WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION  IP/C/W/408/Add.7 
7 January 2004 
 
 (04-0035) 
Council for Trade-Related Aspects 
of Intellectual Property Rights Original:   English 
 
 
 
TECHNICAL COOPERATION ACTIVITIES: 
INFORMATION FROM MEMBERS 
 
 
AUSTRALIA 
  
Addendum
 
 
 
 The following communication, dated 9 December 2003, is being circulated at the request of 
the Delegation of Australia.   
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  1. Pursuant to Article 67 of the TRIPS Agreem ent, the Council for TRIPS requests an update 
from developed country Members of their technical and financial cooperation programmes in the area 
of intellectual property rights (IPRs) relevant to the implementation of the TRIPS Agreement.  The 
present document updates the report provided by Australia in 2002 (IP/C/W/377/Add.2). 
 2. Australia fulfils its Article 67 technical coopera tion commitments at the bilateral, regional and 
multilateral levels.  Its cooperation activities are larg ely focused on developing countries particularly 
in the Asia-Pacific region.  At the regional level,  Australia works closely with the APEC Secretariat 
and with APEC's Intellectual Property Rights Expert Group (IPEG). 
 3. The following provides an update of these activities, divided into bilateral and 
regional/multilateral cooperation un dertaken by the Australian Government.  Government agencies 
chiefly involved are IP Australia, the Australian Ag ency for International Development (AusAID), the 
Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT), the Attorney-General's Department (AGD) and the 
Department of Communications, Informa tion Technology and the Arts (DCITA). 
 4. Key websites which contain extensive informa tion on Australia's intellectual property (IP) 
regime and which may be considered a technical cooperation resource include:  IP Australia's IP 
Portal ( http://www.ipaccess.gov.au
), the IP Australia website covering patents, designs and 
trademarks ( http://www.ipaustralia.gov.au ), AGD and DCITA websites on copyright developments 
(http://www.ag.gov.au/ip/  and www.dcita.gov.au/ip ), and the DFAT website which covers 
international IP developments ( www.dfat.gov.au/ip ). 
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 I. BILATERAL ACTIVITIES 
Africa 
5. In May 2003, a Department of Foreign Affair s and Trade official made a presentation on 
current TRIPS issues at the WTO's Trade Policy Course for African countries in Nairobi.  
 
Cambodia 
6. From 14 to 18 October 2002, an IP Australia official visited Cambodia to assist in the 
preparation of a trademark manual on trademark ad ministration in Cambodia.  This project was 
carried out in coordination with the WIPO and th e Intellectual Property Division of the Ministry of 
Commerce of Cambodia.  
People's Republic of China 
7. On 6 November 2002, a delegation of 10 officials from the China Council for the Promotion 
of International Trade visited IP Australia.  Th e delegation received a presentation on IP Australia and 
then considered issues relating to IP protection in  Australia and the trademarks and patents indexing 
systems.  
8. On 13 December 2002, a Chinese delegation, including the Deputy Chief, IP Tribunal, 
Beijing Supreme Court and officers from the China Tr ademarks Office, visited IP Australia.  This 
visit concerned general trademark issues, pa tent attorney registrations and copyright. 
 9. On 2 April 2003, representatives of the Commonwealth Government met with a delegation 
from the General Administration of Press and Publications of the People's Republic of China. 
Attendees of the meeting included representatives of the Department of Communications, Information 
Technology and the Arts, the Attorney-General's De partment and Australian Customs Services.  The 
main topics for discussion included the Australian copyright system, the Ch inese copyright system 
and opportunities for cooperation between the two countries.  
10. In August 2003, Judge Lu Guoqiang from China visited Australia on a fact-finding mission 
and held discussions with the Attorney-General 's Department and IP Australia on aspects of 
Australian intellectual property law. 
 
India 
11. In August 2003, an official from the Departme nt of Foreign Affairs and Trade conducted a 
workshop on geographical indications (GIs) in New Delhi.  The participants were provided with 
extensive information on GIs, including registrati on systems, options for protection, various GI 
models, the relationship between GIs and trademarks , and current international negotiations on GIs. 
  
