect, theprovisions ofthisAppendix shallbeapplicable totheterritory
inrespect ofwhich itwasmade.
Article II(3)(b)oftheAppendix
(3)(b)Anycountry referred toinparagraph (1)may, withtheunanimous agreement ofthe
developed countries which aremembers oftheUnion andinwhich thesame language isingeneral
use,substitute, inthecaseoftranslations intothatlanguage, fortheperiod ofthree years referred to
inparagraph (2)(a)ashorter period asdetermined bysuchagreement butnotlessthanoneyear.
However, theprovisions oftheforegoing sentence shallnotapply where thelanguage inquestion is
English, French orSpanish. TheDirector General shallbenotified ofanysuchagreement bythe
Governments which haveconcluded it.IP/C/W/15
Page10
Article IV(2) oftheAppendix
(2) Iftheowner oftheright cannot befound, theapplicant foralicense shallsend, by
registered airmail, copies ofhisapplication, submitted totheauthority competent togrant thelicense,
tothepublisher whose name appears onthework andtoanynational orinternational information center
which mayhavebeendesignated, inanotification tothateffect deposited withtheDirector General,
bytheGovernment ofthecountry inwhich thepublisher isbelieved tohavehisprincipal place of
business.
Article IV(4)( c)(iv)oftheAppendix
(c) Where agovernment orother public entity ofacountry which hasgranted alicense tomake
atranslation under Article IIintoalanguage other thanEnglish, French orSpanish sends copies of
atranslation published under suchlicense toanother country, suchsending ofcopies shallnot,for
thepurposes ofsubparagraph (a),beconsidered toconstitute export ifallofthefollowing conditions
aremet:
(iv)thecountry towhich thecopies havebeensenthasagreed withthecountry whose
competent authority hasgranted thelicense toallow thereceipt, ordistribution, or
both, andtheDirector General hasbeennotified oftheagreement bytheGovernment
ofthecountry inwhich thelicense hasbeengranted.
Article VoftheAppendix
(1)(a)Anycountry entitled tomake adeclaration thatitwillavailitselfofthefaculty provided
forinArticle IImay, instead, atthetimeofratifying oracceding tothisAct:
(i) ifitisacountry towhich Article 30(2)(a)applies, make adeclaration under that
provision asfarastherightoftranslation isconcerned;
(ii) ifitisacountry towhich Article 30(2)(a)doesnotapply, andevenifitisnotacountry
outsidetheUnion,makeadeclarationasprovidedforinArticle30(2)(b),firstsentence.
(b) Inthecaseofacountry which ceases toberegarded asadeveloping country asreferred
toinArticle I(1),adeclaration made according tothisparagraph shallbeeffective untilthedateon
which theperiod applicable under Article I(3)expires.
(c) Anycountry which hasmade adeclaration according tothisparagraph maynot
subsequently availitselfofthefaculty provided forinArticle IIevenifitwithdraws thesaiddeclaration.
(2) Subject toparagraph (3),anycountry which hasavailed itselfofthefaculty provided
forinArticle IImaynotsubsequently make adeclaration according toparagraph (1).
(3) Anycountry which hasceased toberegarded asadeveloping country asreferred to
inArticle I(1)may, notlaterthantwoyears prior totheexpiration oftheperiod applicable under
Article I(3), make adeclaration totheeffect provided forinArticle 30(2)(b),firstsentence,
notwithstanding thefactthatitisnotacountry outside theUnion. Suchdeclaration shalltakeeffect
atthedateonwhich theperiod applicable under Article I(3)expires.IP/C/W/15
Page11
[Article 30(2)(b)
(b) Anycountry outside theUnion maydeclare, inacceding tothisConvention andsubject
toArticle V(2)oftheAppendix, thatitintends tosubstitute, temporarily atleast, forArticle 8ofthis
Actconcerning therightoftranslation, theprovisions ofArticle 5oftheUnion Convention of1886,
ascompleted atParis in1896, ontheclearunderstanding thatthesaidprovisions areapplicable only
totranslations intoalanguage ingeneral useinthesaidcountry. Subject toArticle I(6)(b)ofthe
Appendix, anycountry hastherighttoapply, inrelation totherightoftranslation ofworks whose
country oforigin isacountry availing itself ofsuchareservation, aprotection which isequivalent
totheprotection granted bythelatter country.]
Rome Convention
Article 17
AnyStatewhich, onOctober 26,1961, grants protection toproducers ofphonograms solely
onthebasis ofthecriterion offixation may, byanotification deposited withtheSecretary-General
oftheUnited Nations atthetimeofratification, acceptance oraccession, declare thatitwillapply,
forthepurposes ofArticle 5,thecriterion offixation alone and,forthepurposes ofparagraph 1(a)(iii)
and(iv)ofArticle 16,thecriterion offixation instead ofthecriterion ofnationality.
Article 18
AnyStatewhich hasdeposited anotification under paragraph 3ofArticle 5,paragraph 2of
Article 6,paragraph 1ofArticle 16orArticle 17,may, byafurther notification deposited withthe
Secretary-General oftheUnited Nations, reduce itsscope orwithdraw it.RESTRICTED
WORLD TRADE IP/C/W/20
2February 1996
ORGANIZATION(96-0404)
Council forTrade-Related Aspects
ofIntellectual Property Rights
DISTRIBUTION OFNOTIFICATIONS OFLAWS AND REGULATIONS
UNDER ARTICLE 63.2(IP/N/1/- SERIES OFDOCUMENTS)
Note bytheSecretariat
GiventhevolumeofthedocumentstobedistributedintheIP/N/1-series,containingnotifications
oflawsandregulations under Article 63.2oftheTRIPS Agreement, thenumber ofcopies distributed
willbelimited toamaximum offiveperdelegation. Allfivecopies willbesenttotheaddress provided
byeach delegation thatisclosest totheWTO. Thisconforms withthepractice employed inrespect
ofother voluminous series ofdocuments.
Thedocumentation ofmaindedicated intellectual property lawsandregulations willbearranged
inthefollowing sub-series:
IP/N/1/-/C/- Copyright andRelated Rights
IP/N/1/-/T/- Trademarks
IP/N/1/-/G/- Geographical Indications
IP/N/1/-/D/- Industrial Designs
IP/N/1/-/P/- Patents (Including Plant Variety Protection)
IP/N/1/-/L/- Layout-Designs (Topographies) ofIntegrated Circuits
IP/N/1/-/U/- Undisclosed Information
IP/N/1/-/I/- Industrial Property (General)
IP/N/1/-/E/- Enforcement
IP/N/1/-/O/- OtherIP/C/W/20
Page2
WTO/AIR/388 1AUGUST1996
SUBJECT: NOTIFICATION OFCONTACT POINTSFORTECHNICAL COOPERATION ON
TRIPS
23.ATITSMEETING OF22TO25JULY1996,THECOUNCIL FORTRIPSAGREED
TOINVITEEACHDEVELOPED COUNTRY MEMBERTONOTIFYACONTACT POINTFOR
TECHNICAL COOPERATION ONTRIPS,ANDTHATTHISWOULDBEDONEATTHESAME
TIMEASTHEYUPDATEINFORMATIONONTHEIRTECHNICALCOOPERATIONACTIVITIES
RELEVANT TOTHEIMPLEMENTATION OFTHETRIPSAGREEMENT. THECHAIRMAN
NOTEDTHATSUCHCONTACT POINT(ORCONTACT POINTS) COULDBETHESAMEAS
THEONETHATTHEDEVELOPED COUNTRY MEMBERINQUESTION HASNOTIFIED UNDER
ARTICLE 69OFTHETRIPSAGREEMENT, ORITCOULDBEDIFFERENT, DEPENDING
ONTHESTRUCTURE OFTHEADMINISTRATION OFTHATMEMBER.
24.INAIRGRAMWTO/AIR/375,ITWASREQUESTEDTHATWRITTENCONTRIBUTIONS
UPDATING INFORMATION OFTECHNICAL COOPERATION ACTIVITIES BEPROVIDED
BYEACHDEVELOPED COUNTRY MEMBERBY1SEPTEMBER 1996.
25.ACCORDINGLY,THEPURPOSEOFTHISAIRGRAMISTOREQUESTTHATCONTACT
POINTSFORTECHNICAL COOPERATION ONTRIPSBENOTIFIED TOGETHER WITHTHE
CONTRIBUTIONSUPDATINGINFORMATIONONTECHNICALCOOPERATIONACTIVITIES,
ANDTHATSUCHNOTIFICATIONS WOULDCONTAIN THEFOLLOWING INFORMATION:
(i) THENAMEOFTHEAUTHORITY INQUESTION;
(ii) ITSADDRESS;
(iii) ITSTELEPHONE ANDTELEFAX NUMBERS AND,WHERE
APPROPRIATE, E-MAILREFERENCE.
DEVELOPED COUNTRY MEMBERS AREALSOINVITED, WHEREAPPROPRIATE, TO
IDENTIFY ATEACHCONTACT POINTACONTACT OFFICIAL.
RENATORUGGIERO
96-3069TRIPS-IV -Page1
TRIPS-IV
AGREEMENT ONTRADE-RELATED ASPECTS
OFINTELLECTUAL PROPERTY RIGHTS
EXAMPLESTRIPS-IV -Page2
"MOCK" EXAMPLE OFNOTIFICATION UNDER ARTICLE 1.3OFTHE AGREEMENT
"[COUNTRY], inaccordance withArticle 1.3oftheAgreement onTrade-Related Aspects
ofIntellectual Property Rights, willnotapply thecriterion offixation referred toinArticle 5(1)(b)
oftheRome Convention asregards theprotection ofproducers ofphonograms."TRIPS-IV -Page3
"MOCK" EXAMPLE OFNOTIFICATION UNDER ARTICLE 1.3OFTHE AGREEMENT
"Inaccordance withArticle 1.3oftheAgreement onTrade-Related Aspects ofIntellectual
Property Rights, [COUNTRY] avails itself ofthepossibility provided inArticle 6.2oftheRome
Convention and,consequently, willprotect broadcasts onlyiftheheadquarters ofthebroadcasting
organization issituated inaWTO Member andthebroadcast wastransmitted fromatransmitter situated
inthesame WTO Member."TRIPS-IV -Page4
"MOCK" EXAMPLE OFNOTIFICATION UNDER ARTICLE 3.1OFTHE AGREEMENT
"Inaccordance withArticle 3.1oftheAgreement onTrade-Related Aspects ofIntellectual
Property Rights, [COUNTRY] avails itselfofthepossibility referred toinArticle 16(1)(b) oftheRome
Convention andwill,consequently, notapply therightreferred toinArticle 13(d) ofthatConvention."TRIPS-IV -Page5
"MOCK" EXAMPLE OFNOTIFICATION UNDER ARTICLE 4(d)OFTHE AGREEMENT
"Pursuant toArticle 4(d)oftheTRIPS Agreement, [COUNTRY] hereby hasthehonour to
notify totheCouncil forTRIPS theAgreement between [COUNTRY] and[TWO OTHER
COUNTRIES], inparticular Article [...]thereof. Onthebasis oftheprovisions ofthisArticle, the
DesignActandRegulationsConcerningRegistrationofIndustrialDesignsof[COUNTRY],inparticular
Section 36oftheRegulations, exempt applicants forandowners ofindustrial designs domiciled in
[THE TWO OTHER COUNTRIES] from theobligation tohave arepresentative domiciled in
[COUNTRY]."TRIPS-IV -Page6
"MOCK" EXAMPLE OFNOTIFICATION OFLAWS AND REGULATIONS
UNDER ARTICLE 63.2OFTHE AGREEMENT -RELATING TOTHE
PROVISIONS OFARTICLES 70.8AND 70.9
"The Permanent Mission of[COUNTRY] presents itscompliments totheWTO Secretariat
andhasthehonour tomake thefollowing notification pursuant toArticle 63.2oftheAgreement on
Trade-Related Aspects ofIntellectual Property Rights.
With aviewtomeet[COUNTRY 's]obligations under Articles 70.8and70.9oftheTRIPS
Agreement, LawNo.[...]wasadopted on13December 1994, effective from1January 1995, amending
certain provisions ofthePatent Act.
On30December 1994, theNational Directorate ofIndustrial Property issued aresolution
pursuant totheabove-mentioned Law, soastobeabletofulfill theobligations contained inArticles
70.8and70.9oftheTRIPS Agreement.
Thismeasure wasconfirmed byaresolution oftheMinister ofIndustry, whoisthecompetent
authority inmatters relating toindustrial property.
Inaccordance withthese provisions, asfrom 1January 1995, theNational Directorate of
IndustrialPropertyreceivesapplicationsforpatentsforpharmaceuticalandagriculturalchemicalproducts
inaccordance withArticle 70.8oftheTRIPS Agreement and,ifthenecessary conditions aremet,
hastheauthority tograntexclusive marketing rights inaccordance withArticle 70.9ofthatAgreement.
Thetextoftheamended lawandoftheregulations inforce areattached."TRIPS-IV -Page7
"MOCK" EXAMPLE OFNOTIFICATION OFLAWS AND REGULATIONS
UNDER ARTICLE 63.2OFTHE AGREEMENT -RELATING TO
ALL PROVISIONS OFTHE AGREEMENT
"Inaccordance withArticle 63.2oftheAgreement onTrade-Related Aspects ofIntellectual
Property Rights (TRIPS) andtheprocedures laiddown bytheCouncil forTRIPS inNovember 1995,
[COUNTRY] hereby notifies totheCouncil lawsandregulations relating tothefields covered bythe
Agreement. Thelawsandregulations inquestion arelisted intheannexes below. Following theagreed
procedure, twocopies ofmostofthetextsreferred tointhelistshavebeensubmitted. Theremaining
textsarenotified withreference totheWIPO collections, inaccordance withtheDecision oftheTRIPS
Council reflected indocument IP/C/2.
Themain dedicated lawsandregulations aresubmitted intheiroriginal language aswellas
inanunofficialEnglishtranslation."Otherlawsandregulations"aresubmittedintheiroriginallanguage
and,totheextent thatanEnglish translation isavailable, suchatranslation isenclosed aswell.
Themain dedicated lawsthatentered intoforce on1January 1996 havebeenmarked with
anasterisk."TRIPS-IV -Page8
ANNEX I
NOTIFICATION OFLAWS AND REGULATIONS
UNDER ARTICLE 63.2OFTHE AGREEMENT
Main Dedicated Laws andRegulations
ThePatents Act(1967:837)
- Act(1994:234) Amending thePatents Act(1967:837)
- Act(1994:1511) Amending thePatents Act(1967:837)
Act(1971:392) ontheProtection ofPlant Breeder 'sRights
Act(1990:409) ontheProtection ofTrade Secrets
Act(1960:729) onCopyright inLiterary andArtistic Works
- Act(1995:447) Amending theAct(1960:729) onCopyright inLiterary andArtistic Works
- Act(1995:1273) Amending theAct(1960:729) onCopyright inLiterary andArtistic Works
- Act(1995:1274) Amending theAct(1995:447) Amending theAct(1960:729) onCopyright
inLiterary andArtistic Works
Copyright Regulation (1993:1212)
International Copyright Regulation (1994:193)
- Regulation (1995:449) Amending theInternational Copyright Regulation (1994:193)
- Regulation (1995:1275) Amending theInternational Copyright Regulation (1994:193)
Act(1980:612) onMediation inCertain Copyright DisputesTRIPS-IV -Page9
TheTrademarks Act(1960:644)
- Act(1995:1277) Amending theTrademarks Act(1960:644)
- Act(1995:1278) Amending theAct(1994:1510) Amending theTrademarks Act(1960:644)
TheCollective Marks Act(1960:645)
Trademarks Regulation (1960:648)
- Regulation (1995:1279) Amending theTrademark Regulation (1960:648)
Regulation (1970:495) onForeign Trademarks, Etc.
