IP/C/W/647/Add.1  
 
18 October 201 8 
(18-6493) Page: 1/6 
Council for Trade -Related Aspects of  
Intellectual Property Rights  Original: English  
 
TECHNICAL COOPERATIO N ACTIVITIES:  
INFORMATION FROM MEM BERS  
SWITZERLAND  
Addendum  
The f ollowing communication, dated 1 October 2018 , is being circulated at the request of the 
delegation of Switzerland.  
 
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1.  Following documents IP/C/W/12/Add.3 of 13 September 1995, IP/C/W/34/Add.2 of 
17 September 1996, IP/C/W/77/Add.3 of 30 September 1997, IP/C/W/109/Add.1 of 
4 September  1998, IP/C/W/154/Add.2 of 8 October 1999, IP/C/W/203/Add.1 of 
13 September  2000, IP/C/W/306/Add.3 of 18 September 2001, IP/C/W /377/Add.9 of 
24 January   2003, IP/C/W/408/Add.4 of 14 November 2003, IP/C/W/426/Add.2 of 
8 September  2004, IP/C/W/455 of 5 October 2005, IP/C/W/476 of 14 September 2006, IP/C/W/496 
of 28 September 2007, IP/C/W/514/Add.4 of 17 October 2008, IP/C/W/536/Add. 3 of 
20 October  2009, IP/C/W/550/Add.2 of 20 October 2010, IP/C/W/560/Add.5 of 14 October 2011, 
IP/C/W/582/Add.4 of 25 October 2012, IP/C/W/593/Add.5 of 4 October 2013, IP/C/W/593/Add.5 of 
4 October 2014, IP/C/W/610/Add.3 of 1 October 2015 and IP/C/W/617/A dd.2 of 14 October 2016, 
in which much of the description of the aims and organisational aspects of technical cooperation 
remains relevant, this report describes the activities of the Swiss Federal Institute of Intellectual 
Property (hereafter "the IPI ") in the field of technical cooperation between 1 September  2017 and 
31 August  2018 .  Drafted along the same lines as the preceding reports, this document draws a 
distinction between multilateral and bilateral activities.  It is the objective of the Swiss authorities 
to ensure optimal coordination of available resources, both at the multilateral and bilateral level, 
while avoiding duplication or the overlap of programmes . 
1  MULTILATERAL ACTIVIT IES - TECHNICAL COOP ERATION IN THE FRAME WORK OF 
THE WORLD INTELLEC TUAL PROPERTY ORGANI ZATION (WIPO) AND WO RLD TRADE 
ORGANIZATION (WTO)  
1.1  Free-of-Charge Searches for WIPO in Favour of Developing Countries  
2.  Since 1987, the IPI has been participating in the WIPO Patent Information Services for 
Developing Countries (WPIS), whi ch WIPO set up and runs to handle individual requests for patent 
information (state -of-the-art search reports).  Additionally, since 1 January 2011, the IPI has been 
participating in the International Cooperation on Examination (ICE) part of WPIS.  The IPI  thus not 
only provides "state-of-the-art search reports ", but also "search and examination reports ".  These 
types of reports are provided to facilitate national patent applications in the beneficiary countries.  
The programme supports the national patent offices in building up their competence in search and 
examination procedures, and helps to strengthen the patent system and legal certainty worldwide . 
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  3.  Between 1 September 2017 and 31 August 2018, the IPI conducted, at the request of WIPO, 
free-of-charge searches for the following countries:  
Country  Number of 
searches  
ICE-Searches:   
Djbouti  2 
Madagascar  5 
WPIS -Searches:   
- - 
Total  7 
2  BILATERAL ACTIVITIES  
2.1  China  
4.  During the reporting period, a delegation of government officials from Hubei Intellectual Property 
Bureau from the People 's Republic of China was welcomed at the IPI and introduced to the Swiss 
system of intellectual property rights protection .  
2.2  Colombia  
5.  The Colombian –Swiss Intellectual Property Project (COLIPRI) started in January 2013 and ran  
until 30 September 2018. The overall goals of the project were to achieve higher competitiveness, 
add more value to Colombian products, and achieve a positive impact on Colombia 's social and 
economic development. COLIPRI 's two main institutional partners and beneficiaries were the 
Delegatura de Propiedad Industrial at the Superintendencia de Industria y Comercio (SIC) and the 
Ministerio del Interior of Colombia. The COLIPRI project was financed by the Swiss State Secretariat 
of Economy (hereafter "the SECO "), and was implemented by the IPI. The following activities were 
undertaken within the reporting period:  
6.  Under component A "The SIC better serves the IPR users ": 
a. Study tour for representatives of the SIC trademark division to Switzerland (the IPI and WIPO) 
on the Madrid system for the international registration of trademarks; exchange on internal 
organisation and procedures;  
b. Creating new course modules to be deliv ered by the Colombian Intellectual Property Academy 
(API): course on industrial design; course on patent drafting; course on IP for the judiciary;  
c. Exchange between the Colombian and the Chilean IP offices on the ProSur platform as a 
knowledge and technolog y transfer market place; training by the Swiss ip -search unit of the 
IPI and the Colombian CIGEPI (Centro de Información Tecnológica y Apoyo a la Gestión de la 
Propiedad Industrial) on the creation, marketing and electronic launch of new services for 
techn ology searches; training on state -of-the-art patent searches for regional Technology and 
Innovation Support Centers (TISCs) ; and  
d. Access to a specialised patent search database (Orbit) . 
7.  Under component B, "Increased knowledge and technology transfer in selected sectors ": 
a. Training on technology transfer and IP licensing for technology and innovation support centres 
and knowledge and technology transfer offices;  IP/C/W/647/Add.1  
 
