WORLD TRADE IP/C/9
12March 1997
ORGANIZATION(97-0994)
Council forTrade-Related Aspects of
Intellectual Property Rights
NOTIFICATIONS OFLAWS AND REGULATIONS RELATING TOARTICLES 3,4AND 5
OFTHE TRIPS AGREEMENT: FORMAT FOR ONE OPTION
Atitsmeeting of27February 1997, theCouncil tooknoteofthefollowing textwhich had
beendeveloped bytheCouncil asapractical aidtoassist delegations making notifications oflawsand
regulations relating toArticles 3,4and5oftheAgreement.
_______________
TheCouncil forTRIPS hasrecognized thatMembers haveanumber ofoptions formeeting
theirobligation tonotify those lawsandregulations thatcorrespond tothenational treatment andMFN
obligations ofArticles 3,4and5oftheAgreement. Three options inparticular havebeenidentified:
- notifying thespecific provisions oflawsandregulations thatimplement theobligations
setoutinArticles 3,4and5;
- making ageneral statement that nationals ofother WTO Members enjoy
non-discriminatory treatment, together withalistofanyexceptions tothatprinciple;
or
- notifying allintellectual property lawsandregulations.
Inrespect ofthesecond oftheseoptions, thefollowing format hasbeendeveloped asapractical
aidtoassist Members availing themselves ofthisoption, without adding toorsubtracting from the
rights andobligations ofMembers under theAgreement.
*****
1. National Treatment
(a) Basic statement
Please confirm that,subject toanyexceptions specified under (b)below, yourcountry accords
tothenationals ofallother Members oftheWTO, asdefined inArticle 1.3oftheTRIPS Agreement,
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Page2
treatment nolessfavourable thanyourcountry accords toitsownnationals withregard totheprotection1
ofintellectual property.
Confirmation :...
(b) Exceptions
Theexceptions referred toabove arecontained inthefollowing provisions ofmycountry 's
lawsandregulations. Copies oftherelevant provisions areattached tothisnotification inaWTO
language (together withcopies inanational language, where thatisnotaWTO language).
LaworRegulation Relevant Provision
... ...
... ...
2. Most-Favoured-Nation Treatment
(a) Basic statement
Please confirm that,subject toanyexceptions specified under (b)below, yourcountry accords,
immediately andunconditionally, tothenationals ofallother Members oftheWTO, asdefined in
Article 1.3oftheTRIPS Agreement, anyadvantage, favour, privilege orimmunity granted byyour
country tothenationals ofanyother country withregard totheprotection2ofintellectual property.
Confirmation :...
(b) Exceptions
Theexceptions referred toabove arecontained inthefollowing lawsandregulations. Copies
oftherelevant provisions areattached tothisnotification.
LaworRegulation Relevant Provision
... ...
... ...
1IntheTRIPS Agreement, theword "protection" isdefined, forthepurposes ofArticles 3and4,toinclude matters
affecting theavailability, acquisition, scope, maintenance andenforcement ofintellectual property rights, aswellasthose
matters affecting theuseofintellectual property rights specifically addressed intheTRIPS Agreement.
2IntheTRIPS Agreement, theword "protection" isdefined, forthepurposes ofArticles 3and4,toinclude matters
affecting theavailability, acquisition, scope, maintenance andenforcement ofintellectual property rights, aswellasthose
matters affecting theuseofintellectual property rights specifically addressed intheTRIPS Agreement.