- Regulation (1995:1299) Amending theRegulation (1970:495) onForeign Trademarks, Etc.
Design Protection Act(1970:485)
Design Protection Regulation (1970:486)TRIPS-IV -Page10
Act(1992:1685) ontheProtection ofTopographies forSemiconductor Products
Regulation (1993:1434) ontheApplication inRelation toOther States oftheAct(1992:1685) onthe
Protection ofTopographies forSemiconductor Products
- Regulation (1995:1166) Amending theRegulation (1993:1434) ontheApplication inRelation
toOther States oftheAct(1992:1685) ontheProtection ofTopographies forSemiconductor
Products0
TheMarketing Act(1995:450)
Competition Act(1993:20)
TheSecrecy Act(1980:100)
TheSecrecy Regulation (1980:657)
Act(1994:1552) onCustoms Control ofTrademark InfringementsTRIPS-IV -Page11
ANNEX II
OTHER LAWS AND REGULATIONS
TITLE BRIEF DESCRIPTION
Copyright andRelated Rights
TheCopyright (Commencement) Orders
No.1:SI1989, No.816(C.21)
(Made: 9May1989)
No.2:SI1989, No.955(C.25)
(Made: 9June1989)
No.3:SI1989, No.1032 (C.27)
(Made: 20June1989)
No.4:SI1989, No.1303 (C.45)
(Made: 27July1989)
No.5:SI1990, No.1400 (C.42)
(Made: 10July1990)
No.6:SI1990, No.2168 (C.53)
(Made: 1November 1990)These Orders bring intoforce the
provisions oftheCopyright Act.
Entry intoforce ofcertain provisions:
1August 1989.
Entry intoforce ofcertain provisions:
Forthwith.
TheOrder amends Commencement
Order No.2
Entry intoforce ofcertain provisions:
28July1989.
Entry intoforce ofcertain provisions:
13August 1990.
Entry intoforce ofcertain provisions:
7January 1991.
TheCopyright (Application ofProvisions
relating toEducational Establishments to
Teachers) (No.2)Order 1989,
SI1989, No.1067
(Entry intoforce: 1August 1989)TheOrder applies provisions ofthe
Copyright Acttoeducational establishments
andtoteachers.
TheCopyright (Industrial Process and
Excluded Articles) (No.2)Order 1989,
SI1989, No.1070
(Entry intoforce: 1August 1989)TheOrder defines themeaning of"industrial
process" referred tointheCopyright Act.
ThePerformance (Reciprocal Protection)
(Convention Countries) Order 1995,
SI1995, No.2990
(Entry intoforce: 15December 1995/
1January 1996)Theorder designates certain countries as
enjoying reciprocal protection under PartIIof
theCopyright Act.
TheCopyright (Application toOther
Countries) Order 1993,
SI1993, No.942
(Entry intoforce: 4May1993)TheOrder applies theprovisions ofpartof
theCopyright Acttoworks originating inthe
countries specified intheOrder.TRIPS-IV -Page12
TITLE BRIEF DESCRIPTION
TheCopyright (Application toOther
Countries) (Amendment) Order 1995,
SI1995, No.2987
(Entry intoforce: 15December 1995/
1January 1996)TheOrder amends theCopyright (Application
toOther Countries) Order 1993 (SI1993,
No.942)asamended.
TheCopyright (Certification ofLicensing
Scheme forEducational Recording of
Broadcasts andCable Programmes)
(Educational Recording Agency Limited)
Order 1990, SI1990, No.879
(Made: 5April 1990)Theorder certifies thelicensing scheme tobe
operated bytheEducational Recording
Agency Limited forthegranting ofrecording
licences toeducational establishments.
TheCopyright (Certification ofLicensing
Scheme forEducational Recording of
Broadcasts andCable Programmes)
(Educational Recording Agency Limited)
(Amendment) Orders:
1994, SI1994, No.247
(Entry intoforce: 1April 1994)
1993, SI1993, No.193
(Entry intoforce: 1April 1993)
1992, SI1992, No.211
(Entry intoforce: 6April 1992)These Orders amend thelicensing scheme as
scheduled toTheCopyright (Certification of
Licensing Scheme forEducational Recording
ofBroadcasts andCable Programmes)
(Educational Recording Agency Limited)
Order 1990 (SI1990, No.879).
TheCopyright (Certification ofLicensing
Scheme forEducational Recording of
Broadcasts) (Open University Educational
Enterprises Limited) Order 1993,
SI1993, No.2755
(Entry intoforce: 1January 1994)TheOrder certifies anewlicensing scheme
under Section 143oftheCopyright Act.
TheCopyright (Certification ofLicensing
Scheme forEducational Recording of
Broadcasts) (Guild Sound andVision
Limited) (Revocation) Order 1990,
SI1990, No.2007
(Made: 8October 1990)TheOrder revokes theCopyright
(Certification ofLicensing Scheme for
Educational Recording ofBroadcasts) (Guild
Sound andVision Limited) Order 1990,
SI1990, No.878.
TheCopyright (Status ofFormer Dependent
Territories) Order 1990, SI1990, No.1512
(Entry intoforce: 2August 1990)TheOrder declares thestatus under PartIof
theCopyright Actofcertain former territories
of[COUNTRY].
TheCopyright (Material Open toPublic
Inspection) (Marking ofCopies ofPlans and
Drawings) Order 1990, SI1990, No.1427
(Entry intoforce: 15August 1990)TheOrder provides exceptions tocopyright
inthecaseofcertain material opentopublic
inspection andmarked inthemanner
specified intheOrder.TRIPS-IV -Page13
TITLE BRIEF DESCRIPTION
TheCopyright (Copying byLibrarians and
Archivists) Regulations 1989,
SI1989, No.1212
(Entry intoforce: 1August 1989)TheRegulations prescribe thedescriptions of
libraries andarchives which maymake and
supply copies ofcopyright works forthe
purpose ofprivate study orresearch.
TheCopyright (Material Open toPublic
Inspection) (Marking ofCopies ofMaps)
Order 1989, SI1989, No.1099
(Entry intoforce: 1August 1989)TheOrder provides exceptions tocopyright
inthecaseofcertain material which isopen
topublic inspection.
TheCopyright (Material Open toPublic
Inspection) (International Organisations)
Order 1989, SI1989, No.1098
(Entry intoforce: 1August 1989)TheOrder provides exceptions tocopyright
inthecaseofcertain material which isopen
topublic inspection.
TheCopyright (International Organisations)
Order 1989, SI1989, No.989
(Entry intoforce: 1August 1989)TheOrder confers copyright protection on
works originating withtheUnited Nations, its
Agencies andtheOrganisation ofAmerican
States.
TheCopyright (International Conventions)
Order 1979, SI1979, No.1715
(Entry intoforce: 24January 1980)TheOrder provides fortheprotection in
[COUNTRY] andother specified countries of
works andother subject matter originating in
other countries party tointernational
copyright conventions.
TheCopyright (International Conventions)
(Amendment) Order 1989, SI1989, No.157
(Entry intoforce: 8March 1989)TheOrder amends theCopyright
(International Conventions) Order 1979 to
takeaccount oftheaccession offurther
countries totheBerne Convention.
TheCopyright (International Conventions)
(Amendment No.3)Order 1988,
SI1988, No.1855
(Entry intoforce: 24November 1989)TheOrder amends theCopyright
(International Conventions) Order 1979 to
takeaccount oftheaccession offurther
countries totheBerne Convention.
TheCopyright (Sub-titling ofBroadcasts and
Cable Programmes) (Designated Body) Order
1989, SI1989, No.1013
(Entry intoforce: 1August 1989)TheOrder authorises certain bodies toissue
copies ofsub-titled works.
TheCopyright (Recordings ofFolksongs for
Archives) (Designated Bodies) Order 1989,
SI1989, No.1012
(Entry intoforce: 1August 1989)TheOrder designates certain bodies tomake
copies ofsound recordings ofperformances
ofsongs forthepurpose ofincluding them in
anarchive.
TheCopyright (Sound Recordings)
(Indonesia) Order 1988, SI1988, No.797
(Entry intoforce: 26May1988)TheOrder provides forthecopyright
protection in[COUNTRY] ofsound
recordings originating in[OTHER
COUNTRY].TRIPS-IV -Page14
TITLE BRIEF DESCRIPTION
TheCopyright (Recording forArchives of
Designated Class ofBroadcasts andCable
Programmes) (Designated Bodies)
Order 1993, SI1993, No.74
(Entry intoforce: 12February 1993)TheOrder designates further bodies under
Section 75oftheCopyright Actfor
maintaining anarchive ofbroadcasts and
cable programs.
TheCopyright (Educational Establishments)
(No.2)Order 1989, SI1989, No.1068
(Entry intoforce: 1August 1989)TheOrder specifies educational
establishments forthepurposes ofPartIof
theCopyright Act.
TheCopyright (Hong Kong)(Amendment)
Order 1990, SI1990, No.588
(Entry intoforce: 12April 1990)TheOrder provides fortheextension to
[COUNTRY] ofSection 32oftheCopyright
Act.
Trademarks
TheTrade Marks (Fees) Rules,
SI1994, No.2584
(Entry intoforce: 31October 1994)TheRules specify thefeespayable inrespect
ofanymatters arising under theTrade Marks
Act.
TheTrade Marks andService Marks (Forms)
(Revocation) Rules 1994, SI1994, No.2582
(Entry intoforce: 31October 1994)TheRules revoke theTrade Marks and
Service Marks (Forms) Rules 1986 and
amending Rules.
Trade Marks (Claims toPriority from
Relevant Countries) Order 1994,
SI1994, No.2803
(Entry intoforce: 5December 1994)TheOrder specifies thecountries or
territories asrelevant countries inwhich an
application forregistration ofatrade mark
willconfer priority inrespect ofan
application foratrade mark in[COUNTRY].
TheTrade Marks (Claims toPriority from
Relevant Countries) (Amendment) Order
1995, SI1995, No.2997
(Entry intoforce: 1January 1996)TheOrder amends theTrade Marks (Claims
toPriority from Relevant Countries) Order
1994 (SI1994, No.2803) bysubstituting the
schedule inthatorder byaschedule
specifying alsocountries which areparties to
theAgreement Establishing theWTO.
TheTrade Marks Act1994 (Commencement)
Order 1994, SI1994, No.2550
(Made: 29September 1994)TheOrder brings intoforce allthe
provisions oftheTrade Marks Act.
TheRegister ofTrade Mark Agents Rules
1990, SI1990, No.1458
(Entry intoforce: 1October 1990)TheRules regulate theregistration ofpersons
whoactasagents forothers forthepurpose
ofapplying fororobtaining theregistration
oftrade marks.
TheRegistered Trade Mark Agents (Mixed
Partnerships andBodies Corporate) Rules
1994, SI1994, No.363
(Entry intoforce: 24March 1994)TheRules prescribe theconditions tobe
satisfied bycertain bodies inorder forthem
tocarry onbusiness under thetitleof
"registered trade mark agents".TRIPS-IV -Page15
TITLE BRIEF DESCRIPTION
Geographical Indications
TheWine Regulations 1995, SI1995,
No.615
(Entry intoforce: 1April 1995)TheRegulations provide fortheenforcement
ofRegulation 1601 which laysdown general
rules onthedescription ofaromatized wines.
TheSpirit Drinks Regulations 1990,
SI1990, No.1179.
(Entry intoforce: 29June1990)TheRegulations provide forthe
administration, execution andenforcement of
Regulation 1576 which laysdown general
rules onthedescription ofspirits.
Industrial Designs
TheDesigns (Convention Countries)
Order 1994, SI1994, No.3219
(Entry intoforce: 13January 1995)AnOrder under theDesigns Protection Act
declaring certain countries tobeconvention
countries forthepurposes oftheAct.
TheDesigns (Convention Countries)
Amendment Order 1995, SI1995, No.2988
(Entry intoforce: 15December 1995/
25December 1995/ 1January 1996)AnOrder amending Designs (Convention
Countries) Order 1994 (SI1994, No.3219)
bydeclaring certain countries tobe
convention countries forthepurposes ofthe
Act.
TheRegistered Designs (Fees) (No.2)
Rules 1995, SI1995, No.2913
(Entry intoforce: 4December 1995)TheRules specify feestoaccompany forms
prescribed under theDesigns Protection
Regulation.
TheDesigns (Companies Re-registration)
Rules 1982, SI1982, No.299
(Entry intoforce: 5April 1982)TheRules provide thatwhen acompany
re-registers asapublic company therecords
oftheDesign Registry shallbetreated as
changed accordingly.
TheDesign Right (Reciprocal Protection)
(No.2)Order 1989, SI1989, No.1294
(Entry intoforce: 1August 1989)TheOrder designates thecountries enjoying
reciprocal protection under theprovisions of
theCopyright, Designs andPatents Act1988.
Patents (Including Plant Variety
Protection)
ThePatents (Fees) Rules, SI1995, No.2164
(Entry intoforce: 4September 1995)TheRules specify thefeestobepaidin
respect ofanymatters arising under the
Patents Act.
ThePatent Agents (Mixed Partnerships and
Bodies Corporate) Rules 1994,
SI1994, No.362
(Entry intoforce: 24March 1994)TheRules prescribe, forthepurpose of
Section 276oftheCopyright Act,the
conditions tobesatisfied bycertain bodies in
order forthem tocarry onbusiness under the
name of"patent agents" or"patent
attorneys".TRIPS-IV -Page16
TITLE BRIEF DESCRIPTION
ThePatents (Supplementary Protection
Certificate forMedicinal Products)
Regulations 1992, SI1992, No.3091
(Entry intoforce: 10December 1992/
2January 1993)TheRegulations extend thepowers ofthe
Secretary ofState andextend andapply
certain provisions ofthePatents Act.
ThePatents (Supplementary Protection
Certificate forMedicinal Products) Rules
1992, SI1992, No.3162
(Entry intoforce: 2January 1993)TheRules implement Regulation 1768 which
creates andsetsouttheconditions tothe
granting ofasupplementary protection
certificate formedicinal products which
extends thepatent forapharmaceutical
product byuptofiveyears.
ThePatents (Supplementary Protection
Certificate forMedicinal Products)
(Amendment) Rules 1993, SI1992, No.947
(Entry intoforce: 21April 1993)TheRules correct certain drafting errors in
ThePatents (Supplementary Protection
Certificate forMedicinal products) Rules
1992 (SI1992, No.3162).
ThePatents (Convention Countries)
Order 1994, SI1994, No.3220
(Entry intoforce: 13January 1995)TheOrder specifies countries tobe
convention countries forthepurposes ofthe
Patents Act.
ThePatents (Convention Countries)
(Amendment) Order 1995,
SI1995, No.2989
(Entry intoforce: 15December 1995/
25December 1995/ 1January 1996)TheOrder amends thePatents (Convention
Countries) Order 1994 (SI1994, No.3220).
ThePatents (Licences ofRight) (Exception of
Pesticidal Use)Order 1989,
SI1989, No.1202
(Entry intoforce: 14August 1989)TheOrder proscribes thegranting oflicences
ofrightincertain patents whose termwas
extended from sixteen totwenty years bythe
Patents Act.
ThePatent Agents (Non-recognition of
Certain Agents byComptroller) Rules 1990,
SI1990, No.1454
(Entry intoforce: 13August 1990)TheRules authorise theComptroller torefuse
toregister certain persons aspatent agents.
TheRegister ofPatent Agents Rules 1990,
SI1990, No.1457
(Entry intoforce: 13August 1990)TheRules regulate theregistration ofpersons
whoactasagents forothers forthepurpose
ofapplying orobtaining patents in
[COUNTRY].
