IP/C/W/608  
 
3 August 2015  
(15-3995) Page: 1/12  
Council for Trade-Related Aspects of 
Intellectual Property Rights   
 
WTO SECRETARIAT TECHNICAL COOP ERATION IN THE TRIPS AREA 
NOTE BY THE SECRETARIAT 
 
 
 
   
 
This document reports on the WTO Secretariat's technical cooperation activities concerning TRIPS undertaken between 1 September 2014 and 31 August 2015. It covers activities that specifically 
relate to intellectual property (IP) and the TRIPS Agreement, as well as contributions to other 
activities of a broader character which have a significant IP or TRIPS component. It follows the previous report to the Council for TRIPS contained in document IP/C/W/600, dated 
19 August 2014. This cover note provides a general overview. Details of each activity are provided 
in the Annex. 
1  MAIN ORIENTATIONS, TRENDS AND DEVELOPMENTS 1.1.  The Secretariat's technical cooperation ac tivities in relation to the TRIPS Agreement 
continued to focus on assisting Members and Observers to understand the rights and obligations, 
including the available options, which flow from the TRIPS Agreement and relevant decisions of WTO bodies, in order to enable them to meet their developmental and other domestic policy 
objectives, including in relation to broader areas of trade policy and public policy such as health, 
regulation, competition policy and the environment. These capacity building activities also aim to support Members to participate fully and substa ntively in the WTO's ongoing work on TRIPS 
matters, in particular building their capacity to assess what is at stake for them in issues under 
negotiation, examination or review. In addition, Members and Observers continued to receive assistance regarding notifications and reviews of national legislation.   
1.2.  Technical cooperation is driven essentially by demand from Members, as well as from 
countries preparing to accede to the WTO. Growin g diversity of the needs and interests identified 
by Members has led to increased tailoring and focusing  of technical assistance activities on specific 
areas of interest or sectoral policy themes, including through more focussed and thematic national 
and regional workshops. At the same time, the Secretariat has adopted a more holistic approach 
to its capacity building activities in general, putting the TRIPS Agreement and its policy choices 
into a broader context, and building policy skills through case studies and the involvement of a 
wider range of policy expertise and the infusion of practical perspectives on the implementation of 
TRIPS and the IP system. This approach also ta kes into account the interface between the TRIPS 
Agreement and other WTO Agreements, such as agriculture, TBT and SPS. It requires closer collaboration between and participation of variou s divisions in the Secretariat with a view to 
offering participants solution-oriented training activities that address all relevant dimensions in an 
integrated way. The TRIPS modules of the Advanced Trade Policy Courses and the Workshop on Trade and Public Health, both held in Geneva, as well as the SPS, TBT and TRIPS lecture series 
held at the University of Peradeniya, Sri Lanka, illustrate this approach. The WHO-WIPO-WTO 
trilateral study, “Promoting Access to Medical Technologies and Innovation”, launched in This document has been prepared under the Secretariat's own 
responsibility and without prejudice to the positions of Members or 
to their rights and obligations under the WTO. IP/C/W/608 
 
