WORLD TRADE
ORGANIZATIONIP/C/W/108/Add.3
16 September 1998
(98-3508)
Council for Trade-Related Aspects
of Intellectual Property RightsOriginal:  English
TECHNICAL COOPERATION ACTIVITIES:  INFORMATION FROM
OTHER INTERGOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS
WORLD BANK
Addendum
This present document reproduces the information which has been received from the World
Bank by means of a communications, dated 3 and 14 September 1998.
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World Bank Activities on Trade-Related Intellectual Property Rights:  1997-1998
Brazil
The Brazil Science and Technology Reform Operation assists Brazil in strengthening
industrial property rights in enforcing those rights. The project provides its assistance through two
main sub-components: (a) Support to the Institutional Modernization Program of the National
Institute for the Protection of Industrial Property Rights;  and (b) a multi-institutional project aimed at
disseminating knowledge of the benefits of IPRs, and at strengthening technical assistance providedby specialized agents.  The total expenditure in support of IPRs during the first phase of this project is
around $4 million.
Indonesia
The development objective of the Information Infrastructure Development Project (IIDP) for
Indonesia is to enhance private sector participation in providing information technology (IT), postal,
and tourism services by removing barriers to entry.  There are five components. The first involves
improving the legal and regulatory framework by  providing advisory services, training, and
equipment to prepare laws and regulations on intellectual property rights;  carrying out policy studies,
training staff, and strengthening the policy or institutional capacities of the state secretariat; improvingthe copyright, patent, and trademark directorate, as well as the national development planning agency.
The second component enhances the efficiency and effectiveness of researchers by expanding the
science and technology network.  The third com ponent, has two sub-components, strengthening the
legal and regulatory framework to promote private sector participation in postal services; and
extending tourist information services to the regions by developing the business model and pilotprojects for an electronic tourism information system.  The fourth and fifth components provide
technical assistance and training to promote privat e participation and IT service delivery and project
management assistance, respectively.IP/C/W/108/Add.3
Page 2
Malawi

Some work has been done in institutionalizing a legal framework that recognizes trade-related
intellectual property rights.  This was, for example, the background against which musicians and
others mounted campaigns to confiscate and destroy pirate videos and cassettes in the country.  Theapplication of this framework to agricultural technology has lagged the most- other disciplines appear
to be better covered and more aware of patent protection etc.  In agricultural research, this issue has
become slightly more complicated. Bank recommendations on breeders' rights were not introduced in
recent legislation.  It appears that the breeders we re not interested since the Government would have a
claim to any payments accruing from breeders' rights.
Senegal
The Bank is at the initial stages of identifying possible approaches and vehicles to support the
Government's initiative to provide a legal framework to protect intellectual property with special
emphasis on cultural industries and heritage.  One of the components identified for inclusion in the
Government's initiative is the preparation of a "Code of Conduct for Cultural Industries".  It is
expected that the Bank-supported Committee for Judicial Reform will include preparation of the Codeunder its mandate to reform commercial law in Senegal.
Turkey
The major objective of the Industrial Technology Project (ITP) is to improve the
competitiveness of Turkish industry, both in domestic and foreign markets.  The project aims to do soby:  (i) assisting in the harmonization of Turkish t echnology infrastructure and services with European
Customs Union (ECU) standards;  and (ii) a ssisting firms in upgrading their technological
capabilities. Strengthening the infrastructure for th e examination, search, retrieval, and enforcement of
industrial property rights (patents, trademarks) is one of the four components of this project.  The pre-
appraisal mission was undertaken in the first half of 1998, and the aim is for the project to go toappraisal around September-October, and Board presentation early next year.  The total loan amount
is around US$160m, with the IP component around US$15 million.
Eastern and Southern Africa
Kenya, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe are currently implementing Bank-assisted
agricultural research projects that involve technical and financial support to components of crop and
livestock improvement, seed multiplication and dissemination.  In these projects, the development ofthe formal seed sub-sector through private sector seed companies is facilitated concurrent with
support to the informal sector where improved seed is exchanged or sold from farmer to farmer, often
supported and facilitated by publicly-financed agricultural research institutions and non-government
organizations (NGOs).  In most cases, this involves the development of appropriate policy guidelines,
legislation and regulations to better define the respective roles of the public and private sectors.Clearly-defined intellectual property rights are a pre-requisite for an effective and efficient seed sub-
sector and in those countries where there is a need for further work in this area, support through Bank-
assisted projects is being made available.
World Intellectual Property Rights in Agriculture
A workshop on "Intellectual Property Rights in  Agriculture: World Bank's Possible Future
Role in Assisting its Borrower/Member Countr ies" was held in Washington, D.C., on 11 and
12 June 1998.IP/C/W/108/Add.3
Page 3
The conclusions of the meeting were that:

• The situation with regard to IPRs is moving so rapidly, with so many stakeholders and
complex implications for the World Bank's borrowing and member countries, that the Bank
has an important convening role to play - both at the strategic level and the operational level -in assisting its borrower and member countries.

• At the strategic level, the Bank needs to play a catalytic role in a few areas considered
collectively of high priority by its borrowing countries and other relevant stakeholders
(including particularly the private sector). For instance, it can serve as a catalyst to initiatepolicy and institutional analysis of innovation systems that will break new ground in
mobilizing resources for partnerships for a rapid, equitable and sustainable development of
agriculture in developing countries;

• At the operational level, the Bank needs to develop the capacity of its task team leaders to
advise borrowing countries more effectively, including advice on access to the best expertise,
training programs, etc., where there is considerable activity outside the Bank;

• The meeting agreed to maintain the network of the participants and others as appropriate to:

- publish the proceedings of the meeting;  and
- pursue a concrete follow-up action plan along the lines
suggested by the Banks' borrowers.
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