ThePatent Office (Address) Rules 1991,
SI1991, No.675
(Entry intoforce: 15April 1991)TheRules specify theaddress ofthePatent
Office andTrade Mark Registry.
ThePatents (Companies Re-registration)
Rules 1982, SI1982, No.297
(Entry intoforce: 5April 1982)TheRules provide thatwhen acompany
re-registers asapublic company therecords
ofthePatent Office shallbetreated as
changed accordingly.TRIPS-IV -Page17
TITLE BRIEF DESCRIPTION
ThePatents Act1949
(Made: 16December 1949)Certain provisions ofthe1949 Actcontinue
toapply topatents applied for,orgranted
before thecoming intoforce ofthe1967
Patents Act.
ThePlant Breeders 'Rights Regulations 1978,
SI1978, No.294
(Entry intoforce: 1April 1978)TheRegulations prescribe provisions to
enable thegranting ofplant breeders 'rights.
ThePlant Breeders 'Rights (Amendment)
Regulations 1985, SI1985, No.1092
(Entry intoforce: 16August 1985)TheRegulations implement thePlant
Breeders 'Rights Act.
ThePlant Breeders 'Rights (Amendment)
Regulations 1993, SI1993, No.2775
(Entry intoforce: 1December 1993)TheRegulations amend thePlant Breeders '
Rights Regulations 1985 byreplacing
Schedule 3withanewSchedule which
specifies thereproductive andother material
which must bedelivered totheController
when seeking grant ofplant breeders 'rights.
Layout-designs (Topographies) of
Integrated Circuits
TheDesign Right (Semiconductor
Topographies) (Amendment)
Regulations 1993, SI1993, No.2497
(Entry intoforce: 10November 1993)TheRegulations amend TheDesign Right
(Semiconductor Topographies) Regulations
1989 (SI1989, No.1100) toshow thecurrent
position ontheadditional classes of
qualifying persons enjoying legalprotection
oftopographies ofintegrated circuits.
Protection ofUndisclosed Information
TheControl ofPesticides Regulations 1986,
SI1986, No.1510
(Entry intoforce: 6October 1986)TheRegulations empower theMinister to
giveapproval topesticides. TheRegulations
include provisions protecting thedisclosure of
confidential information.
TheCopyright, Designs andPatents Act1988 Section 171(1) oftheActemphasises the
precedence oftheoperation ofanyruleof
equity relating tobreaches oftrustor
confidence.
ThePatents Act1977 TheActprohibits incertain circumstances the
disclosure ofinformation without theconsent
oftheapplicant forthepatent.
TheTrade Marks Act1994 TheActprohibits incertain circumstances the
disclosure ofinformation without theconsent
oftheapplicant forthetrade mark.TRIPS-IV -Page18
TITLE BRIEF DESCRIPTION
TheRegistered Designs Act1949 TheActprescribes thatwhere anapplication
fortheregistration ofadesign hasbeen
abandoned orrefused, information filedin
pursuance oftheregistration shallnotbeopen
topublic inspection.
TheMedicines Act1968 TheActwhich makes provisions withrespect
tomedicinal products includes aprovision
(Section 118)restricting thedisclosure of
information. [FullActavailable onrequest. ]
Civil Judicial Procedures andRemedies
TheCopyright, Designs andPatents Act1988 TheActsetsupspecial county courts todeal
withpatents anddesign matters.
ThePatents County Court (Designation and
Jurisdiction) Order 1994, SI1994, No.1609
(Entry intoforce: 11July1994)TheOrder establishes apatents county court.
TheSupreme Court Act1981
TheRules oftheSupreme Court 1965
(Order 1r.1)asamended
TheCounty Court Act1984
TheCounty Court Rules 1981,
SI1981, No.1687 asamendedThese ActsandStatutory Instruments govern
Civil Judicial Proceedings in[COUNTRY].
Further details onciviljudicial procedures
andremedies, including copies oftherelevant
legislation, willfollow shortly withthe
responses totheChecklist ofIssues on
Enforcement (IP/C/5).
TheDesign Right (Proceedings before
Comptroller) Rules 1989, SI1989, No.1130
(Entry intoforce: 1August 1989)TheRules prescribe theforms andfeesand
theprocedures tobefollowed inconnection
withproceedings before theComptroller in
relation todesign rights.
TheDesign Right (Proceedings before
Comptroller) (Amendment) Rules 1990,
SI1990, No.1453
(Entry intoforce: 13August 1990)TheRules amend theDesign Right
(Proceedings before Comptroller) Rules 1989
(SI1989, No.1130).
TheDesign Right (Proceedings before
Comptroller) (Amendment) Rules 1992,
SI1992, No.615
(Entry intoforce: 1August 1989)TheRules amend thefeesprescribed inThe
Design Right (Proceedings before
Comptroller) Rules 1989
(SI1989, No.1130).
TheCopyright Tribunal Rules 1989,
SI1989, No.1129
(Entry intoforce: 1August 1989)TheRules prescribe theprocedures tobe
followed before theCopyright Tribunal inthe
hearing anddetermination ofapplications and
references toitunder theCopyright, Designs
andPatents Act1988.TRIPS-IV -Page19
TITLE BRIEF DESCRIPTION
TheCopyright Tribunal (Amendment)
Rules 1991, SI1991, No.201
(Entry intoforce: 1March 1991)TheRules prescribe theamendments tobe
made toTheCopyright Tribunal Rules 1989
(SI1989, No.1129) inrelation tosound
recordings inbroadcasts andcable
programmes andadvanced programme
information.
TheCopyright Tribunal (Amendment)
Rules 1992, SI1992, No.467
(Entry intoforce: 27March 1992)TheRules correct anerror inTheCopyright
Tribunal Rules 1989 (SI1989, No.1129).
Special Requirements Related toBorder
Measures
TheCounterfeit andPirated Goods
(Consequential Provisions) Regulations 1995,
SI1995, No.1447
(Entry intoforce: 1July1995)TheRegulations make provisions
consequential upon Regulation 3295
concerning counterfeit andpirated goods.
TheTrade Marks (Measures Relating to
Counterfeit Goods) Regulations 1995,
SI1995, No.1444
(Entry intoforce: 1July1995)TheRegulations amend Section 89(3) ofthe
Trade Marks Acttocomply withRegulation
3842 laying down measures relating to
counterfeit goods.
TheCopyright andRights inPerformances
(Notice ofSeizure) Order 1989,
SI1989, No.1006
(Entry intoforce: 1August 1989)TheOrder prescribes theform ofnotice
required forseizing anddetaining infringing
copies ofworks orillicit recordings ofa
performance.
TheCopyright (Customs) Regulations 1989,
SI1989, No.1178
(Entry intoforce: 1August 1989)TheRegulations prescribe theforms, feesand
conditions foranowner ofcertain copyright
works toaskthatimported goods betreated
asprohibited goods.
TheTrade Marks (Customs)
Regulations 1994,
SI1994, No.2625
(Entry intoforce: 31October 1994)TheRegulations prescribe theform inwhich
theproprietor ofaregistered trade mark may
givenotice oftheexpected arrival ofgoods
which hewishes tobetreated asprohibited
goods.
Criminal Procedures
TheCriminal Justice Acts1967 -1993 as
amended.These Actsarethemain Actsgoverning
criminal judicial proceedings in
[COUNTRY].
Further details oncriminal procedures,
including copies oftherelevant legislation,
willfollow shortly withtheresponses tothe
Checklist ofIssues onEnforcement (IP/C/5).TRIPS V-Page1
TRIPS-V
AGREEMENT ONTRADE-RELATED ASPECTS
OFINTELLECTUAL PROPERTY RIGHTS
TEXT OFTHE AGREEMENTTRIPS V-Page2
ANNEX 1C
AGREEMENT ONTRADE-RELATED ASPECTS OF
INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY RIGHTS
PART I GENERAL PROVISIONS AND BASIC PRINCIPLES
PART II STANDARDS CONCERNING THE AVAILABILITY, SCOPE AND USE OF
INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY RIGHTS
1. Copyright andRelated Rights
2. Trademarks
3. Geographical Indications
4. Industrial Designs
5. Patents
6. Layout-Designs (Topographies) ofIntegrated Circuits
7. Protection ofUndisclosed Information
8. Control ofAnti-Competitive Practices inContractual Licences
PART III ENFORCEMENT OFINTELLECTUAL PROPERTY RIGHTS
1. General Obligations
2. Civil andAdministrative Procedures andRemedies
3. Provisional Measures
4. Special Requirements Related toBorder Measures
5. Criminal Procedures
PART IV ACQUISITIONANDMAINTENANCEOFINTELLECTUALPROPERTYRIGHTS
AND RELATED INTER-PARTES PROCEDURES
PART V DISPUTE PREVENTION AND SETTLEMENT
PART VI TRANSITIONAL ARRANGEMENTS
PART VII INSTITUTIONAL ARRANGEMENTS; FINAL PROVISIONSTRIPS V-Page3
AGREEMENT ONTRADE-RELATED ASPECTS OF
INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY RIGHTS
Members,
Desiring toreduce distortions andimpediments tointernational trade, andtaking intoaccount
theneedtopromote effective andadequate protection ofintellectual property rights, andtoensure
thatmeasures andprocedures toenforce intellectual property rights donotthemselves become barriers
tolegitimate trade;
Recognizing ,tothisend,theneedfornewrules anddisciplines concerning:
(a) theapplicability ofthebasic principles ofGATT 1994 andofrelevant international
intellectual property agreements orconventions;
(b) theprovision ofadequate standards andprinciples concerning theavailability, scope
anduseoftrade-related intellectual property rights;
(c) theprovision ofeffective andappropriate means fortheenforcement oftrade-related
intellectual property rights, taking intoaccount differences innational legalsystems;
(d) theprovision ofeffective andexpeditious procedures forthemultilateral prevention
andsettlement ofdisputes between governments; and
(e) transitional arrangements aiming atthefullest participation intheresults ofthe
negotiations;
Recognizing theneedforamultilateral framework ofprinciples, rulesanddisciplines dealing
withinternational trade incounterfeit goods;
Recognizing thatintellectual property rights areprivate rights;
Recognizing theunderlying public policy objectives ofnational systems fortheprotection of
intellectual property, including developmental andtechnological objectives;
Recognizingalsothespecialneedsoftheleast-developedcountryMembersinrespectofmaximum
flexibility inthedomestic implementation oflawsandregulations inorder toenable them tocreate
asound andviable technological base;
Emphasizing theimportance ofreducing tensions byreaching strengthened commitments to
resolve disputes ontrade-related intellectual property issues through multilateral procedures;
Desiring toestablish amutually supportive relationship between theWTO andtheWorld
Intellectual Property Organization (referred tointhisAgreement as"WIPO") aswellasother relevant
international organizations;
Hereby agree asfollows:TRIPS V-Page4
PART I
GENERAL PROVISIONS AND BASIC PRINCIPLES
Article 1
Nature andScope ofObligations
1. Members shallgiveeffect totheprovisions ofthisAgreement. Members may, butshallnot
beobliged to,implement intheirlawmore extensive protection thanisrequired bythisAgreement,
provided thatsuchprotection doesnotcontravene theprovisions ofthisAgreement. Members shall
befreetodetermine theappropriate method ofimplementing theprovisions ofthisAgreement within
theirownlegalsystem andpractice.
2. Forthepurposes ofthisAgreement, theterm"intellectual property" refers toallcategories
ofintellectual property thatarethesubject ofSections 1through 7ofPartII.
3. Members shallaccord thetreatment provided forinthisAgreement tothenationals ofother
Members.1Inrespect oftherelevant intellectual property right, thenationals ofother Members shall
beunderstood asthose natural orlegalpersons thatwould meetthecriteria foreligibility forprotection
provided forintheParis Convention (1967), theBerne Convention (1971), theRome Convention and
theTreaty onIntellectual Property inRespect ofIntegrated Circuits, wereallMembers oftheWTO
members ofthose conventions.2AnyMember availing itselfofthepossibilities provided inparagraph 3
ofArticle 5orparagraph 2ofArticle 6oftheRome Convention shallmake anotification asforeseen
inthoseprovisionstotheCouncilforTrade-RelatedAspectsofIntellectualPropertyRights(the"Council
forTRIPS").
Article 2
Intellectual Property Conventions
1. Inrespect ofParts II,IIIandIVofthisAgreement, Members shallcomply withArticles 1
through 12,andArticle 19,oftheParis Convention (1967).
2. Nothing inParts ItoIVofthisAgreement shallderogate fromexisting obligations thatMembers
mayhavetoeachother under theParis Convention, theBerne Convention, theRome Convention and
theTreaty onIntellectual Property inRespect ofIntegrated Circuits.
1When "nationals" arereferred tointhisAgreement, theyshallbedeemed, inthecaseofaseparate
customs territory Member oftheWTO, tomean persons, natural orlegal, whoaredomiciled orwho
havearealandeffective industrial orcommercial establishment inthatcustoms territory.
2InthisAgreement, "Paris Convention" refers totheParisConvention fortheProtection ofIndustrial
Property; "Paris Convention (1967)" refers totheStockholm ActofthisConvention of14July1967.
"Berne Convention" refers totheBerne Convention fortheProtection ofLiterary andArtistic Works;
"Berne Convention (1971)" refers totheParis ActofthisConvention of24July1971. "Rome
Convention" refers totheInternational Convention fortheProtection ofPerformers, Producers of
Phonograms andBroadcasting Organizations, adopted atRome on26October 1961. "Treaty on
Intellectual Property inRespect ofIntegrated Circuits" (IPIC Treaty) refers totheTreaty onIntellectual
Property inRespect ofIntegrated Circuits, adopted atWashington on26May1989. "WTO Agreement"
refers totheAgreement Establishing theWTO.TRIPS V-Page5
Article 3
National Treatment
1. EachMember shallaccord tothenationals ofother Members treatment nolessfavourable than
thatitaccords toitsownnationals withregard totheprotection3ofintellectual property, subject to
theexceptions already provided in,respectively, theParis Convention (1967), theBerne
Convention (1971), theRome Convention ortheTreaty onIntellectual Property inRespect ofIntegrated
Circuits. Inrespect ofperformers, producers ofphonograms andbroadcasting organizations, this
obligation onlyapplies inrespect oftherights provided under thisAgreement. AnyMember availing
itself ofthepossibilities provided inArticle 6oftheBerne Convention (1971) orparagraph 1(b)of
Article 16oftheRome Convention shallmake anotification asforeseen inthose provisions tothe
Council forTRIPS.
2. Members mayavailthemselves oftheexceptions permitted under paragraph 1inrelation to
judicial andadministrative procedures, including thedesignation ofanaddress forservice orthe
appointment ofanagent within thejurisdiction ofaMember, onlywhere suchexceptions arenecessary
tosecure compliance withlawsandregulations which arenotinconsistent withtheprovisions ofthis
Agreement andwhere suchpractices arenotapplied inamanner which would constitute adisguised
restriction ontrade.
Article 4
Most-Favoured-Nation Treatment
With regard totheprotection ofintellectual property, anyadvantage, favour, privilege or
immunity granted byaMember tothenationals ofanyother country shallbeaccorded immediately
andunconditionally tothenationals ofallother Members. Exempted from thisobligation areany
advantage, favour, privilege orimmunity accorded byaMember:
(a) deriving from international agreements onjudicial assistance orlawenforcement of
ageneral nature andnotparticularly confined totheprotection ofintellectual property;
(b) granted inaccordance withtheprovisions oftheBerne Convention (1971) ortheRome
Convention authorizing thatthetreatment accorded beafunction notofnational
treatment butofthetreatment accorded inanother country;
(c) inrespect oftherights ofperformers, producers ofphonograms andbroadcasting
organizations notprovided under thisAgreement;
(d) deriving frominternational agreements related totheprotection ofintellectual property
which entered intoforcepriortotheentry intoforce oftheWTO Agreement, provided
thatsuchagreements arenotified totheCouncil forTRIPS anddonotconstitute an
arbitrary orunjustifiable discrimination against nationals ofother Members.