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  b. Strengthening the national network of knowledge and technology transfer offices ; and  
c. Video pro motional campaign for the first innovation cluster in Colombia in the tourism sector 
around the Río Magdalena (Magdalena Travesía Mágica), including seven regional chambers 
of commerce . 
8.  Under component C "Any producer concerned can access and benefit from the geographical 
indications (GIs) legal and institutional framework ": 
a. Organising an Andean regional conference to share experiences on GIs among Andean 
Community member states (Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador and Peru), as well as continuing to 
negotiate a sep arate Andean norm on GIs;  
b. Producing a new promotional video on Colombian GI products;  
c. Setting up a tailor -made virtual course on GIs, collective marks and trade marks with the 
Colombian Intellectual Property Academy at SIC;  
d. Promoting and using the GI impac t evaluation methodology;  
e. Providing ongoing support to the Bocadillo veleño (guava paste) GI value chain on marketing, 
promotion and participation at fairs, as well as strengthening the producer federation;  
f. Providing ongoing support to the national handic raft promotion agency, Artesanías de 
Colombia, on better protection for the handicraft sector with IP tools (IP policy and 
standardised IP contract templates); and  
g. Providing practical support (organisational development and marketing) to handicraft 
communi ties, i.e. Sombrero Aguadeño (hat), Fique de Curití (sisal fibre) and Tejeduría de San 
Jacinto (hammocks), on capitalising more on their GI and collective trade mark . 
9.  Under component D, "The Colombian stakeholders identify possible elements for a national 
traditional knowledge (TK) policy ": 
a. Document on recommendations for a future TK protection policy ; and  
b. Publication and promotion of a guide on the protection of traditional knowledge in Colombia . 
2.3  Ghana  
10.  The Swiss -Ghanaian Intellectual Property Project, Phas e II (SGIP -II) was launched in 
January  2016 and is due to conclude in December 2019. The project 's overall goal is to contribute 
to Ghana 's socio -economic development by promoting the use and protection of intellectual property 
rights (IPRs). Like SGIP I, SGIP II is financed by the SECO, while the IPI serves as the executive 
agency for the project . 
11.  SGIP-II has four outcome goals. The activities undertaken under each outcome during the 
reporting period are listed below : 
a. Outcome A: An enabling IP environment in place and an improved service provision for IP 
users : 
i. The new Ghanaian Industrial Property Office (IPO) is expected to be functional in early 
September 2018. The project has therefore begun planning for training the staff of the 
new IPO in Industrial Designs and Trademarks. The first training is scheduled to be 
delivered in November 2018 . 
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  b. Outcome B:  Targeting research institutions and SMEs to increase the commercialisation of 
their IPRs  
i. The project liaised with the Registrar General 's Department and WIPO in order to 
deliver a workshop on institutional intellectual property policies for research 
institutions and universities. This workshop will be delivered in October 2018 .  
c. Outcome C:  Improving the protection and enforcement of IPRs f or higher economic benefits 
for right holders and safeguarding consumers from substandard goods  
i. A study that will survey the economic impact of copyright on the Ghanaian economy 
was started in May 2018. This study is based on the WIPO methodology that was used 
for various similar studies during the past several years. The study is expected to be 
conclud ed in the first quarter of 2019;  
ii. Training for customs officials was delivered from 25 to 29 June 2018 by the World 
Customs Organization. This training entitl ed "Combating Counterfeiting and Piracy, 
Health and Safety Workshop " concentrated on helping customs officials to identify 
pirated goods and to help them understand the threat that they pose to the safety of 
the general public; and  
iii. Three training sessions were held for the Police Criminal Investigations Departments 
(CID) during the reporting period. The training sessions were designed to introduce 
the Police CID to the Ghanaian IP system and to show them how to conduct 
investigations into IP -related crimes.  These training courses were held on:  
13 to 15 September 2017;  9 to 11 April 2018 ; 28 to 30 August 2018 . 
d. Outcome D:  Increasing the legal protection of GIs to better market traditional products for 
the benefit of rural and artisanal communities  
i. A study was conducted by local and international consultants to assist stakeholders in 
identifying products to be registered as GIs during the last reporting period. This report 
was delivered in September 2017 . 
2.4  Indonesia  
12.  The second phase of the Indonesian -Swiss Intell ectual Property Project (ISIP -II) started in May 
2017 and focuses on : 
a. Component A: Supporting, at policy level, the protection and commercialisation of intellectual 
property rights (IPRs) and the development of Indonesia 's creative economy;  
b. Component B: Te chnical and capacity -building assistance to the DGIP to better serve 
intellectual property rights (IPRs) users ; and  
c. Component C: Strategic support to Indonesian GIs to sustainably increase their economic 
value and reinforce the capacity of the GI producers  association.  
13.  The objectives respond to the priority of the Indonesian President to strengthen Indonesia 's 
creative economy sector. As for the GI component of the project, after focusing on the legal 
registration in phase one, phase two focuses on developi ng the value chain and market access for 
these producers. The following is a shortlist of major activities that have been implemented in the 
reporting period:  
a. Expert contributions (three experts) on the topic of market access for GIs and the importance 
of quality control and traceability of  GIs at the National GI Seminar;  
b. Participation at the National IP Fair , organisation of a booth on IP with the Swiss Embassy and 
facilitating participation of the three GI producer as sociations at the IP Fair;  IP/C/W/647/Add.1  
 