- 2 - 
 
  February 2013,1 provided a framework and transparent information resource for this holistic 
approach in relation to the intersections between  public health, intellectual property and trade. 
1.3.  In line with this holistic approach, complementarity and cooperation with other 
intergovernmental organizations has been continuously ensured, especially through coordination 
with WIPO and the WHO in the field of IP and public health. Technical cooperation on TRIPS has 
been delivered through information and advice given to Members in Geneva, and through study 
programmes, training courses, seminars and work shops for developing countries in Geneva and 
elsewhere. 
2  SEMINARS, WORKSHOPS, TRAINING COURSES AND OTHER TECHNICAL COOPERATION 
ACTIVITIES 
2.1   In Geneva 
2.1.  Many broader WTO training courses, semi nars and workshops included a significant TRIPS 
component, such as the regular WTO Advanced Trade Policy Courses, the "Geneva Weeks" for Non-Residents, and other events held in Geneva. Three Advanced Trade Policy Courses held during 
the reporting period also included a visit to WIPO, enabling participants to learn about that 
Organization, its conventions and activities.  
2.2.  The twelfth joint WIPO-WTO Colloquium for Teachers of Intellectual Property from Developing 
Countries and/or countries with economies in transition formed part of the wider Secretariat's 
approach towards cooperation with the academic community in developing countries aimed at local 
capacity building on WTO matters. The main objective of the Colloquium was to update university teachers of IP in developing countries and countries with economies in transition on the activities 
and instruments of the WIPO and the WTO with focus on important policy issues under negotiation 
or discussion in the two Organizations, and to set these issues in their wider legal and policy 
context. In addition to speakers from the two Secretariats and from the WHO, UNFCCC, ITU and 
UPOV, two representatives of the judiciary were in vited to participate as main speakers on IP 
Jurisprudence, which largely enhanced and enriched the quality of the Colloquium.
 Participating 
university teachers also made presentations on se lected topics. The plans developed to build an 
active alumni network, and the development of the Colloquium papers as a quality academic 
journal2, together ensure that this activity will have significant long-term impact, particularly in 
strengthening indigenous capacity both for teaching IP with an international and policy-rich perspective, and for critically analysing and assessing current IP policy issues. 
2.3.  The seventh joint WIPO-WTO Advanced Course on Intellectual Property continued to draw on 
the experience of the Colloquium, and applied a similar programme structure and pedagogic 
strategy, but was tailored and focused on govern ment officials and public sector policymakers 
instead of university teachers and researchers. The course also applied the notion of gradual and 
progressive learning: in order to qualify for the course, the candidates had to complete the WTO eTraining TRIPS Course or possess commensurate knowledge or professional experience. The 
course was thus able to work from a truly advanced baseline and thus explore cutting edge issues 
through interactive debate and practical case studies, so as to strengthen the capacity of government officials and policymakers to critically review policy options and their implications, and 
to learn from the wide range of practical experiences covered in the programme. 
2.4.  A Workshop on Trade and Public Health was organized by the WTO Secretariat in close 
collaboration with the WHO and WIPO. Built on a seri es of nine workshops on intellectual property 
and public health that had been held by the Secretariat since 2005, this Workshop was the first 
ever WTO event to cover a wide range of multil ateral trade agreements and their link to the 
achievement of public health objectives. The ob jective was to build national decision-makers’ 
                                               
1 Available at: http://www.wto.org/english/res_e/booksp_e/pamtiwhowipowtoweb13_e.pdf ; 
http://www.wipo.int/policy/en/global_health/trilateral_cooperation.html ; 
http://www.who.int/phi/promoting _access_medical_innovation/en/ .  
2 Papers presented at the Colloquium of 2014 will be compiled and published by WIPO and the WTO and 
will be available on-line as an edited volume, intend ed to provide a resource for researchers and analysts 
covering contemporary IP and TRIPS issues from the perspective of a wide range of developing countries, and 
enabling to build the academic credentials of participants. This will be the fifth volume in a formal publication series.
 IP/C/W/608 
 