3Forthepurposes ofArticles 3and4,"protection" shallinclude matters affecting theavailability,
acquisition, scope, maintenance andenforcement ofintellectual property rights aswellasthose matters
affecting theuseofintellectual property rights specifically addressed inthisAgreement.TRIPS V-Page6
Article 5
Multilateral Agreements onAcquisition or
Maintenance ofProtection
Theobligations under Articles 3and4donotapply toprocedures provided inmultilateral
agreements concluded under theauspices ofWIPO relating totheacquisition ormaintenance of
intellectual property rights.
Article 6
Exhaustion
Forthepurposes ofdispute settlement under thisAgreement, subject totheprovisions of
Articles 3and4nothing inthisAgreement shallbeusedtoaddress theissue oftheexhaustion of
intellectual property rights.
Article 7
Objectives
Theprotectionandenforcementofintellectualpropertyrightsshouldcontributetothepromotion
oftechnological innovation andtothetransfer anddissemination oftechnology, tothemutual advantage
ofproducers andusers oftechnological knowledge andinamanner conducive tosocial andeconomic
welfare, andtoabalance ofrights andobligations.
Article 8
Principles
1. Members may,informulating oramending theirlawsandregulations, adopt measures necessary
toprotect public health andnutrition, andtopromote thepublic interest insectors ofvitalimportance
totheirsocio-economic andtechnological development, provided thatsuchmeasures areconsistent
withtheprovisions ofthisAgreement.
2. Appropriate measures, provided thattheyareconsistent withtheprovisions ofthisAgreement,
maybeneeded toprevent theabuse ofintellectual property rights byright holders ortheresort to
practices which unreasonably restrain tradeoradversely affect theinternational transfer oftechnology.TRIPS V-Page7
PART II
STANDARDS CONCERNING THE AVAILABILITY, SCOPE
AND USEOFINTELLECTUAL PROPERTY RIGHTS
SECTION 1:COPYRIGHT AND RELATED RIGHTS
Article 9
Relation totheBerne Convention
1. Members shallcomply withArticles 1through 21oftheBerne Convention (1971) andthe
Appendix thereto. However, Members shallnothaverights orobligations under thisAgreement in
respect oftherights conferred under Article 6bisofthatConvention oroftherights derived therefrom.
2. Copyright protection shallextend toexpressions andnottoideas, procedures, methods of
operation ormathematical concepts assuch.
Article 10
Computer Programs andCompilations ofData
1. Computer programs, whether insource orobject code, shallbeprotected asliterary works
under theBerne Convention (1971).
2. Compilations ofdataorother material, whether inmachine readable orother form, which by
reason oftheselection orarrangement oftheircontents constitute intellectual creations shallbeprotected
assuch. Suchprotection, which shallnotextend tothedataormaterial itself, shallbewithout prejudice
toanycopyright subsisting inthedataormaterial itself.
Article 11
Rental Rights
Inrespect ofatleastcomputer programs andcinematographic works, aMember shallprovide
authors andtheirsuccessors intitletherighttoauthorize ortoprohibit thecommercial rental tothe
public oforiginals orcopies oftheircopyright works. AMember shallbeexcepted fromthisobligation
inrespect ofcinematographic works unless suchrental hasledtowidespread copying ofsuchworks
which ismaterially impairing theexclusive rightofreproduction conferred inthatMember onauthors
andtheirsuccessors intitle. Inrespect ofcomputer programs, thisobligation doesnotapply torentals
where theprogram itself isnottheessential object oftherental.TRIPS V-Page8
Article 12
Term ofProtection
Whenever thetermofprotection ofawork, otherthanaphotographic workoraworkofapplied
art,iscalculated onabasis other thanthelifeofanatural person, suchtermshallbenolessthan
50years from theendofthecalendar yearofauthorized publication, or,failing suchauthorized
publication within 50years fromthemaking ofthework, 50years fromtheendofthecalendar year
ofmaking.
Article 13
Limitations andExceptions
Members shallconfine limitations orexceptions toexclusive rights tocertain special caseswhich
donotconflict withanormal exploitation ofthework anddonotunreasonably prejudice thelegitimate
interests oftherightholder.
Article 14
Protection ofPerformers, Producers ofPhonograms
(Sound Recordings) andBroadcasting Organizations
1. Inrespectofafixationoftheirperformanceonaphonogram,performersshallhavethepossibility
ofpreventing thefollowing actswhen undertaken without theirauthorization: thefixation oftheir
unfixed performance andthereproduction ofsuchfixation. Performers shallalsohavethepossibility
ofpreventing thefollowing actswhen undertaken without theirauthorization: thebroadcasting by
wireless means andthecommunication tothepublic oftheirliveperformance.
2. Producers ofphonograms shallenjoy therighttoauthorize orprohibit thedirect orindirect
reproduction oftheirphonograms.
3. Broadcasting organizations shallhavetherighttoprohibit thefollowing actswhen undertaken
withouttheirauthorization:thefixation,thereproductionoffixations,andtherebroadcastingbywireless
means ofbroadcasts, aswellasthecommunication tothepublic oftelevision broadcasts ofthesame.
Where Members donotgrant suchrights tobroadcasting organizations, theyshallprovide owners
ofcopyright inthesubject matter ofbroadcasts withthepossibility ofpreventing theabove acts,subject
totheprovisions oftheBerne Convention (1971).
4. Theprovisions ofArticle 11inrespect ofcomputer programs shallapply mutatis mutandis
toproducers ofphonograms andanyother rightholders inphonograms asdetermined inaMember 's
law. Ifon15April 1994 aMember hasinforce asystem ofequitable remuneration ofrightholders
inrespect oftherental ofphonograms, itmaymaintain suchsystem provided thatthecommercial rental
ofphonograms isnotgiving risetothematerial impairment oftheexclusive rights ofreproduction
ofrightholders.
5. Thetermoftheprotection available under thisAgreement toperformers andproducers of
phonograms shalllastatleastuntiltheendofaperiod of50years computed fromtheendofthecalendar
yearinwhich thefixation wasmade ortheperformance tookplace. Thetermofprotection granted
pursuant toparagraph 3shalllastforatleast20years fromtheendofthecalendar yearinwhich the
broadcast tookplace.TRIPS V-Page9
6. AnyMember may, inrelation totherights conferred under paragraphs 1,2and3,provide
forconditions, limitations, exceptions andreservations totheextent permitted bytheRome Convention.
However,theprovisionsofArticle18oftheBerneConvention(1971)shallalsoapply,mutatismutandis,
totherights ofperformers andproducers ofphonograms inphonograms.
SECTION 2:TRADEMARKS
Article 15
Protectable Subject Matter
1. Anysign,oranycombination ofsigns, capable ofdistinguishing thegoods orservices ofone
undertaking fromthose ofother undertakings, shallbecapable ofconstituting atrademark. Suchsigns,
inparticular words including personal names, letters, numerals, figurative elements andcombinations
ofcolours aswellasanycombination ofsuchsigns, shallbeeligible forregistration astrademarks.
Where signs arenotinherently capable ofdistinguishing therelevant goods orservices, Members may
makeregistrabilitydependondistinctivenessacquiredthroughuse.Membersmayrequire,asacondition
ofregistration, thatsigns bevisually perceptible.
2. Paragraph 1shall notbeunderstood toprevent aMember from denying registration ofa
trademark onother grounds, provided thattheydonotderogate from theprovisions oftheParis
Convention (1967).
3. Members maymake registrability depend onuse.However, actual useofatrademark shall
notbeacondition forfiling anapplication forregistration. Anapplication shallnotberefused solely
ontheground thatintended usehasnottaken place before theexpiry ofaperiod ofthree years from
thedateofapplication.
4. Thenature ofthegoods orservices towhich atrademark istobeapplied shallinnocaseform
anobstacle toregistration ofthetrademark.
5. Members shall publish eachtrademark either before itisregistered orpromptly afteritis
registered andshallafford areasonable opportunity forpetitions tocancel theregistration. Inaddition,
Members mayafford anopportunity fortheregistration ofatrademark tobeopposed.
Article 16
Rights Conferred
1. Theowner ofaregistered trademark shallhavetheexclusive righttoprevent allthirdparties
nothaving theowner ’sconsent fromusing inthecourse oftrade identical orsimilar signs forgoods
orservices which areidentical orsimilar tothose inrespect ofwhich thetrademark isregistered where
suchusewould result inalikelihood ofconfusion. Incaseoftheuseofanidentical signforidentical
goods orservices, alikelihood ofconfusion shallbepresumed. Therights described above shallnot
prejudice anyexisting prior rights, norshalltheyaffect thepossibility ofMembers making rights
available onthebasis ofuse.TRIPS V-Page10
2. Article 6bisoftheParis Convention (1967) shallapply, mutatis mutandis ,toservices. In
determining whether atrademark iswell-known, Members shalltakeaccount oftheknowledge ofthe
trademark intherelevant sector ofthepublic, including knowledge intheMember concerned which
hasbeenobtained asaresult ofthepromotion ofthetrademark.
3. Article 6bisoftheParisConvention (1967) shallapply, mutatis mutandis ,togoods orservices
which arenotsimilar tothose inrespect ofwhich atrademark isregistered, provided thatuseofthat
trademark inrelation tothose goods orservices would indicate aconnection between those goods or
services andtheowner oftheregistered trademark andprovided thattheinterests oftheowner ofthe
registered trademark arelikely tobedamaged bysuchuse.
Article 17
Exceptions
Members mayprovide limited exceptions totherights conferred byatrademark, suchasfair
useofdescriptive terms, provided thatsuchexceptions takeaccount ofthelegitimate interests ofthe
owner ofthetrademark andofthirdparties.
Article 18
Term ofProtection
Initial registration, andeachrenewal ofregistration, ofatrademark shallbeforatermofno
lessthanseven years. Theregistration ofatrademark shallberenewable indefinitely.
Article 19
Requirement ofUse
1. Ifuseisrequired tomaintain aregistration, theregistration maybecancelled onlyafteran
uninterrupted period ofatleastthree years ofnon-use, unless valid reasons based ontheexistence
ofobstacles tosuchuseareshown bythetrademark owner. Circumstances arising independently of
thewilloftheowner ofthetrademark which constitute anobstacle totheuseofthetrademark, such
asimport restrictions onorother government requirements forgoods orservices protected bythe
trademark, shallberecognized asvalid reasons fornon-use.
2. When subject tothecontrol ofitsowner, useofatrademark byanother person shall be
recognized asuseofthetrademark forthepurpose ofmaintaining theregistration.
Article 20
Other Requirements
Theuseofatrademark inthecourse oftradeshallnotbeunjustifiably encumbered byspecial
requirements, suchasusewithanother trademark, useinaspecial formoruseinamanner detrimental
toitscapability todistinguish thegoods orservices ofoneundertaking fromthoseofotherundertakings.TRIPS V-Page11
Thiswillnotpreclude arequirement prescribing theuseofthetrademark identifying theundertaking
producing thegoods orservices along with, butwithout linking itto,thetrademark distinguishing
thespecific goods orservices inquestion ofthatundertaking.
Article 21
Licensing andAssignment
Members maydetermine conditions onthelicensing andassignment oftrademarks, itbeing
understood thatthecompulsory licensing oftrademarks shallnotbepermitted andthattheowner of
aregistered trademark shallhavetherighttoassign thetrademark withorwithout thetransfer ofthe
business towhich thetrademark belongs.
SECTION 3:GEOGRAPHICAL INDICATIONS
Article 22
Protection ofGeographical Indications
1. Geographical indications are,forthepurposes ofthisAgreement, indications which identify
agood asoriginating intheterritory ofaMember, oraregion orlocality inthatterritory, where a
given quality, reputation orother characteristic ofthegoodisessentially attributable toitsgeographical
origin.
2. Inrespect ofgeographical indications, Members shallprovide thelegalmeans forinterested
parties toprevent:
(a) theuseofanymeans inthedesignation orpresentation ofagood thatindicates or
suggests thatthegoodinquestion originates inageographical areaother thanthetrue
place oforigin inamanner which misleads thepublic astothegeographical origin
ofthegood;
(b) anyusewhich constitutes anactofunfair competition within themeaning of
Article 10bisoftheParis Convention (1967).
3. AMember shall, exofficio ifitslegislation sopermits orattherequest ofaninterested party,
refuse orinvalidate theregistration ofatrademark which contains orconsists ofageographical indication
withrespect togoods notoriginating intheterritory indicated, ifuseoftheindication inthetrademark
forsuchgoods inthatMember isofsuchanature astomislead thepublic astothetrueplace oforigin.
4. Theprotection under paragraphs 1,2and3shallbeapplicable against ageographical indication
which, although literally trueastotheterritory, region orlocality inwhich thegoods originate, falsely
represents tothepublic thatthegoods originate inanother territory.TRIPS V-Page12
Article 23
Additional Protection forGeographical Indications
forWines andSpirits
1. EachMembershallprovidethelegalmeansforinterestedpartiestopreventuseofageographical
indicationidentifyingwinesforwinesnotoriginatingintheplaceindicatedbythegeographicalindication
inquestion oridentifying spirits forspirits notoriginating intheplace indicated bythegeographical
indication inquestion, evenwhere thetrueorigin ofthegoods isindicated orthegeographical indication
isusedintranslation oraccompanied byexpressions suchas"kind", "type", "style", "imitation" or
thelike.4
2. Theregistration ofatrademark forwines which contains orconsists ofageographical indication
identifying wines orforspirits which contains orconsists ofageographical indication identifying spirits
shallberefused orinvalidated, exofficio ifaMember 'slegislation sopermits orattherequest ofan
interested party, withrespect tosuchwines orspirits nothaving thisorigin.
3. Inthecaseofhomonymous geographical indications forwines, protection shallbeaccorded
toeachindication, subject totheprovisions ofparagraph 4ofArticle 22.EachMember shalldetermine
thepractical conditions under which thehomonymous indications inquestion willbedifferentiated
fromeachother, taking intoaccount theneedtoensure equitable treatment oftheproducers concerned
andthatconsumers arenotmisled.
4. Inorder tofacilitate theprotection ofgeographical indications forwines, negotiations shall
beundertaken intheCouncil forTRIPS concerning theestablishment ofamultilateral system of
notificationandregistrationofgeographicalindicationsforwineseligibleforprotectioninthoseMembers
participating inthesystem.
Article 24
International Negotiations; Exceptions
1. Members agree toenter intonegotiations aimed atincreasing theprotection ofindividual
geographical indications under Article 23.Theprovisions ofparagraphs 4through 8below shallnot
beusedbyaMembertorefusetoconductnegotiationsortoconcludebilateralormultilateralagreements.
Inthecontext ofsuchnegotiations, Members shallbewilling toconsider thecontinued applicability
oftheseprovisions toindividual geographical indications whose usewasthesubject ofsuchnegotiations.
2. TheCouncil forTRIPS shallkeepunder review theapplication oftheprovisions ofthisSection;
thefirstsuchreview shalltakeplace within twoyears oftheentry intoforce oftheWTO Agreement.
