WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION  IP/C/W/476 
14 September 2006 
 
 (06-4404) 
Council for Trade-Related Aspects 
of Intellectual Property Rights Original:  English 
 
 
TECHNICAL COOPERATION ACTIVITIES 
INFORMATION FROM MEMBERS 
 
SWITZERLAND 
 
 
 The following communication, dated 1 September 2006, is being circulated at the request of the Delegation of Switzerland.   Communications from other developed country Me mbers will be circulated as addenda to this 
document. 
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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 Octobe r 1999, IP/C/W/203/Add.1 of 13 September 2000, 
IP/C/W/306/Add.3 of 18 September 2001, IP/C/W/3 77/Add.9 of 24 January 2003, IP/C/W/408/Add.4 
of 14 November 2003, IP/C/W/426/Add.2 of 8 Se ptember 2004 and IP/C/W/455 of 5 October 2005, 
in which much of the description of the aims and organizational aspects of technical cooperation 
remains relevant, this report descr ibes the activities of the Swiss Federal Institute of Intellectual 
Property (hereafter "the Institute") in the field of technical cooperation between 1 September 2005 and 
31 August  2006.
1  Drafted along the same lines as the pr eceding reports, this document draws a 
distinction between multilateral and b ilateral activities.  It should be recalled that the concern of the 
Swiss authorities is to ensure optimum coordination of available resources, both at the multilateral and 
bilateral level, while avoiding dupli cation or overlapping of programmes. 
I. MULTILATERAL ACTIVITIES 
A. TECHNICAL COOPERATION IN THE FRAMEWORK OF THE WORLD INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY 
ORGANIZATION (WIPO) 
1. Annual basic training programme at WIPO 
2. From 7 to 30 June 2006, two experts from th e Democratic People's Republic of Korea took 
part in a training course held at WIPO in Geneva an d at the Institute in Berne.  At WIPO, the experts 
attended the Interregional Seminar on Industrial Property from 7 to 9 June 2006.  The programme at 
the Institute (from 12 to 30 June 200 6) covered the entire field of intellectual property, focusing in 
particular on patents, trademar ks, industrial designs and copyright.  Emphasis was put on the 
practical, administrative and organizational work.  As  in the past, the Swiss Agency for Development 
and Cooperation of the Federal Depa rtment (Ministry) of Foreign A ffairs (SDC) financed the entire 
programme.  Costs related to teaching and other gui dance for the two experts in Berne were covered 
by the Institute. 
                                                      
1 Unless otherwise indicated. IP/C/W/476 
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  2. Participation of representatives of the Swiss Federal Institute of Intellectual Property as 
speakers to workshops (co-)organized by WIPO 
3. At the request of WIPO, the Institute sent sp eakers to the following workshops and seminars: 
 
• Study visit of ten Russian experts at WIPO (12-15 December 2005):  The programme 
focused on providing information on recent  international developments in the 
protection of intellectual property, practi cal knowledge and expertise in intellectual 
property global issues and the combat against counterfeiting and piracy.  It included a presentation on "IP enforcement in Switzerland" by a speaker of the Institute.   
 
• WIPO International Seminar on the Strate gic Use of IP for Economic and Social 
Development (New Delhi, 6-10 February 200 6):  A speaker from the Institute held a 
Workshop on Patents and Biotechnology. 
 
• Joint Workshop by WIPO and the SDC on services for the promotion of innovation 
and their management (20 February 2006) :  The workshop included presentations on 
the promotion of innovation and its manageme nt and was held at WIPO headquarters, 
the University of Geneva, the Swiss Fede ral Institute of Technology (Lausanne), 
Roche headquarters at Basel, the Swiss Fede ral Institute of Intellectual Property 
(Berne) and the Swiss Federal Institute of  Technology (Zurich).  Participants came 
from the following countries:  Burkina Faso, Cambodia, Cameroon, Congo, Gabon, 
Macedonia, Madagascar, Niger, Morocco, Romania, Tunisia, and Viet Nam. 
 
• WIPO, Geneva:  Summer School on Intellect ual Property (7 July 2006):  Presentation 
on the topic of "Management of Intellectual Property Assets." 
 