- 3 - 
 
  capacity to analyse policy choices in areas where trade, intellectual property and public health 
come together. At the same time, the workshop also served the purpose of demonstrating that positive synergies between trade and health objectives can be achieved within the existing framework. This new, broader approach responded to a need that had been highlighted in earlier 
such activities, i.e. to move from a highly specialized training towards a capacity building activity 
that looks at trade and public health in a more holistic manner. It was based on the concept that guided the WHO-WIPO-WTO trilateral study, and continuing dialogue in the course of the series of 
trilateral policy symposia convened by the three organizations. 
2.2   Outside Geneva 2.5.  In accordance with the WTO Biennial Technical Assistance and Training Plan 2014-2015, the 
WTO organized five  national workshops devoted to IP matters, in Botswana (on the TRIPS 
Agreement); Sri Lanka (on geographical indications); Saudi Arabia (on geographical indications); 
Seychelles (on the TRIPS Agreement); and Belarus (on enforcement of intellectual property rights). In line with the demand driven nature of technical assistance, these activities responded to 
the specific needs identified and organized in co-operation with recipient countries.  
2.6.  Broader WTO technical assistance activities outside Geneva have included a significant TRIPS 
component. For example, the Secretariat contri buted (in partnership with the Instanbul Bilgi 
University in Turkey; the Universidad Andina Simón Bolivar in Quito, Ecuador; the India Institute 
of Foreign Trade; the Sultan Qaboos Universi ty in Muscat, Oman; the Ecole Supérieure de 
Commerce of Tunis, Tunisia; the Shridath Ramphal Centre for International Trade, Law, Policy and 
Services in Bridgetown, Barbados; and the University of Botswana) to WTO Regional Trade Policy 
Courses with a significant IP component. In addition, the Secretariat organized a Sub-regional 
Short Trade Policy Course that contained a significant IP component, for the Associación Latinoamericana de Integración. 
2.3   eTraining 
2.7.  A TRIPS module is included in WTO eTraining Courses, web-based courses for developing 
country and economies in transition WTO Members and Observers, which are provided in English, 
French and Spanish all-year-round. Participants have online access to course material, background 
documents, interactive sessions (chat, discussion forum and enquiry board). They are assisted throughout the course by a tutor, a course administrator and a helpdesk.  
2.8.  In the invitations to workshops and other more advanced training activities on the TRIPS 
Agreement, the Secretariat has prioritised cand idates having successfully completed the WTO 
TRIPS eTraining course. This module has been updated and converted into interactive courses, using a learning-by-doing approach with an incr eased number of exercises, as well as featuring 
multimedia as a core element of the training material. 
3  COOPERATION WITH WIPO AND OTHE R INTERGOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS 
3.1.  Cooperation with WIPO continues as a key fe ature of technical cooperation in the TRIPS area, 
based on the 1995 cooperation agreement betwee n the two Organizations, and the WIPO-WTO 
Joint Initiative on Technical Cooperation for Least Developed Countries, launched in June 2001.  
3.2.  The WTO Secretariat's technical cooperation in the area of TRIPS includes co-operation with 
other intergovernmental organizations. In particular, the WHO, WIPO and WTO Secretariats have 
continued their trilateral cooperation with a view to fostering a better understanding of the linkage 
between public health, intellectual property and trade more generally and to enhance a mutually supportive implementation of the relevant policies in those areas. Among others, this also included 
jointly designing and carrying out a number of capaci ty building activities during the period under 
review, including a Geneva-based Trilateral Symposium on "Innovation and Access to Medical Technologies: Challenges for Middle-Income Countries.  
  IP/C/W/608  
 
- 4 - ANNEX 
Technical Cooperation Activities in the TRIP S Area from 1 September 2014 to 31 August 2015 
Activity Date Location Brief Description Link to further details 
WTO National Workshop on 
Intellectual Property Rights 3-4 September 
2014 Gaborone, 
Botswana  The purpose of this activity was to brief the 
Batswana National Intergovernmental Technical 
Committee on Intellectual Property (an inter-
agency task force advising the government on relevance of IP in multilateral, regional and bilateral trade agreements) on the TRIPS Agreement http://wtotrta/Activities/Activit
yDetailPlan.aspx?ActivityId=BO
T14/1  
 
WTO Regional Trade Policy 
Course for the CEECAC Region 
(sessions on TRIPS) 8-9 September 
2014 Istanbul, 
Turkey The purpose of the RTPC, which includes a 
component on TRIPS, was to ensure that 
participants were thoroughly exposed to all WTO-
related issues, and developed practical skills as well 
as an extensive network of contacts. It also served 
as a general introduction for those who may 
become specialists at a later stage  http://wtotrta/Activities/Activit
yDetailPlan.aspx?ActivityId=RT
PC14/6  
 
WTO Regional Trade Policy 
Course for Latin America (sessions on TRIPS) 10-12 September 
2014 Quito, 
Ecuador The purpose of the RTPC, which includes a 
component on TRIPS, was to ensure that participants were thoroughly exposed to all WTO-
related issues, and developed practical skills as well 
as an extensive network of contacts. It also served as a general introduction for those who may 
become specialists at a later stage http://wtotrta/Activities/Activit
yDetailPlan.aspx?ActivityId=RT
PC14/7  
 