Anymatter affecting thecompliance withtheobligations under these provisions maybedrawn tothe
attention oftheCouncil, which, attherequest ofaMember, shallconsult withanyMember orMembers
inrespect ofsuchmatter inrespect ofwhich ithasnotbeenpossible tofindasatisfactory solution
through bilateral orplurilateral consultations between theMembers concerned. TheCouncil shalltake
suchaction asmaybeagreed tofacilitate theoperation andfurther theobjectives ofthisSection.
4Notwithstanding thefirstsentence ofArticle 42,Members may,withrespect totheseobligations,
instead provide forenforcement byadministrative action.TRIPS V-Page13
3. Inimplementing thisSection, aMember shall notdiminish theprotection ofgeographical
indications thatexisted inthatMember immediately prior tothedateofentry intoforce oftheWTO
Agreement.
4. Nothing inthisSection shall require aMember toprevent continued andsimilar useofa
particular geographical indication ofanother Member identifying wines orspirits inconnection with
goods orservices byanyofitsnationals ordomiciliaries whohaveusedthatgeographical indication
inacontinuous manner withregard tothesame orrelated goods orservices intheterritory ofthat
Member either (a)foratleast10years preceding 15April 1994 or(b)ingood faithpreceding that
date.
5. Where atrademark hasbeenapplied fororregistered ingood faith, orwhere rights toa
trademark havebeenacquired through useingood faitheither:
(a) before thedateofapplication oftheseprovisions inthatMember asdefined inPartVI;
or
(b) before thegeographical indication isprotected initscountry oforigin;
measures adopted toimplement thisSection shallnotprejudice eligibility fororthevalidity ofthe
registration ofatrademark, ortherighttouseatrademark, onthebasisthatsuchatrademark isidentical
with, orsimilar to,ageographical indication.
6. NothinginthisSectionshallrequireaMembertoapplyitsprovisionsinrespectofageographical
indication ofanyother Member withrespect togoods orservices forwhich therelevant indication
isidentical withthetermcustomary incommon language asthecommon name forsuchgoods orservices
intheterritory ofthatMember. Nothing inthisSection shallrequire aMember toapply itsprovisions
inrespect ofageographical indication ofanyother Member withrespect toproducts ofthevinefor
which therelevant indication isidentical withthecustomary name ofagrape variety existing inthe
territory ofthatMember asofthedateofentry intoforce oftheWTO Agreement.
7. AMember mayprovide thatanyrequest made under thisSection inconnection withtheuse
orregistration ofatrademark mustbepresented within fiveyears aftertheadverse useoftheprotected
indication hasbecome generally known inthatMember orafterthedateofregistration ofthetrademark
inthatMember provided thatthetrademark hasbeenpublished bythatdate, ifsuchdateisearlier
thanthedateonwhich theadverse usebecame generally known inthatMember, provided thatthe
geographical indication isnotusedorregistered inbadfaith.
8. Theprovisions ofthisSection shallinnowayprejudice therightofanyperson touse,inthe
course oftrade, thatperson ’sname orthename ofthatperson ’spredecessor inbusiness, except where
suchname isusedinsuchamanner astomislead thepublic.
9. There shallbenoobligation under thisAgreement toprotect geographical indications which
arenotorcease tobeprotected intheircountry oforigin, orwhich havefallen intodisuse inthat
country.TRIPS V-Page14
SECTION 4:INDUSTRIAL DESIGNS
Article 25
Requirements forProtection
1. Members shallprovide fortheprotection ofindependently created industrial designs thatare
newororiginal. Members mayprovide thatdesigns arenotnewororiginal iftheydonotsignificantly
differ from known designs orcombinations ofknown design features. Members mayprovide that
suchprotection shallnotextend todesigns dictated essentially bytechnical orfunctional considerations.
2. Each Member shallensure thatrequirements forsecuring protection fortextile designs, in
particular inregard toanycost,examination orpublication, donotunreasonably impair theopportunity
toseekandobtain suchprotection. Members shallbefreetomeetthisobligation through industrial
design laworthrough copyright law.
Article 26
Protection
1. Theowner ofaprotected industrial design shallhavetherighttoprevent thirdparties nothaving
theowner ’sconsent frommaking, selling orimporting articles bearing orembodying adesign which
isacopy, orsubstantially acopy, oftheprotected design, when suchactsareundertaken forcommercial
purposes.
2. Members mayprovide limited exceptions totheprotection ofindustrial designs, provided that
suchexceptions donotunreasonably conflict withthenormal exploitation ofprotected industrial designs
anddonotunreasonably prejudice thelegitimate interests oftheowner oftheprotected design, taking
account ofthelegitimate interests ofthirdparties.
3. Theduration ofprotection available shallamount toatleast10years.
SECTION 5:PATENTS
Article 27
Patentable Subject Matter
1. Subject totheprovisions ofparagraphs 2and3,patents shallbeavailable foranyinventions,
whether products orprocesses, inallfields oftechnology, provided thattheyarenew, involve an
inventive stepandarecapable ofindustrial application.5Subject toparagraph 4ofArticle 65,
paragraph 8ofArticle 70andparagraph 3ofthisArticle, patents shallbeavailable andpatent rights
enjoyablewithoutdiscriminationastotheplaceofinvention,thefieldoftechnologyandwhetherproducts
areimported orlocally produced.
5Forthepurposes ofthisArticle, theterms "inventive step" and"capable ofindustrial application"
maybedeemed byaMember tobesynonymous withtheterms "non-obvious" and"useful" respectively.TRIPS V-Page15
2. Members mayexclude from patentability inventions, theprevention within theirterritory of
thecommercial exploitation ofwhich isnecessary toprotect ordre public ormorality, including to
protect human, animal orplantlifeorhealth ortoavoid serious prejudice totheenvironment, provided
thatsuchexclusion isnotmade merely because theexploitation isprohibited bytheirlaw.
3. Members mayalsoexclude from patentability:
(a) diagnostic, therapeutic andsurgical methods forthetreatment ofhumans oranimals;
(b) plants andanimals other thanmicro-organisms, andessentially biological processes
fortheproduction ofplants oranimals other thannon-biological andmicrobiological
processes. However, Members shallprovide fortheprotection ofplantvarieties either
bypatents orbyaneffective suigeneris system orbyanycombination thereof. The
provisions ofthissubparagraph shallbereviewed fouryears afterthedateofentry
intoforce oftheWTO Agreement.
Article 28
Rights Conferred
1. Apatent shallconfer onitsowner thefollowing exclusive rights:
(a) where thesubject matter ofapatent isaproduct, toprevent thirdparties nothaving
theowner ’sconsent from theactsof:making, using, offering forsale,selling, or
importing6forthese purposes thatproduct;
(b) where thesubject matter ofapatent isaprocess, toprevent thirdparties nothaving
theowner ’sconsent from theactofusing theprocess, andfrom theactsof:using,
offering forsale,selling, orimporting forthese purposes atleasttheproduct obtained
directly bythatprocess.
2. Patent owners shallalsohavetherighttoassign, ortransfer bysuccession, thepatent andto
conclude licensing contracts.
Article 29
Conditions onPatent Applicants
1. Members shallrequire thatanapplicant forapatent shalldisclose theinvention inamanner
sufficiently clear andcomplete fortheinvention tobecarried outbyaperson skilled intheartand
mayrequire theapplicant toindicate thebestmode forcarrying outtheinvention known totheinventor
atthefiling dateor,where priority isclaimed, atthepriority dateoftheapplication.
2. Members mayrequire anapplicant forapatent toprovide information concerning theapplicant ’s
corresponding foreign applications andgrants.
6Thisright, likeallother rights conferred under thisAgreement inrespect oftheuse,sale,
importation orother distribution ofgoods, issubject totheprovisions ofArticle 6.TRIPS V-Page16
Article 30
Exceptions toRights Conferred
Members mayprovide limited exceptions totheexclusive rights conferred byapatent, provided
thatsuchexceptions donotunreasonably conflict withanormal exploitation ofthepatent anddonot
unreasonably prejudice thelegitimate interests ofthepatent owner, taking account ofthelegitimate
interests ofthirdparties.
Article 31
Other UseWithout Authorization oftheRight Holder
Where thelawofaMember allows forother use7ofthesubject matter ofapatent without
theauthorization oftherightholder, including usebythegovernment orthirdparties authorized by
thegovernment, thefollowing provisions shallberespected:
(a) authorization ofsuchuseshallbeconsidered onitsindividual merits;
(b) suchusemayonlybepermitted if,priortosuchuse,theproposed userhasmade efforts
toobtain authorization from theright holder onreasonable commercial terms and
conditions andthatsuchefforts havenotbeensuccessful within areasonable period
oftime. Thisrequirement maybewaived byaMember inthecaseofanational
emergency orother circumstances ofextreme urgency orincases ofpublic non-
commercial use.Insituations ofnational emergency orothercircumstances ofextreme
urgency, theright holder shall, nevertheless, benotified assoon asreasonably
practicable. Inthecaseofpublic non-commercial use,where thegovernment or
contractor, without making apatent search, knows orhasdemonstrable grounds to
know thatavalid patent isorwillbeusedbyorforthegovernment, therightholder
shallbeinformed promptly;
(c) thescope andduration ofsuchuseshallbelimited tothepurpose forwhich itwas
authorized, andinthecaseofsemi-conductor technology shallonlybeforpublic non-
commercial useortoremedy apractice determined afterjudicial oradministrative
process tobeanti-competitive;
(d) suchuseshallbenon-exclusive;
(e) suchuseshallbenon-assignable, except withthatpartoftheenterprise orgoodwill
which enjoys suchuse;
(f) anysuchuseshallbeauthorized predominantly forthesupply ofthedomestic market
oftheMember authorizing suchuse;
(g) authorization forsuchuseshallbeliable, subject toadequate protection ofthelegitimate
interests ofthepersons soauthorized, tobeterminated ifandwhen thecircumstances
which ledtoitcease toexistandareunlikely torecur. Thecompetent authority shall
havetheauthority toreview, uponmotivated request, thecontinued existence ofthese
circumstances;
7"Other use"refers touseother thanthatallowed under Article 30.TRIPS V-Page17
(h) therightholder shallbepaidadequate remuneration inthecircumstances ofeachcase,
taking intoaccount theeconomic value oftheauthorization;
(i) thelegalvalidity ofanydecision relating totheauthorization ofsuchuseshallbesubject
tojudicial review orother independent review byadistinct higher authority inthat
Member;
(j) anydecision relating totheremuneration provided inrespect ofsuchuseshallbesubject
tojudicial review orother independent review byadistinct higher authority inthat
Member;
(k) Members arenotobliged toapply theconditions setforthinsubparagraphs (b)and(f)
where such useispermitted toremedy apractice determined after judicial or
administrative process tobeanti-competitive. Theneedtocorrect anti-competitive
practices maybetaken intoaccount indetermining theamount ofremuneration insuch
cases. Competent authorities shall have theauthority torefuse termination of
authorization ifandwhen theconditions which ledtosuchauthorization arelikely to
recur;
(l) where suchuseisauthorized topermit theexploitation ofapatent ("thesecond patent")
which cannot beexploited without infringing another patent ("the firstpatent"), the
following additional conditions shallapply:
(i) theinvention claimed inthesecond patent shallinvolve animportant technical
advance ofconsiderable economic significance inrelation totheinvention
claimed inthefirstpatent;
(ii) theowner ofthefirstpatent shallbeentitled toacross-licence onreasonable
terms tousetheinvention claimed inthesecond patent; and
(iii) theuseauthorized inrespect ofthefirstpatent shallbenon-assignable except
withtheassignment ofthesecond patent.
Article 32
Revocation/Forfeiture
Anopportunity forjudicial review ofanydecision torevoke orforfeit apatent shallbeavailable.
Article 33
Term ofProtection
Thetermofprotection available shallnotendbefore theexpiration ofaperiod oftwenty years
counted from thefiling date.8
8Itisunderstood thatthose Members which donothaveasystem oforiginal grant mayprovide
thatthetermofprotection shallbecomputed from thefiling dateinthesystem oforiginal grant.TRIPS V-Page18
Article 34
Process Patents: Burden ofProof
1. Forthepurposes ofcivilproceedings inrespect oftheinfringement oftherights oftheowner
referred toinparagraph 1(b)ofArticle 28,ifthesubject matter ofapatent isaprocess forobtaining
aproduct, thejudicial authorities shallhavetheauthority toorder thedefendant toprove thattheprocess
toobtain anidentical product isdifferent fromthepatented process. Therefore, Members shallprovide,
inatleastoneofthefollowing circumstances, thatanyidentical product when produced without the
consent ofthepatent owner shall, intheabsence ofproof tothecontrary, bedeemed tohavebeen
obtained bythepatented process:
(a) iftheproduct obtained bythepatented process isnew;
(b) ifthere isasubstantial likelihood thattheidentical product wasmade bytheprocess
andtheowner ofthepatent hasbeenunable through reasonable efforts todetermine
theprocess actually used.
2. AnyMember shallbefreetoprovide thattheburden ofproof indicated inparagraph 1shall
beonthealleged infringer onlyifthecondition referred toinsubparagraph (a)isfulfilled oronlyif
thecondition referred toinsubparagraph (b)isfulfilled.
3. Intheadduction ofproof tothecontrary, thelegitimate interests ofdefendants inprotecting
theirmanufacturing andbusiness secrets shallbetaken intoaccount.
SECTION 6:LAYOUT-DESIGNS (TOPOGRAPHIES) OFINTEGRATED CIRCUITS
Article 35
Relation totheIPICTreaty
Members agree toprovide protection tothelayout-designs (topographies) ofintegrated circuits
(referred tointhisAgreement as"layout-designs") inaccordance withArticles 2through 7(other than
paragraph 3ofArticle 6),Article 12andparagraph 3ofArticle 16oftheTreaty onIntellectual Property
inRespect ofIntegrated Circuits and,inaddition, tocomply withthefollowing provisions.
Article 36
Scope oftheProtection
Subject totheprovisions ofparagraph 1ofArticle 37,Members shallconsider unlawful the
followingactsifperformedwithouttheauthorizationoftherightholder:9importing,selling,orotherwise
distributing forcommercial purposes aprotected layout-design, anintegrated circuit inwhich aprotected
layout-design isincorporated, oranarticle incorporating suchanintegrated circuit onlyinsofaras
itcontinues tocontain anunlawfully reproduced layout-design.
9Theterm"right holder" inthisSection shallbeunderstood ashaving thesame meaning asthe
term"holder oftheright" intheIPICTreaty.TRIPS V-Page19
Article 37
ActsNotRequiring theAuthorization oftheRight Holder
1. Notwithstanding Article 36,noMember shallconsider unlawful theperformance ofanyof
theactsreferred tointhatArticle inrespect ofanintegrated circuit incorporating anunlawfully
reproduced layout-design oranyarticle incorporating suchanintegrated circuit where theperson
performing orordering suchactsdidnotknow andhadnoreasonable ground toknow, when acquiring
theintegrated circuit orarticle incorporating suchanintegrated circuit, thatitincorporated anunlawfully
reproduced layout-design. Members shallprovide that,afterthetimethatsuchperson hasreceived
sufficient notice thatthelayout-design wasunlawfully reproduced, thatperson mayperform anyof
theactswithrespect tothestock onhandorordered before suchtime, butshallbeliable topayto
theright holder asumequivalent toareasonable royalty suchaswould bepayable under afreely
negotiated licence inrespect ofsuchalayout-design.
2. Theconditionssetoutinsubparagraphs(a)through(k)ofArticle31shallapplymutatismutandis
intheevent ofanynon-voluntary licensing ofalayout-design orofitsusebyorforthegovernment
without theauthorization oftherightholder.
Article 38
Term ofProtection
1. InMembers requiring registration asacondition ofprotection, thetermofprotection oflayout-
designs shallnotendbefore theexpiration ofaperiod of10years counted from thedateoffiling an
application forregistration orfromthefirstcommercial exploitation wherever intheworld itoccurs.
