WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION  IP/C/W/476/Add.4 
16 October 2006 
 
 (06-4988) 
Council for Trade-Related Aspects 
of Intellectual Property Rights Original:  English 
 
 
 
TECHNICAL COOPERATION ACTIVITIES: 
INFORMATION FROM MEMBERS  
 
AUSTRALIA 
 
Addendum  
  
 The following communication, dated 13 October 2006, is being circulated at the request of 
the Delegation of Australia.   
_______________ 
 
 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 reports on Australian technical cooperation activities pursuant to that request. 
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, 
APEC's Intellectual Property Rights Expert Group (IPEG) and the ASEAN Working Group on 
Intellectual Property Cooperation (AWGIPC). 
3. The following provides an update of these activities, divided into bilateral and 
regional/multilateral cooperation un dertaken by the Australian Gove rnment.  Government agencies 
chiefly involved are IP Australia, the Australian Ag ency for International Development (AusAID), the 
Attorney-General's Department (AGD) and the Depa rtment of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT).  
4. Key websites which contain extensive informa tion on Australia's intellectual property (IP) 
regime and which may be considered a techni cal cooperation resource include:  APEC IPEG 
(http://www.apecipeg.org
) the IP Australia website covering pa tents, designs, trademarks and plant 
breeder's rights (http://www.ipaustralia.gov.au ), the AGD website on copyright developments 
(http://www.ag.gov.au/copyright ) and the DFAT website which covers  international IP developments 
(www.dfat.gov.au/ip ). 
I. BILATERAL ACTIVITIES 
A. PEOPLE 'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA  
5. In April 2006, IP Australia hosted a visitor from China's Drug Registration Authority.  The 
impact of intellectual property rights on the drug registration process was discussed.  
 IP/C/W/476/Add.4 
Page 2  
 
  6. In May 2006, a delegation from the State Intell ectual Property Office of the People's Republic 
of China visited IP Australia to gain insights into Australia's approach to registering and administering 
the innovation patent system – a new tool providin g an accessible protection option introduced by IP 
Australia in 2001.  
7. From 20 to 26 August 2006 the Attorney-Gener al's Department hosted a six-person 
delegation visit to Australia from the National Copy right Administration of China.  The delegation's 
visit included meetings with industry stakehol ders to learn about issues such as collective 
management of copyright and electronic publis hing.  On 24 August the Attorney-General's 
Department held a round table for the delegati on which was attended by a number of Australian 
Government agencies (the Australian Federal Police, the Commonwealth Director of Public 
Prosecutions, the Australian Customs Service, the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and 
IP Australia).  Presentations were given by the A ttorney-General's Department on how Australia has 
implemented and reviewed its c opyright laws to take account of the digital environment and on 
mechanisms it is developing in relation to intellectua l property enforcement.  Australia also explained 
its approach to protecting traditional knowledge, including an outline of its proposed Copyright 
(Indigenous Communal Moral Rights) Bill.  Discu ssions were also held on ways of deepening 
cooperation in the future. 
B. I
NDONESIA  
8. On 8 November 2005 two representatives from the Attorney-General's Department gave 
presentations to visiting Indonesian lawyers and Govern ment officials, including an official from the 
Directorate of Intellectual Property Rights, as part of the Government Sector Linkages Program.  One 
presentation was on traditional knowledge – copyri ght aspects of the WIPO Intergovernmental 
Committee on Intellectual Property and Genetic R esources, Traditional Knowledge and Folklore 
(IGC) and the proposed Indigeno us Communal Moral Rights Bill.  The other presentation was on 
international copyright law and the TRIPS Agreement. 
C. KOREA  
9. From 30 May to 2 June 2006, representatives of the Korean Invention Promotion Association 
visited IP Australia to discuss the Xpedire proj ect, an eLearning initiative developed with Australian 
and American assistance and endorsed by the As ia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum.  
10. In late 2005, IP Australia hosted a Korean Pate nt Examiner and provided training in patent 
examination, particularly in relation to au tomotive innovation and patent opposition process in 
Australia.  
D. MALAYSIA  
11. From 28 August to 1 September 2006, a senior MyIP O delegation visited IP Australia to learn 
from Australia's experience in ac ceding to the Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT).  Malaysia became a 
signatory to the PCT on 16 May 2006 and has desi gnated Australia as one of its International 
Searching Authorities.  
12. On 6 and 7 September 2006, a group of MyIPO officials visited IP Australia to discuss 
implementation of the Budapest Treaty on the International Recognition of the Deposit of 
Microorganisms for the Purposes of Patent Procedure. 
13. On 13 September 2006, officials from the Malaysian Ministry of Domestic Trade and 
Consumer Affairs visited the Attorney-General's  Department to discuss effective enforcement 
measures.  A number of Government agencies (the  Australian Federal Police, the Commonwealth  IP/C/W/476/Add.4 
 Page 3 
 