WTO Academic Support 
Programme: SPS, TBT and 
TRIPS lecture series at 
University of Peradeniya 15-17 September 
2014 Kandy,  
Sri Lanka This activity provided agricultural economists and 
other experts with an overview of those aspects of 
TRIPS particularly pertinent to food policy, and 
explored their linkages with other aspects of trade 
and regulation, notably in relation to the SPS and 
TBT Agreements.    
  IP/C/W/608  
 
- 5 - Activity Date Location Brief Description Link to further details 
WTO National Workshop on 
Geographical Indications  18-19 September 
2014 Colombo, Sri 
Lanka The purpose of this activity was to hold preliminary 
discussions on the Ceylon Cinnamon technical 
dossier in coordination with the Sri Lanka Export Development Board http://wtotrta/Activities/Activit
yDetailPlan.aspx?ActivityId=LK
A14/2  
 
Advanced Trade Policy Course 
(sessions on TRIPS)  2-3 October 2014 Geneva The ATPC, which includes a module on IP, aims at 
developing participants' autonomy in conducting 
WTO-related work by: (i) encouraging critical 
thinking to explore the linkages between WTO rules 
and disciplines and countries' trade policies and 
interests in the multilateral trading system; and (ii) 
enhancing analytical and negotiating skills to 
engage in trade policy formulation and 
implementation, monitoring and surveillance, WTO 
negotiations or dispute settlement 
 http://wtotrta/Activities/Activit
yDetailPlan.aspx?ActivityId=AT
PC14/3  
 
WTO Regional Trade Policy 
Course for Asia and Pacific economies (sessions on TRIPS)  
 
 21-24 October 
2014 New-Delhi, 
India The purpose of the RTPC, which includes a 
component on TRIPS, was to ensure that participants were thoroughly exposed to all WTO-
related issues, and developed practical skills as well 
as an extensive network of contacts. It also served as a general introduction for those who may 
become specialists at a later stage http://wtotrta/Activities/Activit
yDetailPlan.aspx?ActivityId=RT
PC14/4  
 
WTO National TRIPS Workshop 
on Geographical Indications 3-4 November 
2014 Riyadh, 
Saudi Arabia The purpose of this activity was to inform an 
ongoing policy process aimed at introducing 
legislation on the protection of geographical 
indications in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia http://wtotrta/Activities/Activit
yDetailPlan.aspx?ActivityId=SA
U14/2  
  
  IP/C/W/608  
 
- 6 - Activity Date Location Brief Description Link to further details 
4th WHO-WIPO-WTO joint 
trilateral symposium: innovation 
and access to medical technologies: Challenges for 
Middle-Income Countries 5 November 2014 Geneva Organized under the auspices of the ongoing 
trilateral cooperation, this activity focussed on the 
challenges and opportunities of middle-income countries with respect to innovation and access to 
health products. It shed light on the concept of 
rating countries according to their gross national income, in particular, why such a benchmark alone is not adequately reflecting the public health 
situation and what public policies are needed to 
ensure that economic growth contributes to achieving Universal Health Coverage. It also 
examined the twin challenges of promoting 
biomedical innovation within middle-income countries while ensuring access to that innovation  http://wtotrta/Activities/Activit
yDetailPlan.aspx?ActivityId=WT
O14/11  
https://www.wto.org/english/n
ews_e/news14_e/trip_10nov14
_e.htm  
 
Sub-regional Short Trade Policy 
Course for ALADI 5 November 2014 Montevideo, 
Uruguay This course provides a horizontal perspective of 
WTO principles, functions and agreements at the 
multilateral and regional levels. Topics covered in 
the programme are, inter alia, Market Access for 
non-agricultural goods, Agriculture, Rules of Origin, 
Trade Facilitation, Trade in Services, TRIPS, Rules http://wtotrta/Activities/Activit
yDetailPlan.aspx?ActivityId=ST
PC14/3  
 
