WORLD TRADE
ORGANIZATIONIP/C/W/305/Add.5
26 September 2001
(01-4587)
Council for Trade-Related Aspects
of Intellectual Property RightsOriginal:  English
TECHNICAL COOPERATION ACTIVITIES:  INFORMATION
FROM OTHER INTERGOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS
Addendum
UNCTAD
The present document reproduces the information on technical and financial cooperation
activities relevant to the implementation of the TRIPS Agreement, which was received from
UNCTAD on 19 September 2001.
_______________IP/C/W/305/Add.5
Page 2
TECHNICAL COOPERATION ACTIVIES RELEVANT TO THE
IMPLEMENTATION OF THE TRIPS AGREEMENT
Many of the technical cooperation programmes on trade, investment and technology have
always included a component on TRIPS Agreement related issues.  heir activities are aimed at
assisting developing countries in their effective participation in intensive discussions and negotiations.
A. TRAINING AND CAPACITY-BUILDING EVENTS
1. International Investment Related Activities
UNCTAD has, since its ninth session held in Midrand, carried out activities related to
International Investment Agreements financed through extra-budgetary contributions. These
agreements incorporate a component on intellectual property rights (IPRs) and issues related to
TRIPS. During 2000-2001, the following activities were carried out:
The UNCTAD Secretariat has launched an intensive course for negotiators of International
Investments Agreements (IIAs).  The first one was intended for negotiators from French-speakingcountries, with a particular focus on African Least Developed Countries (LDCs).  The session took
place in Alexandria (Egypt) from 5 to 15 June 2001 at the premises of the Senghor University and the
"Agence pour la Francophonie".  The second training  session will be organized in New Delhi, India,
from 19 to 30 November 2001, with the cooperation of the Indian Institute of Foreign Trade.  It aimed
at negotiators of Asian English-speaking.  Both intensive courses are based on the UNCTAD series onIssues in International Investment Agreements , and also include a negotiating skills module added to
the programme.
A joint WTO/UNCTAD regional symposium for 21 South, East and South-East Asian
countries on "Investment, Trade and Development" was organized from 14 to 15 March 2001 inKuala Lumpur, Malaysia.  The symposium aimed at assisting Asian government officials to
familiarize themselves with existing investment ar rangements, especially as regards the lessons that
can be drawn from a development perspective, and to contribute to a better understanding of key
issues and concepts.
A Training Seminar on Investment Agreements in Southern Africa was held in Windhoek,
Namibia, from 13 to 15 February 2001.  It was co-organized by the Labor Resource and Research
Institute (LaRRI) and the Dutch Foundation on Multinational (SOMO) in cooperation with UNCTAD.
UNCTAD financially supported the Seminar through its Trust Fund. Participants included
representatives from 21 NGOs, community-based organizations and trade unions.
2. Commercial Diplomacy and Related Activities
Training workshops on WTO issues organize d by UNCTAD have included a session on the
implications of the TRIPS Agreement for the Deve loping Countries, on the ongoing review process
and on the proposals that are being discussed at the WTO in the framework of its implementation.
UNCTAD organized a one-week Training Workshop on Selected WTO Issues for Trade
Negotiators from the English-speaking African countries, included sessions on: TRIPS/traditional
knowledge; competition issues in the implementation of the protection of
 intellectual property
rights; transfer of technology; investment po licies and implementations of the TRIMS and
TRIPS Agreements .  The workshop was held in Mauritius, 4-8 December 2000.IP/C/W/305/Add.5
Page 3
The two-week Workshop for the Andean Trade Negotiators held in Geneva in March 2001,
included a session on the issue of the geographical in dications from the point of view of the Andean
countries.
The one-month UNCTAD Training Course on Inte rnational Economic Issues, held in Geneva
and Turin, in June 2001, included a module on the TRIPS Agreement.
