WORLD TRADE
ORGANIZATIONTN/IP/3
30 September 2002
(02-5221)
Council for Trade-Related Aspects
of Intellectual Property RightsSpecial Session
THIRD SPECIAL SESSION OF THE COUNCIL FOR TRIPS
Report by the Chairman, Ambassador Eui-yong Chung, to the Trade Negotiations Committee
1. The Special Session of the Council for TRIPS held its third meeting on 20 September 2002 on
the basis of the agenda as set out in WTO/AIR/1889.  The agenda items were:  negotiation of the
establishment of a multilateral system of notification and registration of geographical indications for
wines and spirits;  observer status for intergovernmental organizations;  and other business.
2. First, two new communications were presented:  the first one was co-sponsored by Argentina,
Australia, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador,
Guatemala, Honduras, Japan, Namibi a, New Zealand, the Philippines, Chinese Taipei and the United
States (TN/IP/W/5);  the second one was co-sponsored  by Argentina, Australia, Chile, New Zealand
and the United States (TN/IP/W/6).
3. Second, the Special Session took up the issue of the "mechanics" of a notification and
registration system, including such matters as procedures for notification, opposition, registration andmodification as well as issues of costs and the possible role of the Secretariat;  this was discussed
together with the third category of issues identi fied by the Chairperson in his informal note of
June 2002 (JOB(02)/49), i.e., what is meant by a "system of notification and registration".  For the
purposes of the discussion, the WTO Secretariat had circulated a note on "Multilateral Notification
and Registration Systems" (TN/IP/W/4), prepared with the assistance of the International Bureau of
the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO).  The International Bureau of WIPO was invited
to be represented in an expert capacity for the discussion of this specific issue.  As proposed by theChair, the discussion of the issue of "mechanics"  took place according to the following structure:
procedures, costs and the possible role of the Secretariat.  Even if positions remained divided on the
nature and costs of the future system, arguments put forward from delegations, in particular those
concerning "technicalities" and concrete problems, could be viewed as helpful.
4. The Special Session then took up in turn the other categories of issues identified in the Chair's
informal note and already discussed at the June meeting:  definition of the term "geographical
indications" and eligibility of geographical indications for inclusion in the system;  and the purpose of
the notification and registration system.  For lack of time, discussion on the issue of "participation"
was postponed to the November meeting.
5. The WTO Secretariat was asked to prepare for the November meeting a factual compilation
of points raised by delegations.  The Chair exhorted participants to make as many proposals with
"treaty language" as possible at the November meeting.
6. With regard to observer status for intergovernmental organizations, the Special Session
agreed to revert to this matter at the November meeting in the light of any action taken by the TNC or
the General Council.
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