WTO Regional Workshop on 
TRIPS for Asia and the Pacific 
Countries  11-13 November 
2014 Hong-Kong, 
China This activity addressed a number of public policy 
issues related to the generation and diffusion of 
climate friendly technologies and the role of intellectual property rights in this context. The aim 
was to contribute to awareness-raising, to build 
policymaking capacity, and to facilitate discussion of these issues at the domestic level, as well as to enhance the capacity of participants to take part in 
work programmes in various international fora, 
including under the aegis of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), the 
World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) 
and the WTO  http://wtotrta/Activities/Activit
yDetailPlan.aspx?ActivityId=TR
IPS14/2  
  
  IP/C/W/608  
 
- 7 - Activity Date Location Brief Description Link to further details 
WTO Regional Trade Policy 
Course for Arab and Middle East 
countries (sessions on TRIPS)  19-20 November 
2014 Muscat, 
Oman The purpose of the RTPC, which includes a 
component on TRIPS, was to ensure that 
participants were thoroughly exposed to all WTO-
related issues, and developed practical skills as well 
as an extensive network of contacts. It also served 
as a general introduction for those who may 
become specialists at a later stage 
 http://wtotrta/Activities/Activit
yDetailPlan.aspx?ActivityId=RT
PC14/3  
 
WTO Workshop on Trade and 
Health for Capital-based officials from Developing Countries 24-28 November 
2014 Geneva The workshop laid emphasis on building capacity to 
analyse and undertake policy choices in the area of intersection between trade and public health. 
Presentations, discussions and practical exercises 
therefore looked at relevant trade agreements as part of the wider action to address needs specific to 
public health. In particular, the workshop covered 
key factors that impact on innovation and access in the pharmaceutical sector, including: Public health determinants; intellectual property rights; pricing 
and procurement policies; competition policy and 
rules; tariffs, quotas and licensing; and health services. A separate section dealt with regulatory 
issues, including the approval, quality control and 
effectiveness of medicines, the protection of clinical test data under the TRIPS Agreement and health-
related measures in the TBT and SPS Committees  http://wtotrta/Activities/Activit
yDetailPlan.aspx?ActivityId=WT
O14/6  
https://www.wto.org/english/n
ews_e/news14_e/heal_28nov1
4_e.htm  
 
WTO Regional Workshop on 
TRIPS for Countries in the 
Central and Eastern Europe and 
Central Asia and the Caucasus 
(CEECACs) Region  10-12 December 
2014 Vienna, 
Austria The Workshop addressed a number of important 
public policy issues related to the enforcement of 
IPRs. Comprehensive and up-to-date information 
was provided, as well as an opportunity for an 
exchange of views among countries of the region. 
The purpose was to contribute to awareness raising 
and to facilitate relevant considerations and 
decision-making processes at domestic level, as 
well as to enhance the effective participation of 
participants in the policy areas under consideration 
in various international fora, including WTO, World 
Custom Organization, World Intellectual Property 
Organization and World Health Organization http://wtotrta/Activities/Activit
yDetailPlan.aspx?ActivityId=TR
IPS14/1  
  
  IP/C/W/608  
 
- 8 - Activity Date Location Brief Description Link to further details 
29th Geneva Week for Non-
Resident Members and 
Observers 11 December 2014 Geneva This activity, which includes a module on IP, aims 
at informing WTO Members and Observers who do 
not have permanent missions in Geneva about recent developments taking place at the WTO. 
Among others, the Secretariat used this opportunity 
to explain issues related to the acceptance of the Protocol Amending the TRIPS Agreement https://www.wto.org/english/tr
atop_e/devel_e/genwk29_e.ht
m 
 
Advanced Trade Policy Course 
(sessions on TRIPS)  5-6 February 2015 Geneva The ATPC, which includes a module on IP, aims at 
developing participants' autonomy in conducting 
WTO-related work by: (i) encouraging critical 
thinking to explore the linkages between WTO rules 
and disciplines and countries' trade policies and 
interests in the multilateral trading system; and (ii) 
enhancing analytical and negotiating skills to 
engage in trade policy formulation and 
implementation, monitoring and surveillance, WTO 
negotiations or dispute settlement http://wtotrta/Activities/Activit
yDetailPlan.aspx?ActivityId=AT
PC15/1  
 