3. Capacity-building for the academic inst itutions of the developing countries
In the two UNCTAD/UNDP regional meetings on research and training needs on
international trade organized for the academic institutions of Latin America (Santiago, November1999) and Asia-Pacific (Delhi, November 2000), TRIPS,  among other things, was discussed as one of
the issues. Both meetings highlighted the need to formulate analytical tools to assess the impact of
TRIPS Agreement on the attraction of foreign direct investment (FDI) and on the development of
local technologies.
The forthcoming regional meeting of this kind to be held in Mauritius for the whole African
region (3-5 October 2001) with the participation of the main research networks and academicsinstitutions of the whole region, is expected to discuss the research and training needs in issues such
as TRIPS.
B. PROJECT ON IPRS AND THE CARIBBEAN MUSIC
UNCTAD is currently carrying out a project on IPRs and the music industry, entitled,
Becoming a Global Player, Opportunities on the Music Industry focusing on the Caribbean region,
more specifically Cuba, Jamaica and Trinidad & Tobago. This is a joint UNCTAD/WIPO research
project that looks at, inter alia , the current (and potential) impact of copyright on the development of
the music industry in the Caribbean region.
C. PROJECT ON CAPACITY BUILDING AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE TRIPS
AGREEMENT
DFID (United Kingdom) is funding a project on capacity building among negotiators from
developing countries.  The project aims to generate a better understanding of the TRIPS Agreement
and to strengthen the analytical and negotiating capacity of developing countries in their participationin Intellectual Property Rights (IPRs) related negotiations.  This project is being undertaken by
UNCTAD jointly with the International Centre for Trade and Sustainable Development.  It will
include the preparation of a resource book conceived as a practical tool for negotiators and policy
makers in order to facilitate their informed participation in ongoing as well as future negotiations and
decision-making processes.  It will cover questions such as the new IPRs standards; the main
implications for development, including costs of implementation; linkages with other international
agreements.  The resource book will be supported by a comprehensive policy discussion paper,capacity building seminars, core studies and background material.
D. PUBLICATIONS
The UNCTAD Secretariat has prepared a number of reports which cover, fully or partially,
IPRs and TRIPS-related issues.  These reports are often used in training programmes.  Some of these
include:
The TRIPS Agreement and Developing Countries (United Nations publication Sales
No.96.II.D.10) which is aimed at developing countries and addresses issues such as how they can
structure their intellectual property rights system, including the implementation of the TRIPS
Agreement in a way that enhances dynamic competition.  The purpose of this study is to support theIP/C/W/305/Add.5
Page 4
efforts of those countries in the formulation of strategies and the establishment of arrangements
conducive to the implementation of the TRIPS Agreement.
The Compendium on International Arrang ements on Transfer of Technology  (United Nations
publication Sales No. E-01.II.D.28) includes releva nt excerpts of international instruments at
multilateral, regional, inter-regional and bilateral levels.  The Compendium  reflects on the broad
variety of forms, policies, instruments containing provisions on technology transfer and the
effectiveness of their implementation.
UNCTAD work programmes on IIAs are built on the UNCTAD series on Issues in
International Investment Agreement, as well as the intensive training sessions. Recent publications
related to the TRIPS Agreement include:
- International Investment Agreements : Flexibility for Development Investment  (United
Nations publication Sales No. E.00.II.D.6) deals with the basic challenge thatdeveloping countries face when concluding and/or negotiating IIAs, which is to
achieve to create an appropriate stable, predictable and transparent FDI policy
framework, while, at the same time, retaining the margin of freedom necessary to
pursue their particular national development objectives.
- A paper on Environment  (United Nations publication E.01.II.D.3) examining how
IIAs can address commitments to protect environment and the promotion of transfer
and use of environmentally sound technologies and management practices to host
countries.
- A study on Transfer of Technology  (forthcoming) deals with analysis of provisions on
transfer of technology that are found in in ternational instruments, with special focus
on international investment agreements.
__________