2. InMembers notrequiring registration asacondition forprotection, layout-designs shallbe
protected foratermofnolessthan10years fromthedateofthefirstcommercial exploitation wherever
intheworld itoccurs.
3. Notwithstanding paragraphs 1and2,aMember mayprovide thatprotection shalllapse 15
years afterthecreation ofthelayout-design.
SECTION 7:PROTECTION OFUNDISCLOSED INFORMATION
Article 39
1. Inthecourse ofensuring effective protection against unfair competition asprovided in
Article 10bisoftheParis Convention (1967), Members shall protect undisclosed information in
accordance withparagraph 2anddatasubmitted togovernments orgovernmental agencies inaccordance
withparagraph 3.TRIPS V-Page20
2. Natural andlegalpersons shallhavethepossibility ofpreventing information lawfully within
theircontrol frombeing disclosed to,acquired by,orusedbyothers without theirconsent inamanner
contrary tohonest commercial practices10solongassuchinformation:
(a) issecret inthesense thatitisnot,asabody orintheprecise configuration and
assembly ofitscomponents, generally known among orreadily accessible topersons
within thecircles thatnormally dealwiththekindofinformation inquestion;
(b) hascommercial value because itissecret; and
(c) hasbeensubject toreasonable steps under thecircumstances, bytheperson lawfully
incontrol oftheinformation, tokeepitsecret.
3. Members, when requiring, asacondition ofapproving themarketing ofpharmaceutical or
ofagricultural chemical products which utilize newchemical entities, thesubmission ofundisclosed
testorother data,theorigination ofwhich involves aconsiderable effort, shallprotect suchdataagainst
unfair commercial use.Inaddition, Members shallprotect suchdataagainst disclosure, except where
necessary toprotect thepublic, orunless steps aretaken toensure thatthedataareprotected against
unfair commercial use.
SECTION 8:CONTROL OFANTI-COMPETITIVE PRACTICES
INCONTRACTUAL LICENCES
Article 40
1. Members agree thatsome licensing practices orconditions pertaining tointellectual property
rights which restrain competition mayhaveadverse effects ontrade andmayimpede thetransfer and
dissemination oftechnology.
2. Nothing inthisAgreement shallprevent Members fromspecifying intheirlegislation licensing
practices orconditions thatmayinparticular cases constitute anabuse ofintellectual property rights
having anadverse effect oncompetition intherelevant market. Asprovided above, aMember may
adopt, consistently withtheother provisions ofthisAgreement, appropriate measures toprevent or
control suchpractices, which mayinclude forexample exclusive grantback conditions, conditions
preventing challenges tovalidity andcoercive package licensing, inthelightoftherelevant lawsand
regulations ofthatMember.
3. EachMember shallenter, uponrequest, intoconsultations withanyother Member which has
cause tobelieve thatanintellectual property rightowner thatisanational ordomiciliary oftheMember
towhich therequest forconsultations hasbeenaddressed isundertaking practices inviolation ofthe
requesting Member 'slawsandregulations onthesubject matter ofthisSection, andwhich wishes to
secure compliance withsuchlegislation, without prejudice toanyaction under thelawandtothefull
freedom ofanultimate decision ofeither Member. TheMember addressed shall accord fulland
sympathetic consideration to,andshallafford adequate opportunity for,consultations withtherequesting
Member, andshallcooperate through supply ofpublicly available non-confidential information of
10Forthepurpose ofthisprovision, "amanner contrary tohonest commercial practices" shallmean
atleastpractices suchasbreach ofcontract, breach ofconfidence andinducement tobreach, andincludes
theacquisition ofundisclosed information bythird parties whoknew, orwere grossly negligent in
failing toknow, thatsuchpractices were involved intheacquisition.TRIPS V-Page21
relevance tothematter inquestion andofotherinformation available totheMember, subject todomestic
lawandtotheconclusion ofmutually satisfactory agreements concerning thesafeguarding ofits
confidentiality bytherequesting Member.
4. AMember whose nationals ordomiciliaries aresubject toproceedings inanother Member
concerning alleged violation ofthatother Member 'slawsandregulations onthesubject matter ofthis
Section shall, upon request, begranted anopportunity forconsultations bytheother Member under
thesame conditions asthose foreseen inparagraph 3.
PART III
ENFORCEMENT OFINTELLECTUAL PROPERTY RIGHTS
SECTION 1:GENERAL OBLIGATIONS
Article 41
1. Members shallensure thatenforcement procedures asspecified inthisPartareavailable under
theirlawsoastopermit effective action against anyactofinfringement ofintellectual property rights
covered bythisAgreement, including expeditious remedies toprevent infringements andremedies which
constitute adeterrent tofurther infringements. These procedures shallbeapplied insuchamanner
astoavoid thecreation ofbarriers tolegitimate tradeandtoprovide forsafeguards against theirabuse.
2. Procedures concerning theenforcement ofintellectual property rights shallbefairandequitable.
Theyshallnotbeunnecessarily complicated orcostly, orentail unreasonable time-limits orunwarranted
delays.
3. Decisions onthemerits ofacaseshallpreferably beinwriting andreasoned. They shallbe
made available atleasttotheparties totheproceeding without undue delay. Decisions onthemerits
ofacaseshallbebased onlyonevidence inrespect ofwhich parties wereoffered theopportunity to
beheard.
4. Parties toaproceeding shallhaveanopportunity forreview byajudicial authority offinal
administrative decisions and,subject tojurisdictional provisions inaMember 'slawconcerning the
importance ofacase, ofatleastthelegalaspects ofinitial judicial decisions onthemerits ofacase.
However, there shallbenoobligation toprovide anopportunity forreview ofacquittals incriminal
cases.
5. Itisunderstood thatthisPartdoesnotcreate anyobligation toputinplace ajudicial system
fortheenforcementofintellectualpropertyrightsdistinctfromthatfortheenforcementoflawingeneral,
nordoesitaffect thecapacity ofMembers toenforce theirlawingeneral. Nothing inthisPartcreates
anyobligationwithrespecttothedistributionofresourcesasbetweenenforcementofintellectualproperty
rights andtheenforcement oflawingeneral.TRIPS V-Page22
SECTION 2:CIVIL AND ADMINISTRATIVE PROCEDURES AND REMEDIES
Article 42
FairandEquitable Procedures
Members shall make available toright holders11civiljudicial procedures concerning the
enforcement ofanyintellectual property rightcovered bythisAgreement. Defendants shallhavethe
righttowritten notice which istimely andcontains sufficient detail, including thebasisoftheclaims.
Parties shallbeallowed toberepresented byindependent legalcounsel, andprocedures shallnotimpose
overly burdensome requirements concerning mandatory personal appearances. Allparties tosuch
procedures shallbedulyentitled tosubstantiate theirclaims andtopresent allrelevant evidence. The
procedure shallprovide ameans toidentify andprotect confidential information, unless thiswould
becontrary toexisting constitutional requirements.
Article 43
Evidence
1. Thejudicial authorities shallhavetheauthority, where apartyhaspresented reasonably available
evidence sufficient tosupport itsclaims andhasspecified evidence relevant tosubstantiation ofitsclaims
which liesinthecontrol oftheopposing party, toorder thatthisevidence beproduced bytheopposing
party, subject inappropriate casestoconditions which ensure theprotection ofconfidential information.
2. Incases inwhich aparty toaproceeding voluntarily andwithout good reason refuses access
to,orotherwise doesnotprovide necessary information within areasonable period, orsignificantly
impedes aprocedure relating toanenforcement action, aMember mayaccord judicial authorities the
authority tomake preliminary andfinaldeterminations, affirmative ornegative, onthebasis ofthe
information presented tothem, including thecomplaint ortheallegation presented bythepartyadversely
affected bythedenial ofaccess toinformation, subject toproviding theparties anopportunity tobe
heard ontheallegations orevidence.
Article 44
Injunctions
1. Thejudicial authorities shallhavetheauthority toorder aparty todesist fromaninfringement,
interaliatoprevent theentry intothechannels ofcommerce intheirjurisdiction ofimported goods
thatinvolve theinfringement ofanintellectual property right, immediately aftercustoms clearance
ofsuchgoods. Members arenotobliged toaccord suchauthority inrespect ofprotected subject matter
acquired orordered byaperson prior toknowing orhaving reasonable grounds toknow thatdealing
insuchsubject matter would entail theinfringement ofanintellectual property right.
11Forthepurpose ofthisPart,theterm"right holder" includes federations andassociations having
legalstanding toassert suchrights.TRIPS V-Page23
2. Notwithstanding theother provisions ofthisPartandprovided thattheprovisions ofPartII
specifically addressing usebygovernments, orbythirdparties authorized byagovernment, without
theauthorization oftheright holder arecomplied with, Members maylimittheremedies available
against suchusetopayment ofremuneration inaccordance withsubparagraph (h)ofArticle 31.In
other cases, theremedies under thisPartshallapply or,where these remedies areinconsistent with
aMember 'slaw,declaratory judgments andadequate compensation shallbeavailable.
Article 45
Damages
1. Thejudicial authorities shallhavetheauthority toorder theinfringer topaytherightholder
damages adequate tocompensate fortheinjury therightholder hassuffered because ofaninfringement
ofthatperson ’sintellectual property rightbyaninfringer whoknowingly, orwithreasonable grounds
toknow, engaged ininfringing activity.
2. Thejudicial authorities shallalsohavetheauthority toorder theinfringer topaytherightholder
expenses, which mayinclude appropriate attorney 'sfees.Inappropriate cases, Members mayauthorize
thejudicial authorities toorder recovery ofprofits and/or payment ofpre-established damages even
wheretheinfringerdidnotknowingly,orwithreasonablegroundstoknow,engageininfringingactivity.
Article 46
Other Remedies
Inorder tocreate aneffective deterrent toinfringement, thejudicial authorities shallhavethe
authority toorder thatgoods thattheyhavefound tobeinfringing be,without compensation ofany
sort,disposed ofoutside thechannels ofcommerce insuchamanner astoavoid anyharm caused to
therightholder, or,unless thiswould becontrary toexisting constitutional requirements, destroyed.
Thejudicial authorities shall alsohave theauthority toorder thatmaterials andimplements the
predominant useofwhich hasbeeninthecreation oftheinfringing goods be,without compensation
ofanysort,disposed ofoutside thechannels ofcommerce insuchamanner astominimize therisks
offurther infringements. Inconsidering suchrequests, theneed forproportionality between the
seriousness oftheinfringement andtheremedies ordered aswellastheinterests ofthirdparties shall
betaken intoaccount. Inregard tocounterfeit trademark goods, thesimple removal ofthetrademark
unlawfully affixed shallnotbesufficient, other thaninexceptional cases, topermit release ofthegoods
intothechannels ofcommerce.
Article 47
Right ofInformation
Members mayprovide thatthejudicial authorities shallhavetheauthority, unless thiswould
beoutofproportion totheseriousness oftheinfringement, toorder theinfringer toinform theright
holder oftheidentity ofthirdpersons involved intheproduction anddistribution oftheinfringing goods
orservices andoftheirchannels ofdistribution.TRIPS V-Page24
Article 48
Indemnification oftheDefendant
1. Thejudicial authorities shallhavetheauthority toorder aparty atwhose request measures
were taken andwhohasabused enforcement procedures toprovide toaparty wrongfully enjoined
orrestrained adequate compensation fortheinjury suffered because ofsuchabuse. Thejudicial
authorities shallalsohavetheauthority toorder theapplicant topaythedefendant expenses, which
mayinclude appropriate attorney 'sfees.
2. Inrespect oftheadministration ofanylawpertaining totheprotection orenforcement of
intellectualpropertyrights,Membersshallonlyexemptbothpublicauthoritiesandofficialsfromliability
toappropriate remedial measures where actions aretaken orintended ingood faithinthecourse of
theadministration ofthatlaw.
Article 49
Administrative Procedures
Totheextent thatanycivilremedy canbeordered asaresult ofadministrative procedures
onthemerits ofacase, suchprocedures shallconform toprinciples equivalent insubstance tothose
setforth inthisSection.
SECTION 3:PROVISIONAL MEASURES
Article 50
1. Thejudicial authorities shall have theauthority toorder prompt andeffective provisional
measures:
(a) toprevent aninfringement ofanyintellectual property rightfrom occurring, andin
particular toprevent theentry intothechannels ofcommerce intheirjurisdiction of
goods, including imported goods immediately aftercustoms clearance;
(b) topreserve relevant evidence inregard tothealleged infringement.
2. Thejudicial authorities shallhavetheauthority toadopt provisional measures inaudita altera
parte where appropriate, inparticular where anydelay islikely tocause irreparable harm totheright
holder, orwhere there isademonstrable riskofevidence being destroyed.
3. Thejudicial authorities shallhavetheauthority torequire theapplicant toprovide anyreasonably
available evidence inorder tosatisfy themselves withasufficient degree ofcertainty thattheapplicant
istherightholder andthattheapplicant ’srightisbeing infringed orthatsuchinfringement isimminent,
andtoorder theapplicant toprovide asecurity orequivalent assurance sufficient toprotect thedefendant
andtoprevent abuse.
4. Where provisional measures havebeenadopted inaudita altera parte,theparties affected shall
begiven notice, without delay aftertheexecution ofthemeasures atthelatest. Areview, including
arighttobeheard, shalltakeplace upon request ofthedefendant withaviewtodeciding, within a
reasonable period afterthenotification ofthemeasures, whether these measures shallbemodified,
revoked orconfirmed.TRIPS V-Page25
5. Theapplicant mayberequired tosupply other information necessary fortheidentification of
thegoods concerned bytheauthority thatwillexecute theprovisional measures.
6. Without prejudice toparagraph 4,provisional measures taken onthebasis ofparagraphs 1
and2shall, uponrequest bythedefendant, berevoked orotherwise cease tohaveeffect, ifproceedings
leading toadecision onthemerits ofthecasearenotinitiated within areasonable period, tobe
determined bythejudicial authority ordering themeasures where aMember 'slawsopermits or,in
theabsence ofsuchadetermination, nottoexceed 20working daysor31calendar days, whichever
isthelonger.
7. Where theprovisional measures arerevoked orwhere theylapse duetoanyactoromission
bytheapplicant, orwhere itissubsequently found thatthere hasbeennoinfringement orthreat of
infringement ofanintellectual property right, thejudicial authorities shallhavetheauthority toorder
theapplicant, upon request ofthedefendant, toprovide thedefendant appropriate compensation for
anyinjury caused bythese measures.
8. Totheextent thatanyprovisional measure canbeordered asaresult ofadministrative
procedures, suchprocedures shallconform toprinciples equivalent insubstance tothose setforth in
thisSection.
SECTION 4:SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS RELATED TOBORDER MEASURES12
Article 51
Suspension ofRelease byCustoms Authorities
Members shall, inconformity withtheprovisions setoutbelow, adopt procedures13toenable
arightholder, whohasvalid grounds forsuspecting thattheimportation ofcounterfeit trademark or
pirated copyright goods14maytakeplace, tolodge anapplication inwriting withcompetent authorities,
administrativeorjudicial,forthesuspensionbythecustomsauthoritiesofthereleaseintofreecirculation
12Where aMember hasdismantled substantially allcontrols overmovement ofgoods across its
border withanother Member withwhich itforms partofacustoms union, itshallnotberequired to
apply theprovisions ofthisSection atthatborder.
13Itisunderstood thatthere shallbenoobligation toapply suchprocedures toimports ofgoods
putonthemarket inanother country byorwiththeconsent oftherightholder, ortogoods intransit.