3. Training visits of delegations from third countries to the Swiss Federal Institute of 
Intellectual Property 
4. As in previous years, a delegation of j udges from Romania visited the Institute in 
October 2005 for an insight into the Swiss intell ectual property law system.  The workshop included 
the study of practical intellectual prope rty cases recently decided by Swiss courts. 
4. Free-of-charge searches on the state of th e art for WIPO in favour of developing 
countries  
5. Between 1 September 2005 and 31  August 2006, the Institute conducted, upon request of 
WIPO, free-of-charge searches on the state of the art for the following countries (50% of the searches 
were financed through the Institute 's ordinary budget and 50% of the searches were financed by the 
SDC: 
Country Number of Searches 
Argentina 1 
Jordan 12 Korea Democratic People's Republic 1 
Mauritius 2 
Morocco 12 South Africa 6 Trinidad and Tobago 1 Viet Nam 5 
Total
 40 searches   IP/C/W/476 
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  B. TECHNICAL COOPERATION WITHIN  OTHER INTERNATIONAL FORA  
6. European Patent Academy (Munich, 13 July 2006):  Training on "IP training design for NPO 
staff":  presentation on the experien ces of the Swiss Federal Institute of Intellectual Property in that 
field. 
II. BILATERAL ACTIVITIES 
7. Socialist Republic of Viet Nam:  The "Sp ecial Programme of Cooperation" based on the 
Agreement on the Protection of Intellectual Propert y and Co-operation in the Field of Intellectual 
Property between Switzerland and the Socialist Repub lic of Viet Nam was extended by one year and 
saw the implementation of several important tasks and programmes, including the following:  
• A training course took place in Switzerland in September 2005 and was directed to high 
officials of provincial departments.  The course covered all aspects of IP administration, information and examination.  The participants also learnt about IP enforcement and litigation 
in Switzerland.  In addition to training at the In stitute, participants visited the customs office, 
a private law firm involved in IP enforcement, as well as WIPO.   
 
• In November, two seminars on undisclosed info rmation were held by a Vietnamese and an 
international expert in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh Ci ty.  The subject was discussed in the general 
context of best ways to ensure a fair business environment. 
 
• The project also contributed 50% of the cost of preparing the registration of the Lang Son 
Sweet Fennel and the Doan Hung Grape fruits as geographical indications (GIs).
2  In parallel 
to that, an independent expert assessed the r esults of work done during a mission to Phu Tho 
Province in November 2005.  His mission was co mbined with two seminars on the protection 
of GIs in Danang and Ho Chi Minh City with around 100 participants each.  The main purpose of the seminars was to share the Sw iss experience in establishing geographical 
indications. 
 
• In December, two seminars on folklore and on copyright in the digital era were also 
conducted in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City. 
 
• The project reviewed all relevant legal documen ts and translated a small number of them 
which had not been translated before.  They we re added to the website of NOIP at minimal 
cost.  In parallel, the translation into Vi etnamese of a book on intellectual property was 
supported by the project.   
 
• Support for the modernization of the Copyright Office (COV):  An electronic database for the 
administration of copyright registrations, including access from branch offices has been 
established.  In addition a website of th e COV has been set up and activated.   
 
• With the help of a local traditional knowle dge expert, the tailor-made traditional knowledge 
database was further completed and now counts over 100 medical plants which are 
documented in detail. 
 
• A multi-media documentation focusing on folklore  has been produced, serving the purpose of 
publicizing and protecting creative expression as a part of traditional heritage and protecting 
the rights of indigenous communities. 
                                                     
 
2 The other 50% of the costs were contributed by the Vietnamese government budget. IP/C/W/476 
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  • After Ho Chi Minh City in 2004, another branch office of the National Office of Intellectual 
Property (NOIP) was established in Da Nang in April 2005. 
 
• In 2006, a workshop on the Rights of Broad casting Organizations took place in Hanoi and 
Ho Chi Minh City (July) with internationa l and local experts.  Follow-up seminars were 
organized by the Copyright Office of Viet Nam in August, applying therewith the principle of 
"train the trainers" at the basis of the Speci al Programme of Cooperation between Switzerland 
and Viet Nam, and contributing to its sustainab ility.  During the same period, seminars on the 
Madrid Agreement concerning the international re gistration of marks and the protocol thereto, 
as well as on the Hague Agreement Concerning the International Deposit of Industrial Designs were held in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City . 
 
8. Lebanon:  In the context of the conclusion of  the Free Trade Agreement between EFTA States 
and Lebanon, Switzerland and Lebanon have signed a Memora ndum of Understanding in 
February 2004 defining a bilateral programme on technical assistance.  Under this Memorandum, 
Switzerland supports Lebanon in defining and in assis ting in the implementation of a strategy for the 
protection of Lebanese geographical indications.  A local Lebanese team works in cooperation with a 
Swiss expert for the identification of products with GI potential and the information of stakeholders.  
The drafting of legislation is foreseen for 2006.  Within the same framework, experts of the Swiss 
Federal Institute of Intellectual Property trained Lebanese customs official s, representatives from the 
Lebanese Intellectual Property Protection Office, and representatives from the Lebanese police in a 
three-day seminar.  Two days of the seminar focuse d on the enforcement of rights, in particular, the 
combat against counterfeiting and piracy.  During the third day institutional models for registering 
trademarks, as well as best practices of the Swi ss Federal Institute of Intellectual Property in 
registering trademarks were presented .   
9. China:  A total of four delegations of re presentatives from different provinces of China 
(including university students and heads of provinc ial intellectual property agencies and ministries) 
visited the Institute in the year under review for presentations on the Swiss intellectual property 
system as well as on the administration of intellectual property rights.   
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