WTO Symposium on TRIPS 26 February 2015 Geneva The purpose of this activity was (i) t o deepen the 
understanding of the delegates of the TRIPS Council 
of the negotiating history of the TRIPS Agreement and its relevance for current TRIPS Council work; 
(ii) to improve the understanding of the delegates 
of the TRIPS Council of the legal and economic impact of the TRIPS Agreement and thereby to 
support TRIPS Council discussions on related policy 
issues; and (iii) to discuss, with the active participation of the delegates of the TRIPS Council, different perspectives on the future of IP issues in 
the trading system 
 https://www.wto.org/english/n
ews_e/news15_e/trip_ss_26feb
15_e.htm  
 
WTO National Workshop on 
certain aspects of the TRIPS 
Agreement 3-6 March 2015 Mahé, 
Seychelles This activity consisted in (i) a capacity building 
workshop for the Registrar's Office and (ii) 
consultations with the accession team and relevant 
Ministries on TRIPS implementation, including 
domestic preparations for the acceptance of the 
TRIPS amendment (Para.6 system) http://wtotrta/Activities/Activit
yDetailPlan.aspx?ActivityId=SE
Y15/2  
  
  IP/C/W/608  
 
- 9 - Activity Date Location Brief Description Link to further details 
Seventh WIPO-WTO Advanced 
Course on Intellectual Property 
for Government Officials  16-27 March 2015 Geneva The main objective of the WIPO-WTO Advanced 
Course on Intellectual Property for Government 
Officials is to update go vernment officials on the 
activities and instruments of WIPO and the WTO, 
and to provide a forum for them to exchange 
information and ideas with the two Secretariats and with a range of organizations based in Geneva  http://wtotrta/Activities/Activit
yDetailPlan.aspx?ActivityId=TC
15/6 
https://www.wto.org/english/n
ews_e/news15_e/tra_16mar15
_e.htm  
WTO Regional Trade Policy 
Course for French-speaking 
African countries (sessions on 
TRIPS)  13-14 April 2015 Tunis, 
Tunisia The purpose of the RTPC, which includes a 
component on TRIPS, was to ensure that 
participants were thoroughly exposed to all WTO-
related issues, and developed practical skills as well 
as an extensive network of contacts. It also served 
as a general introduction for those who may 
become specialists at a later stage  http://wtotrta/Activities/Activit
yDetailPlan.aspx?ActivityId=RT
PC15/2  
 
WTO and IMF-CEF Regional 
Workshop on IP and Public Policy 
for Arab and Middle East Countries  28-30 April 2015 Kuwait City, 
Kuwait The workshop addressed a number of important 
public policy issues related to intellectual property 
rights. Comprehensive and up-to-date information on the evolving international landscape in this field was provided, as well as an opportunity to 
exchange views among countries from the region, 
in particular as regards the implementation of the TRIPS Agreement and relevant practices  http://wtotrta/Activities/Activit
yDetailPlan.aspx?ActivityId=TR
IPS15/1  
 
Fourth Arab Forum on 
Combating Commercial Fraud, 
Counterfeiting and IPR 
Protection 5-7 May 2015 Ryad, Saudi 
Arabia This activity included presentations of various 
working papers by speakers from inside the 
Kingdom and abroad, including a representative of 
the WTO  http://en.ipr4.gov.sa/Pages/Pa
ge/2#sthash.azgemKax.dpbs   
  IP/C/W/608  
 
- 10 - Activity Date Location Brief Description Link to further details 
WTO Regional Trade Policy 
Course for the Caribbean 
(sessions on TRIPS) 18-20 May 2015 Bridgetown, 
Barbados The purpose of the RTPC, which includes a 
component on TRIPS, was to ensure that 
participants were thoroughly exposed to all WTO-related issues, and developed practical skills as well 
as an extensive network of contacts. It also served 
as a general introduction for those who may become specialists at a later stage  http://wtotrta/Activities/Activit
yDetailPlan.aspx?ActivityId=RT
PC15/5  
 