Indonesia 
12. During the financial year 2002 to 2003, the In donesia-Australia Specialised Training Project 
provided training to 313 participants on IPRs.  Two courses were delivered in Australia, focusing on 
receiving and processing IP applications.  On 5 No vember 2002, a group of Indonesian Ministry of 
Law and Legislation employees visited IP Australia.  This visit was part of their programme of studies 
at the University of Technology, Sydney.  The vis it focused on administration of patents, trademarks 
and designs.  An additional 11 courses were conducte d in various locations throughout Indonesia. 
  IP/C/W/408/Add.7 
 Page 3 
 
 
 13. In March and April 2003, AusAID conducted a four-week training course on IPRs for 80 
judges from Indonesia's Commercial Court throu gh its Legal Reform Program Facility.  The 
Commercial Court recently acquired jurisdiction over IPR matters.  The course aimed to improve the skills and understanding of judges in effectively handling IPR cases, especially regarding trademarks, 
patents and copyright.  Korea 
14. In April 2003, a consultant to the Attorney-Gen eral's Department spoke at the WIPO national 
seminar in Seoul on the rights and obligations of u sers of copyright and related rights in the digital 
environment. 
15. On 21 and 22 October 2002, the second meeti ng of the IP Australia/Korean Intellectual 
Property Office (KIPO) IT Experts Group was held at IP Australia.  The purpose of the meeting was 
to progress cooperative activities in the field of IT.  Specific issues related to assistance to developing 
countries, the Madrid system, and mutual  exploitation of examination results. 
 
16. On 10 and 11 December 2002, a group of officers fro m the KIPO visited IP Australia.  This 
visit, part of the cooperation arrangements with KI PO, was made to further mutual understanding and 
cooperation between the two offices.  Discussions centered on the Madrid Protocol, geographical 
indications, domain names and trademarks.  The officers sought, in particular, information on 
Australia's experiences with joining the Madrid Protocol.  Malaysia 
17. On 21 October 2002, Dr S. Mahbob, the Malaysia n Secretary-General of the Ministry of 
Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs, visited IP Australia to discuss possible cooperation arrangements between the two IP offices.  Nepal 
18. In August 2003, an Australian team comprisi ng of members from government and private 
legal practice conducted a review of Nepalese IP legislation, including relevant aspects of the 
Nepalese enforcement processes.  The review sought to identify any inconsistencies between 
Nepalese laws and the requirements of the TRIP S Agreement and make reco mmendations as to how 
the laws and enforcement processes may be amended or improved so as to comply with the TRIPS 
Agreement. 
 
Papua New Guinea 
From 30 June to 4 July 2003, an official from the P NG IP Office visited IP Au stralia to study the IP 
Australian designs examination systems.  
Singapore 
19. In September 2002, an official from the IP Offi ce of Singapore visited IP Australia to study 
the IT systems including the TRACS system for trad emarks which had been incorporated into IP 
Australia's activities.  20. In November 2002, an official from IP Austra lia visited the IP Office of Singapore to 
continue discussions regarding c ooperation with the IP Office of Singapore on patent search and 
examination. 
 IP/C/W/408/Add.7 
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 21. On 31 January 2003, an official from IP Australia visited the IP Office of Singapore to 
discuss current awareness and education programmes and how Singapore and Australia may continue 
to share experiences in the IP awareness and education field. 
 
Thailand 
22. On 21 May 2003, a group of five visitors from the Chulalongkorn University Intellectual 
Property Institute in Thailand visited IP Australia .  Discussions focused on licensing and IP valuation 
methodologies.   
Bhutan, Sri Lanka and Nepal 
23. From 22 to 24 October 2003, officials from Bhutan , Sri Lanka and Nepal visited IP Australia 
to study the strategies and programmes being pursued in Australia to promote the use of IP by Small 
and Medium-sized Enterprises.  This study visit was sponsored by WIPO. 
 