14Forthepurposes ofthisAgreement:
(a) "counterfeit trademark goods" shallmean anygoods, including packaging, bearing
without authorization atrademark which isidentical tothetrademark validly registered
inrespect ofsuchgoods, orwhich cannot bedistinguished initsessential aspects from
suchatrademark, andwhich thereby infringes therights oftheowner ofthetrademark
inquestion under thelawofthecountry ofimportation;
(b) "pirated copyright goods" shallmean anygoods which arecopies made without the
consent oftherightholder orperson dulyauthorized bytherightholder inthecountry
ofproduction andwhich aremade directly orindirectly from anarticle where the
making ofthatcopywould haveconstituted aninfringement ofacopyright orarelated
rightunder thelawofthecountry ofimportation.TRIPS V-Page26
ofsuchgoods. Members mayenable suchanapplication tobemade inrespect ofgoods which involve
other infringements ofintellectual property rights, provided thattherequirements ofthisSection are
met.Membersmayalsoprovideforcorrespondingproceduresconcerningthesuspensionbythecustoms
authorities oftherelease ofinfringing goods destined forexportation from theirterritories.
Article 52
Application
Anyrightholder initiating theprocedures under Article 51shallberequired toprovide adequate
evidence tosatisfy thecompetent authorities that,under thelawsofthecountry ofimportation, there
isprima facieaninfringement oftherightholder ’sintellectual property rightandtosupply asufficiently
detailed description ofthegoods tomake them readily recognizable bythecustoms authorities. The
competent authorities shallinform theapplicant within areasonable period whether theyhaveaccepted
theapplication and,where determined bythecompetent authorities, theperiod forwhich thecustoms
authorities willtakeaction.
Article 53
Security orEquivalent Assurance
1. Thecompetent authorities shallhavetheauthority torequire anapplicant toprovide asecurity
orequivalent assurance sufficient toprotect thedefendant andthecompetent authorities andtoprevent
abuse. Suchsecurity orequivalent assurance shallnotunreasonably deterrecourse totheseprocedures.
2. Where pursuant toanapplication under thisSection therelease ofgoods involving industrial
designs, patents, layout-designs orundisclosed information intofreecirculation hasbeensuspended
bycustoms authorities onthebasisofadecision other thanbyajudicial orother independent authority,
andtheperiod provided forinArticle 55hasexpired without thegranting ofprovisional relief bythe
dulyempowered authority, andprovided thatallother conditions forimportation havebeencomplied
with, theowner, importer, orconsignee ofsuchgoods shallbeentitled totheirrelease ontheposting
ofasecurity inanamount sufficient toprotect therightholder foranyinfringement. Payment ofsuch
security shallnotprejudice anyother remedy available totherightholder, itbeing understood that
thesecurity shallbereleased iftherightholder failstopursue therightofaction within areasonable
period oftime.
Article 54
Notice ofSuspension
Theimporter andtheapplicant shallbepromptly notified ofthesuspension oftherelease of
goods according toArticle 51.TRIPS V-Page27
Article 55
Duration ofSuspension
If,within aperiod notexceeding 10working daysaftertheapplicant hasbeenserved notice
ofthesuspension, thecustoms authorities havenotbeeninformed thatproceedings leading toadecision
onthemerits ofthecasehavebeeninitiated byaparty other thanthedefendant, orthattheduly
empowered authority hastaken provisional measures prolonging thesuspension oftherelease ofthe
goods, thegoods shallbereleased, provided thatallother conditions forimportation orexportation
havebeencomplied with; inappropriate cases, thistime-limit maybeextended byanother 10working
days. Ifproceedings leading toadecision onthemerits ofthecasehavebeeninitiated, areview,
including arighttobeheard, shalltakeplace upon request ofthedefendant withaviewtodeciding,
within areasonable period, whether these measures shall bemodified, revoked orconfirmed.
Notwithstanding theabove, where thesuspension oftherelease ofgoods iscarried outorcontinued
inaccordance withaprovisional judicial measure, theprovisions ofparagraph 6ofArticle 50shall
apply.
Article 56
Indemnification oftheImporter
andoftheOwner oftheGoods
Relevant authorities shallhavetheauthority toorder theapplicant topaytheimporter, the
consignee andtheowner ofthegoods appropriate compensation foranyinjury caused tothemthrough
thewrongful detention ofgoods orthrough thedetention ofgoods released pursuant toArticle 55.
Article 57
Right ofInspection andInformation
Without prejudice totheprotection ofconfidential information, Members shallprovide the
competent authorities theauthority togivetherightholder sufficient opportunity tohaveanygoods
detained bythecustoms authorities inspected inorder tosubstantiate therightholder ’sclaims. The
competent authorities shallalsohaveauthority togivetheimporter anequivalent opportunity tohave
anysuchgoods inspected. Where apositive determination hasbeenmade onthemerits ofacase,
Members mayprovide thecompetent authorities theauthority toinform therightholder ofthenames
andaddresses oftheconsignor, theimporter andtheconsignee andofthequantity ofthegoods in
question.
Article 58
ExOfficio Action
Where Members require competent authorities toactupontheirowninitiative andtosuspend
therelease ofgoods inrespect ofwhich theyhaveacquired prima facieevidence thatanintellectual
property rightisbeing infringed:
(a) thecompetent authorities mayatanytimeseekfromtherightholder anyinformation
thatmayassist them toexercise these powers;
(b) theimporter andtherightholder shallbepromptly notified ofthesuspension. Where
theimporter haslodged anappeal against thesuspension withthecompetent authorities,
thesuspension shallbesubject totheconditions, mutatis mutandis ,setoutatArticle 55;TRIPS V-Page28
(c) Members shall onlyexempt bothpublic authorities andofficials from liability to
appropriate remedial measures where actions aretaken orintended ingood faith.
Article 59
Remedies
Without prejudice toother rights ofaction open totheright holder andsubject totheright
ofthedefendant toseekreview byajudicial authority, competent authorities shallhavetheauthority
toorder thedestruction ordisposal ofinfringing goods inaccordance withtheprinciples setoutin
Article 46.Inregard tocounterfeit trademark goods, theauthorities shallnotallow there-exportation
oftheinfringing goods inanunaltered stateorsubject them toadifferent customs procedure, other
thaninexceptional circumstances.
Article 60
DeMinimis Imports
Members mayexclude fromtheapplication oftheabove provisions small quantities ofgoods
ofanon-commercial nature contained intravellers 'personal luggage orsentinsmall consignments.
SECTION 5:CRIMINAL PROCEDURES
Article 61
Members shallprovide forcriminal procedures andpenalties tobeapplied atleastincases
ofwilful trademark counterfeiting orcopyright piracy onacommercial scale. Remedies available shall
include imprisonment and/or monetary fines sufficient toprovide adeterrent, consistently withthe
levelofpenalties applied forcrimes ofacorresponding gravity. Inappropriate cases, remedies available
shallalsoinclude theseizure, forfeiture anddestruction oftheinfringing goods andofanymaterials
andimplements thepredominant useofwhich hasbeeninthecommission oftheoffence. Members
mayprovide forcriminal procedures andpenalties tobeapplied inother cases ofinfringement of
intellectual property rights, inparticular where theyarecommitted wilfully andonacommercial scale.
PART IV
ACQUISITION AND MAINTENANCE OFINTELLECTUAL PROPERTY
RIGHTS AND RELATED INTER-PARTES PROCEDURES
Article 62
1. Membersmayrequire,asaconditionoftheacquisitionormaintenanceoftheintellectualproperty
rights provided forunder Sections 2through 6ofPartII,compliance withreasonable procedures and
formalities. Suchprocedures andformalities shallbeconsistent withtheprovisions ofthisAgreement.
2. Where theacquisition ofanintellectual property rightissubject totherightbeing granted or
registered, Members shallensure thattheprocedures forgrant orregistration, subject tocompliance
withthesubstantive conditions foracquisition oftheright, permit thegranting orregistration ofthe
right within areasonable period oftimesoastoavoid unwarranted curtailment oftheperiod of
protection.TRIPS V-Page29
3. Article 4oftheParis Convention (1967) shallapply mutatis mutandis toservice marks.
4. Procedures concerning theacquisition ormaintenance ofintellectual property rights and,where
aMember 'slawprovides forsuchprocedures, administrative revocation andinterpartes procedures
suchasopposition, revocation andcancellation, shallbegoverned bythegeneral principles setout
inparagraphs 2and3ofArticle 41.
5. Final administrative decisions inanyoftheprocedures referred tounder paragraph 4shall
besubject toreview byajudicial orquasi-judicial authority. However, there shallbenoobligation
toprovide anopportunity forsuch review ofdecisions incases ofunsuccessful opposition or
administrativerevocation,providedthatthegroundsforsuchprocedurescanbethesubjectofinvalidation
procedures.
PART V
DISPUTE PREVENTION AND SETTLEMENT
Article 63
Transparency
1. Laws andregulations, andfinal judicial decisions andadministrative rulings ofgeneral
application, made effective byaMember pertaining tothesubject matter ofthisAgreement (the
availability, scope, acquisition, enforcement andprevention oftheabuse ofintellectual property rights)
shallbepublished, orwhere suchpublication isnotpracticable made publicly available, inanational
language, insuchamanner astoenable governments andright holders tobecome acquainted with
them. Agreements concerning thesubject matter ofthisAgreement which areinforce between the
government oragovernmental agency ofaMember andthegovernment oragovernmental agency
ofanother Member shallalsobepublished.
2. Members shallnotify thelawsandregulations referred toinparagraph 1totheCouncil for
TRIPS inorder toassist thatCouncil initsreview oftheoperation ofthisAgreement. TheCouncil
shallattempt tominimize theburden onMembers incarrying outthisobligation andmaydecide to
waive theobligation tonotify suchlawsandregulations directly totheCouncil ifconsultations with
WIPO ontheestablishment ofacommon register containing theselawsandregulations aresuccessful.
TheCouncil shallalsoconsider inthisconnection anyaction required regarding notifications pursuant
totheobligations under thisAgreement stemming from theprovisions ofArticle 6teroftheParis
Convention (1967).
3. EachMembershallbepreparedtosupply,inresponsetoawrittenrequestfromanotherMember,
information ofthesortreferred toinparagraph 1.AMember, having reason tobelieve thataspecific
judicial decision oradministrative ruling orbilateral agreement intheareaofintellectual property rights
affects itsrights under thisAgreement, mayalsorequest inwriting tobegiven access toorbeinformed
insufficient detail ofsuchspecific judicial decisions oradministrative rulings orbilateral agreements.
4. Nothing inparagraphs 1,2and3shallrequire Members todisclose confidential information
which would impede lawenforcement orotherwise becontrary tothepublic interest orwould prejudice
thelegitimate commercial interests ofparticular enterprises, public orprivate.TRIPS V-Page30
Article 64
Dispute Settlement
1. Theprovisions ofArticles XXII andXXIII ofGATT 1994 aselaborated andapplied bythe
Dispute Settlement Understanding shallapply toconsultations andthesettlement ofdisputes under
thisAgreement except asotherwise specifically provided herein.
2. Subparagraphs 1(b)and1(c)ofArticle XXIII ofGATT 1994shallnotapply tothesettlement
ofdisputes under thisAgreement foraperiod offiveyears from thedateofentry intoforce ofthe
WTO Agreement.
3. During thetimeperiod referred toinparagraph 2,theCouncil forTRIPS shallexamine the
scope andmodalities forcomplaints ofthetypeprovided forunder subparagraphs 1(b)and1(c)of
Article XXIII ofGATT 1994 made pursuant tothisAgreement, andsubmit itsrecommendations to
theMinisterial Conference forapproval. Anydecision oftheMinisterial Conference toapprove such
recommendations ortoextend theperiod inparagraph 2shallbemade onlybyconsensus, andapproved
recommendations shallbeeffective forallMembers without further formal acceptance process.
PART VI
TRANSITIONAL ARRANGEMENTS
Article 65
Transitional Arrangements
1. Subject totheprovisions ofparagraphs 2,3and4,noMember shallbeobliged toapply the
provisions ofthisAgreement before theexpiry ofageneral period ofoneyearfollowing thedateof
entry intoforce oftheWTO Agreement.
2. Adeveloping country Member isentitled todelay forafurther period offouryears thedate
ofapplication, asdefined inparagraph 1,oftheprovisions ofthisAgreement other thanArticles 3,
4and5.
3. Anyother Member which isintheprocess oftransformation from acentrally-planned into
amarket, free-enterprise economy andwhich isundertaking structural reform ofitsintellectual property
system andfacing special problems inthepreparation andimplementation ofintellectual property laws
andregulations, mayalsobenefit from aperiod ofdelay asforeseen inparagraph 2.
4. Totheextent thatadeveloping country Member isobliged bythisAgreement toextend product
patent protection toareas oftechnology notsoprotectable initsterritory onthegeneral dateof
application ofthisAgreement forthatMember, asdefined inparagraph 2,itmaydelay theapplication
oftheprovisions onproduct patents ofSection 5ofPartIItosuchareas oftechnology foranadditional
period offiveyears.
5. AMember availing itself ofatransitional period under paragraphs 1,2,3or4shallensure
thatanychanges initslaws, regulations andpractice made during thatperiod donotresult inalesser
degree ofconsistency withtheprovisions ofthisAgreement.TRIPS V-Page31
Article 66
Least-Developed Country Members
1. Inview ofthespecial needs andrequirements ofleast-developed country Members, their
economic, financial andadministrative constraints, andtheirneedforflexibility tocreate aviable
technological base, suchMembers shallnotberequired toapply theprovisions ofthisAgreement,
other thanArticles 3,4and5,foraperiod of10years from thedateofapplication asdefined under
paragraph 1ofArticle 65.TheCouncil forTRIPS shall, upon dulymotivated request byaleast-
developed country Member, accord extensions ofthisperiod.
2. Developed country Members shallprovide incentives toenterprises andinstitutions intheir
territories forthepurpose ofpromoting andencouraging technology transfer toleast-developed country
Members inorder toenable them tocreate asound andviable technological base.
Article 67
Technical Cooperation
Inorder tofacilitate theimplementation ofthisAgreement, developed country Members shall
provide, onrequest andonmutually agreed terms andconditions, technical andfinancial cooperation
infavour ofdeveloping andleast-developed country Members. Suchcooperation shallinclude assistance
inthepreparation oflawsandregulations ontheprotection andenforcement ofintellectual property
rights aswellasontheprevention oftheirabuse, andshallinclude support regarding theestablishment
orreinforcement ofdomestic offices andagencies relevant tothese matters, including thetraining of
personnel.
PART VII
INSTITUTIONAL ARRANGEMENTS; FINAL PROVISIONS
Article 68
Council forTrade-Related Aspects of
Intellectual Property Rights
TheCouncil forTRIPS shall monitor theoperation ofthisAgreement and,inparticular,
Members 'compliance withtheirobligations hereunder, andshallafford Members theopportunity of
consulting onmatters relating tothetrade-related aspects ofintellectual property rights. Itshallcarry
outsuchother responsibilities asassigned toitbytheMembers, anditshall, inparticular, provide
anyassistance requested bythem inthecontext ofdispute settlement procedures. Incarrying outits
functions, theCouncil forTRIPS mayconsult withandseekinformation from anysource itdeems
appropriate. Inconsultation withWIPO, theCouncil shallseektoestablish, within oneyearofits
firstmeeting, appropriate arrangements forcooperation withbodies ofthatOrganization.TRIPS V-Page32
Article 69
International Cooperation
Members agree tocooperate witheachother withaviewtoeliminating international trade in
goods infringing intellectual property rights. Forthispurpose, theyshallestablish andnotify contact
points intheiradministrations andbeready toexchange information ontrade ininfringing goods.