12th WIPO-WTO Colloquium for 
Teachers of Intellectual Property 
from Developing Countries 16-27 June 2015 Geneva The aim of the WIPO-WTO Colloquium is to help 
teachers of IP from developing countries become 
more aware of the Geneva institutions, negotiations 
and other activities dealing with intellectual 
property law and policy, and to strengthen their 
countries’ independent research, policy analysis and 
teaching in international intellectual property law 
and economics with its diverse policy contexts http://wtotrta/Activities/Activit
yDetailPlan.aspx?ActivityId=WT
O15/5  
https://www.wto.org/english/tr
atop_e/trips_e/colloquium_mai
n_e.htm  
 
Advanced Trade Policy Course 
(sessions on TRIPS) 17-18 June 2015 Geneva The ATPC, which includes a module on IP, aims at 
developing participants' autonomy in conducting WTO-related work by: (i) encouraging critical thinking to explore the linkages between WTO rules 
and disciplines and countries' trade policies and 
interests in the multilateral trading system; and (ii) enhancing analytical and negotiating skills to 
engage in trade policy formulation and 
implementation, monitoring and surveillance, WTO negotiations or dispute settlement http://wtotrta/Activities/Activit
yDetailPlan.aspx?ActivityId=AT
PC15/2  
 
WTO Regional Trade Policy 
Course for English-speaking 
African countries (sessions on 
TRIPS)  29 June-1st July 
2015 Gaborone, 
Botswana  The purpose of the RTPC, which includes a 
component on TRIPS, was to ensure that 
participants were thoroughly exposed to all WTO-
related issues, and developed practical skills as well 
as an extensive network of contacts. It also served 
as a general introduction for those who may 
become specialists at a later stage http://wtotrta/Activities/Activit
yDetailPlan.aspx?ActivityId=RT
PC15/1  
  
  IP/C/W/608  
 
- 11 - Activity Date Location Brief Description Link to further details 
ITC-WTO-World Bank workshop 
on the TRIPS Agreement 
("Building Trade Capacity for Liberia on business implications 
of the WTO Accession") 7 July 2015 via video 
from ITC 
Geneva 
offices The presentation introduced the TRIPS Agreement 
and discussed issues such as availability, scope and 
use of intellectual property rights and the enforcement of these rights. Focus was also given 
to the developing country perspective  
National Workshop on 
Enforcement of Intellectual 
Property Rights 20-22 July 2015 Minsk, 
Belarus The Workshop addressed a number of important 
public policy issues related to the enforcement of 
IPRs.   
30th Geneva Week for Non-
Resident Members and Observers 31 July 2015 Geneva The Geneva Week for non-resident delegations, 
which includes a module on IP, aims at informing WTO Members and Observers who do not have 
permanent missions in Geneva about recent 
developments taking place at the WTO. Among others, the Secretariat used this opportunity to 
explain issues related to the acceptance of the 
Protocol Amending the TRIPS Agreement  
Lectures for MIP programme 
with Queensland University 
Technology 5-7 August 2015 Brisbane, 
Australia The WTO contribution to the WIPO Masters of IP 
programme focussed on the TRIPS Agreement, 
including current issues such as public health and 
climate change, and interplay with other areas of 
policy and regulation, such as innovation policy and 
the TBT and SPS Agreements, centred on a 
multidimensional case study illustrating the 
interface between IP, trade and food policy.  
WTO Regional Trade Policy 
Course for Latin America (sessions on TRIPS)  31 August-1
st 
September 2015 Quito, 
Ecuador The purpose of the RTPC, which includes a 
component on TRIPS, was to ensure that participants were thoroughly exposed to all WTO-related issues, and developed practical skills as well 
as an extensive network of contacts. It also served 
as a general introduction for those who may become specialists at a later stage http://wtotrta/Activities/Activit
yDetailPlan.aspx?ActivityId=RT
PC15/7  
  
  IP/C/W/608  
 
- 12 - Activity Date Location Brief Description Link to further details 
WTO E-learning Course on 
Trade-Related Intellectual 
Property Rights throughout the 
year remote 
access The elearning Course  on TRIPS is an interactive 
course over the Internet. It provides participating 
government officials online access to training 
material and to their assigned tutors from any 
location in the world http://etraining.wto.org/default
.asp 
 
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