II. REGIONAL/MULTILATERAL ACTIVITIES 
WTO 24. On 14 and 15 November 2002, Australia hosted an Informal Meeting of Ministers from 25 
WTO member countries in Sydney and funded the participation of a number of least developed 
delegations.   
 
APEC 
25. In May and August 2003, an Australian te am of government officials and academics 
conducted workshops in Bangkok and Beijing on GIs.   The two-day workshops included over 40 
participants from 11 APEC  economies.  The participants were pr ovided with extensive information on 
GIs, including registration systems, options for protection, various GI models, the relationship 
between GIs and trademarks, and current  international negotiations on GIs. 
 26. In March 2004, an Australian team of governme nt officials and a consultant will conduct a 
seminar and training workshop on enforcement and border control aspects of IPRs in Hong Kong, 
China.  The workshop will be attended by APEC  Asian developing economy members, and will 
address awareness and potential strategies for enfo rcement and border risks in those economies. 
 
APEC-IPEG 
27. With funding received from APEC under its Trade and Investment Liberalization and 
Facilitation programme, IP Australia is managing a project to develop a public education and 
awareness programme for Indonesia, the Philippines and Viet Nam.  Under this programme a public 
education and awareness workshop was delivered  from 24 to 25 June 2003 to staff from the 
Indonesian Directorate General of Intellectual Prope rty Rights.  A similar workshop was delivered to 
the National Office of IP in Viet Nam from 27 to 28 October 2003.  Website development and the 
development of publications, training and strategy de velopment are also part of the deliverables for 
this project. 
 
The Regionally Focused Action Plan (RFA P) for the Pacific Islands Forum Countries 
28. On 5 and 6 December 2002, officials from IP Australia attended the WIPO-Australia-Forum 
Secretariat High-Level Meeting of Intellectual Pr operty Officials of Forum Island Countries in  IP/C/W/408/Add.7 
 Page 5 
 
 
 Samoa. They gave presentations on issues involved in  the implementation of the three-year RFAP for 
intellectual property development for the Forum Island Countries.  29. On 3 July 2003, an official from IP Australia pa rticipated in the Senior Officials Meeting held 
prior to the Forum Trade Ministers Meeting in Na di, Fiji.  Forum Trade Ministers noted the progress 
achieved on the draft regional framework for the protection of traditional knowledge and expressions 
of culture, and the elaboration of options for regi onal administration of industrial property in the 
Pacific Islands Forum Countries.  30. From 2 to 4 September 2003, WIPO, IP Australia  and the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat 
organized workshops on Administration of Intellect ual Property and Enhancing Public Awareness of 
Intellectual Property in Port Vila, Vanuatu.  The wo rkshops were attended by officials from 12 Pacific 
Island countries.  
III. PAPERS PRESENTED 
31. Australian officials and non-government repr esentatives presented papers at the following 
regional and international fora:  
• WIPO Permanent Committee on IP Developm ent, Geneva, 28 October to 1 November 
2002. 
 
• An official from IP Australia gave present ations at a WIPO Asian Regional Symposium 
in Colombo, Sri Lanka, 28 to 30 January 2003.  The focus of the Symposium was on the promotion of intellectual property awareness through public outreach. 
 
• APEC-IPEG meeting and symposium, Christchurch, New Zealand, 
10 to 13 March 2003  
 
• APEC-IPEG meeting and symposium, Va ncouver, Canada, 8 to 10 July 2003 
 
• ASEAN Working Group on Intellectual Property, Philippines, 4 September 2003 
 
• WIPO National Intellectual Property Trainers ' Course, held in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, 
16 to 17 September 2002. 
 
• WIPO Asian Regional Seminar on an Intell ectual Property Strategy for Small and 
Medium-Sized Enterprises, held at the In ternational Intellectual Property Training 
Institute (IIPTI), Daeduk, Daejeon, 26 to 28 November 2002. 
 
• WIPO Joint Training Course on the Use of the Intellectual Property System in 
Enhancing Enterprise Competitiveness and Gr owth, Singapore, 14 to 22 October 2002. 
 
 
 
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