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  c. Conference on IP for SMEs (familiarisation of creative industry sector SMEs and start -ups 
concerning the importance of IPRs, registration procedures, and enforcement) ; 
d. IP Training of Trainers from provincial offices of the DGIP on GIs, including the development 
of proper learning material and guidelines for further internal training ; 
e. Training for DGIP design examiners, including the development of proper learning material 
and guidelines for further internal training ; 
f. Training for the newly founded Alternative Dispute Resolution division at the DGIP on settling 
IP disputes, including the development of proper learning material and guidelines for further 
internal training ; 
g. Selection of the three GI products to be support ed under component C (Amed Salt, Sikka Ikat, 
Bajawa Coffee) and conducting baseline studies, market studies, and needs -based 
intervention plans ; 
h. Market access for Bajawa Coffee GI in Switzerland: finalisation of a market access study for 
specialty coffee i n Switzerland, organisation of coffee cupping events, distribution of samples, 
and facilitating a business trip of a major coffee trader to Bajawa ; 
i. Participation of Amed Salt GI producers at the international AsiaGI training in Cambodia ; 
j. Finalisation of pr omotional materials (brochures, business cards, website) for each supported 
MPIG, including training on promotion and marketing ; 
k. Training on running a producer association secretariat for three GIs ; and  
l. Legal support to the GI producer association in terms  of formalisation as legal bodies in order 
to access Indonesian government funding for infrastructural development . 
2.5  Philippines  
14.  In April 2017, two representatives of the Intellectual Property Office of Philippines were trained 
during a week at the Swiss IP I on the search and examination of inventions involving the use of 
genetic resources .  
2.6  Serbia  
15.  The second phase of the Serbian -Swiss Intellectual Property Project (SSIP II) was launched in 
July 2017. The project aims at strengthening the use of intellectual  property rights in Serbia. This is 
in order to contribute to the achievement of higher competitiveness, to increase the added -value of 
Serbian products, and to positively impact on Serbia 's economic development . 
16.  The protection of GIs is of particular inte rest to the Government of Serbia.  
17.  Selected  areas of cooperation include:  
a. Increasing the demand of IP users to protect and capitalise on their IPRs;  
b. Improving the legal and institutional framework as well as the enforcement of GIs, in order to  
facilitate the economic and social benefits of producers and consumers; and  
c. Strengthening capacities for the market valorisation of GI products to better market traditional 
products for the benefit of rural and artisanal communities.  
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  18.  The following activ ities were undertaken during the reporting period:  
a. Under Component A, "Improved GI legal and institutional framework to facilitate the economic 
and social benefits of GI producers and consumers ": 
i. A comprehensive analysis on the status and potential of non -agricultural GIs including 
a legal and institutional capacity assessment; an inventory scan of the most potential 
products and their SWOT was concluded; and 
ii. The guidelines for the implementation of the flexibility rules targeting food business 
operators, i nspections and other small traditional producers of milk and dairy were 
drafted.  
b. Under Component B, "Strengthened capacities for market valorisation of GI products ": 
i. Strategic business plan for the Serbian Association of GI producers was drafted ; 
ii. The Serbian GI Association increased support of the SSIP project to increase its 
members and network;  
iii. A process to create the national logo for products with  geographic origin was started; 
and 
iv. A market analysis on potential access for Serbian honeys with geogr aphical origin to 
the Swiss and European markets was conducted.  
c. Under Component C, "The demand of key IP users to protect and capitalise on their IPRs is 
increased ": 
i. Preparation of the international conference to discuss issues on IP and new 
technologies was launched. The conference is to take place in November 2018 in 
Belgrade.  
2.7  Tunisia  
19.  On 28 February 2018, the IPI, in coordination with the Swiss Ministry of Agriculture, welcomed 
a study tour of 15 delegates from Tunisia (representatives of the Ministry of Agriculture, regional 
governments, and the Tunisian Embassy in Switzerland) to introduce them to the Swiss system of 
the protection of geographical indications.  
 
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