They shall, inparticular, promote theexchange ofinformation andcooperation between customs
authorities withregard totrade incounterfeit trademark goods andpirated copyright goods.
Article 70
Protection ofExisting Subject Matter
1. ThisAgreement doesnotgiverisetoobligations inrespect ofactswhich occurred before the
dateofapplication oftheAgreement fortheMember inquestion.
2. Except asotherwise provided forinthisAgreement, thisAgreement gives risetoobligations
inrespect ofallsubject matter existing atthedateofapplication ofthisAgreement fortheMember
inquestion, andwhich isprotected inthatMember onthesaiddate, orwhich meets orcomes
subsequently tomeetthecriteria forprotection under theterms ofthisAgreement. Inrespect ofthis
paragraph andparagraphs 3and4,copyright obligations withrespect toexisting works shallbesolely
determined under Article 18oftheBerne Convention (1971), andobligations withrespect totherights
ofproducers ofphonograms andperformers inexisting phonograms shallbedetermined solely under
Article 18oftheBerne Convention (1971) asmade applicable under paragraph 6ofArticle 14ofthis
Agreement.
3. There shall benoobligation torestore protection tosubject matter which onthedateof
application ofthisAgreement fortheMember inquestion hasfallen intothepublic domain.
4. Inrespect ofanyactsinrespect ofspecific objects embodying protected subject matter which
become infringing under theterms oflegislation inconformity withthisAgreement, andwhich were
commenced, orinrespect ofwhich asignificant investment wasmade, before thedateofacceptance
oftheWTO Agreement bythatMember, anyMember mayprovide foralimitation oftheremedies
available totherightholder astothecontinued performance ofsuchactsafterthedateofapplication
ofthisAgreement forthatMember. Insuchcases theMember shall, however, atleastprovide for
thepayment ofequitable remuneration.
5. AMember isnotobliged toapply theprovisions ofArticle 11andofparagraph 4ofArticle 14
withrespect tooriginals orcopies purchased prior tothedateofapplication ofthisAgreement for
thatMember.
6. Members shall notberequired toapply Article 31,ortherequirement inparagraph 1of
Article 27thatpatent rights shallbeenjoyable without discrimination astothefieldoftechnology,
tousewithout theauthorization oftherightholder where authorization forsuchusewasgranted by
thegovernment before thedatethisAgreement became known.
7. Inthecaseofintellectual property rights forwhich protection isconditional uponregistration,
applicationsforprotectionwhicharependingonthedateofapplicationofthisAgreementfortheMember
inquestion shallbepermitted tobeamended toclaim anyenhanced protection provided under the
provisions ofthisAgreement. Such amendments shallnotinclude newmatter.TRIPS V-Page33
8. Where aMember doesnotmake available asofthedateofentry intoforce oftheWTO
Agreement patent protection forpharmaceutical andagricultural chemical products commensurate with
itsobligations under Article 27,thatMember shall:
(a) notwithstanding theprovisions ofPartVI,provide asfromthedateofentry intoforce
oftheWTO Agreement ameans bywhich applications forpatents forsuchinventions
canbefiled;
(b) apply tothese applications, asofthedateofapplication ofthisAgreement, thecriteria
forpatentability aslaiddown inthisAgreement asifthose criteria werebeing applied
onthedateoffiling inthatMember or,where priority isavailable andclaimed, the
priority dateoftheapplication; and
(c) provide patent protection inaccordance withthisAgreement asfromthegrant ofthe
patent andfortheremainder ofthepatent term, counted from thefiling datein
accordance withArticle 33ofthisAgreement, forthose oftheseapplications thatmeet
thecriteria forprotection referred toinsubparagraph (b).
9. Where aproduct isthesubject ofapatent application inaMember inaccordance with
paragraph 8(a),exclusive marketing rights shallbegranted, notwithstanding theprovisions ofPartVI,
foraperiod offiveyears afterobtaining marketing approval inthatMember oruntilaproduct patent
isgranted orrejected inthatMember, whichever period isshorter, provided that,subsequent tothe
entry intoforce oftheWTO Agreement, apatent application hasbeenfiledandapatent granted for
thatproduct inanother Member andmarketing approval obtained insuchother Member.
Article 71
Review andAmendment
1. TheCouncil forTRIPS shallreview theimplementation ofthisAgreement aftertheexpiration
ofthetransitional period referred toinparagraph 2ofArticle 65.TheCouncil shall, having regard
totheexperience gained initsimplementation, review ittwoyears afterthatdate, andatidentical
intervals thereafter. TheCouncil mayalsoundertake reviews inthelight ofanyrelevant new
developments which might warrant modification oramendment ofthisAgreement.
2. Amendmentsmerelyservingthepurposeofadjustingtohigherlevelsofprotectionofintellectual
property rights achieved, andinforce, inother multilateral agreements andaccepted under those
agreements byallMembers oftheWTO maybereferred totheMinisterial Conference foraction in
accordance withparagraph 6ofArticle XoftheWTO Agreement onthebasisofaconsensus proposal
from theCouncil forTRIPS.
Article 72
Reservations
Reservations maynotbeentered inrespect ofanyoftheprovisions ofthisAgreement without
theconsent oftheother Members.TRIPS V-Page34
Article 73
Security Exceptions
Nothing inthisAgreement shallbeconstrued:
(a) torequire aMember tofurnish anyinformation thedisclosure ofwhich itconsiders
contrary toitsessential security interests; or
(b) toprevent aMember from taking anyaction which itconsiders necessary forthe
protection ofitsessential security interests;
(i) relating tofissionable materials orthematerials fromwhich theyarederived;
(ii) relating tothetraffic inarms, ammunition andimplements ofwarandtosuch
traffic inother goods andmaterials asiscarried ondirectly orindirectly for
thepurpose ofsupplying amilitary establishment;
(iii) taken intimeofwarorother emergency ininternational relations; or
(c) toprevent aMember fromtaking anyaction inpursuance ofitsobligations under the
United Nations Charter forthemaintenance ofinternational peace andsecurity.TRIPS-VI -Page1
TRIPS-VI
TEXT OFTHE AGREEMENT BETWEEN
WIPO AND THE WTOTRIPS-VI -Page2
AGREEMENT BETWEEN
THE WORLD INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY ORGANIZATION
AND
THE WORLD TRADE ORGANIZATION
TABLE OFCONTENTS
Page
Preamble 3
Article 1: Abbreviated Expressions 3
Article 2: Laws andRegulations 3
Article 3: Implementation ofArticle 6teroftheParis Convention 5
forthePurposes oftheTRIPS Agreement
Article 4: Legal-Technical Assistance andTechnical Cooperation 5
Article 5: Final Clauses 6TRIPS-VI -Page3
Preamble
TheWorldIntellectualPropertyOrganization(WIPO)andtheWorldTradeOrganization(WTO),
Desiring toestablish amutually supportive relationship between them, andwithaview to
establishing appropriate arrangements forcooperation between them,
Agree asfollows:
Article 1
Abbreviated Expressions
Forthepurposes ofthisAgreement:
(i) "WIPO" means theWorld Intellectual Property Organization;
(ii) "WTO" means theWorld Trade Organization;
(iii) "International Bureau" means theInternational Bureau ofWIPO;
(iv) "WTO Member" means aparty totheAgreement Establishing theWorld Trade
Organization;
(v) "theTRIPS Agreement" means theAgreement onTrade-Related Aspects ofIntellectual
Property Rights, Annex 1CtotheAgreement Establishing theWorld Trade
Organization;
(vi) "ParisConvention"meanstheParisConventionfortheProtectionofIndustrialProperty
ofMarch 20,1883, asrevised;
(vii) "Paris Convention (1967)" means theParisConvention fortheProtection ofIndustrial
Property ofMarch 20,1883, asrevised atStockholm onJuly14,1967;
(viii) "emblem" means, inthecaseofaWTO Member, anyarmorial bearing, flagandother
Stateemblem ofthatWTO Member, oranyofficial signorhallmark indicating control
andwarranty adopted byit,and,inthecaseofaninternational intergovernmental
organization, anyarmorial bearing, flag,other emblem, abbreviation orname ofthat
organization.
Article 2
Laws andRegulations
(1)[Accessibility ofLaws andRegulations intheWIPO Collection byWTO Members andTheir
Nationals ]TheInternational Bureau shall, onrequest, furnish toWTO Members andtonationals of
WTO Members copies oflawsandregulations, andcopies oftranslations thereof, thatexist inits
collection, onthesame terms asapply totheMember States ofWIPO andtonationals oftheMember
States ofWIPO, respectively.TRIPS-VI -Page4
(2)[Accessibility oftheComputerized Database ]WTO Members andnationals ofWTO Members
shallhaveaccess, onthesame terms asapply totheMember States ofWIPO andtonationals ofthe
Member States ofWIPO, respectively, toanycomputerized database oftheInternational Bureau
containing lawsandregulations. TheWTO Secretariat shallhaveaccess, freeofanycharge byWIPO,
toanysuchdatabase.
(3)[Accessibility ofLaws andRegulations intheWIPO Collection bytheWTO Secretariat andthe
Council forTRIPS ]
(a)Where, onthedateofitsinitial notification ofalaworregulation under Article 63.2of
theTRIPSAgreement,aWTOMemberhasalreadycommunicatedthatlaworregulation,oratranslation
thereof, totheInternational Bureau andthatWTO Member hassenttotheWTO Secretariat astatement
tothateffect, andthatlaw,regulation ortranslation actually exists inthecollection oftheInternational
Bureau, theInternational Bureau shall, onrequest oftheWTO Secretariat, give, freeofcharge, acopy
ofthesaidlaw,regulation ortranslation totheWTO Secretariat.
(b)Furthermore, if,forthepurposes ofcarrying outitsobligations under Article 68ofthe
TRIPS Agreement, suchasmonitoring theoperation oftheTRIPS Agreement orproviding assistance
inthecontext ofdispute settlement procedures, theCouncil forTRIPS oftheWTO requires acopy
ofalaworregulation, oracopyofatranslation thereof, which hadnotpreviously beengiven tothe
WTO Secretariat under subparagraph (a),andwhich exists inthecollection oftheInternational Bureau,
theInternational Bureau shall, upon request ofeither theCouncil forTRIPS ortheWTO Secretariat,
givetotheWTO Secretariat, freeofcharge, therequested copy.
(c)TheInternational Bureau shall, onrequest, furnish totheWTO Secretariat onthesame
terms asapply toMember States ofWIPO anyadditional copies ofthelaws, regulations andtranslations
given under subparagraph (a)or(b),aswellascopies ofanyother lawsandregulations, andcopies
oftranslations thereof, which existinthecollection oftheInternational Bureau.
(d)TheInternational Bureau shallnotputanyrestriction ontheusethattheWTO Secretariat
maymake ofthecopies oflaws, regulations andtranslations transmitted under subparagraph (a),(b)
or(c).
(4)[Laws andRegulations Received bytheWTO Secretariat fromWTO Members ]
(a)TheWTO Secretariat shalltransmit totheInternational Bureau, freeofcharge, acopy
ofthelawsandregulations received bytheWTO Secretariat fromWTO Members under Article 63.2
oftheTRIPS Agreement inthelanguage orlanguages andintheform orforms inwhich theywere
received, andtheInternational Bureau shallplace suchcopies initscollection.
(b)TheWTO Secretariat shallnotputanyrestriction onthefurther usethattheInternational
Bureau maymake ofthecopies ofthelawsandregulations transmitted under subparagraph (a).
(5)[Translation ofLaws andRegulations ]TheInternational Bureau shallmake available todeveloping
country WTO Members which arenotMember States ofWIPO thesame assistance fortranslation
oflawsandregulations forthepurposes ofArticle 63.2oftheTRIPS Agreement asitmakes available
toMembers ofWIPO which aredeveloping countries.TRIPS-VI -Page5
Article 3
Implementation ofArticle 6teroftheParis Convention
forthePurposes oftheTRIPS Agreement
(1)[General ]
(a)Theprocedures relating tocommunication ofemblems andtransmittal ofobjections under
theTRIPSAgreementshallbeadministeredbytheInternationalBureauinaccordancewiththeprocedures
applicable under Article 6teroftheParis Convention (1967).
(b)TheInternational Bureau shallnotrecommunicate toaStateparty totheParis Convention
which isaWTO Member anemblem which hadalready beencommunicated toitbytheInternational
Bureau under Article 6teroftheParisConvention priortoJanuary 1,1996, or,where thatStatebecame
aWTO Member afterJanuary 1,1996, prior tothedateonwhich itbecame aWTO Member, and
theInternationalBureaushallnottransmitanyobjectionreceivedfromthesaidWTOMemberconcerning
thesaidemblem iftheobjection isreceived bytheInternational Bureau more than12months after
receipt ofthecommunication ofthesaidemblem under Article 6teroftheParis Convention bythesaid
State.
(2)[Objections ]Notwithstanding paragraph (1)(a), anyobjection received bytheInternational Bureau
from aWTO Member which concerns anemblem thathadbeencommunicated totheInternational
Bureau byanother WTO Member where atleastoneofthesaidWTO Members isnotparty tothe
Paris Convention, andanyobjection which concerns anemblem ofaninternational intergovernmental
organization andwhich isreceived bytheInternational Bureau fromaWTO Member notparty tothe
Paris Convention ornotbound under theParis Convention toprotect emblems ofinternational
intergovernmental organizations, shallbetransmitted bytheInternational Bureau totheWTO Member
orinternational intergovernmental organization concerned regardless ofthedateonwhich theobjection
hadbeenreceived bytheInternational Bureau. Theprovisions ofthepreceding sentence shallnot
affect thetimelimitof12months forthelodging ofanobjection.
(3)[Information toBeProvided totheWTO Secretariat ]TheInternational Bureau shallprovide to
theWTO Secretariat information relating toanyemblem communicated byaWTO Member tothe
International Bureau orcommunicated bytheInternational Bureau toaWTO Member.
Article 4
Legal-Technical Assistance andTechnical Cooperation
(1)[Availability ofLegal-Technical Assistance andTechnical Cooperation ]TheInternational Bureau
shallmake available todeveloping country WTO Members which arenotMember States ofWIPO
thesame legal-technical assistance relating totheTRIPS Agreement asitmakes available toMember
States ofWIPO which aredeveloping countries. TheWTO Secretariat shallmake available toMember
States ofWIPO which aredeveloping countries andarenotWTO Members thesame technical
cooperationrelatingtotheTRIPSAgreementasitmakesavailabletodevelopingcountryWTOMembers.
(2)[Cooperation Between theInternational Bureau andtheWTOSecretariat ]TheInternational Bureau
andtheWTO Secretariat shallenhance cooperation intheirlegal-technical assistance andtechnical
cooperation activities relating totheTRIPS Agreement fordeveloping countries, soastomaximize
theusefulness ofthose activities andensure theirmutually supportive nature.TRIPS-VI -Page6
(3)[Exchange ofInformation ]Forthepurposes ofparagraphs (1)and(2),theInternational Bureau
andtheWTO Secretariat shallkeepinregular contact andexchange non-confidential information.
Article 5
Final Clauses
(1)[Entry intoForce ofthisAgreement ]ThisAgreement shallenter intoforce onJanuary 1,1996.
(2)[Amendment ofthisAgreement ]ThisAgreement maybeamended bycommon agreement ofthe
parties tothisAgreement.
(3)[Termination ofthisAgreement ]Ifoneoftheparties tothisAgreement gives theother party written
notice toterminate thisAgreement, thisAgreement shallterminate oneyearafterreceipt ofthenotice
bytheother party, unless alonger period isspecified inthenotice orunless bothparties agree ona
longer orashorter period.
_____ ______
Done inGeneva on22December 1995.