 
  Director of Public Prosecutions, the Australian Cust oms Service, the Department of Foreign Affairs 
and Trade and IP Australia) attended the round tabl e to share information on the protection afforded 
by their country's copyright and criminal laws a nd the practical enforcement mechanisms and policies 
being implemented to develop more  effective enforcement systems. 
E. NEPAL  
14. In 2005/2006, IP Australia assisted the Kingdom of  Nepal to further develop its IP systems 
and provided training to assist Nepal to comply w ith the TRIPS Agreement.  The project was funded 
by AusAID and included trademark education and ex amination training, public outreach training and 
development of a website for the Nepal IP Office.   Deliverables included trademark education and 
examination training to over 25 Nepa l IP Office (NIPO) personnel.  
15. IP Australia hosted a senior delegation from NIPO  from 15 to 17 February 2006, as the final 
phase of the AusAID funded institutional development project. 
F. PAKISTAN  
16. From 7 to 9 December 2005, IP Australia hos ted a delegation of senior managers from the 
newly formed Intellectual Property Rights Organizat ion (IPO) of Pakistan.  The visit was organized 
by WIPO to provide IPO Pakistan with a bette r understanding of various technical, operational and 
administrative functions of a modern IP Office.   
17. From 24 to 29 April 2006, IP Australia delivered  patent examiner training in Islamabad to 
patent examiners of the IP office of Pakistan.  The project activities also included undertaking quality 
exercises and assessment of future training need s.  This project was coordinated by WIPO. 
18. On 9 December 2005 a delegation of four officials from the Pakistan Intellectual Property 
Office as well as the Controller of Patents and the Registrar of Copyrights met with representatives 
from the Attorney-General's Department.  A repr esentative from the Department gave a presentation 
on copyright enforcement and how provisions in Au stralian copyright law assist  copyright owners and 
the police.  There was also discussion on this topic and other areas of interest. 
G. PAPUA NEW GUINEA  
19. The Registrar and the Copyright Officer fro m the PNG IP Office visited IP Australia 
from 17 to 19 July 2006.  Discussions focused on th e development of public education and awareness 
programmes, the development of supporting reso urces and to undertake training to support the 
management of websites. 
H. VIET NAM 
20. IP Australia hosted a senior delegation from Viet Nam's Ministry of Trade 
on 5 December 2005.  The objective of the visit was to meet with the Australian agencies and private 
sector organizations involved in the enforcement of  IP rights and counterfeit products.  The meetings 
also addressed international best practice issu es to aid Viet Nam's TRIPS compliance and WTO 
accession. 
21. From 26 to 30 June 2006, IP Australia offici als visited the National Office of Industrial 
Property (NOIP) in Viet Nam under the auspices of  the APEC TILF Public Education and Awareness 
Program.  This project aims to provide resources and training to assist Viet Nam to undertake its own public education and awareness programmes. IP/C/W/476/Add.4 
Page 4  
 
   
22. On 6 December 2005 representatives from the At torney-General's Department met with 
delegates from the Market Control Department, Viet Nam Ministry of  Trade and gave a presentation 
on copyright enforcement in Australia. 
II. REGIONAL/MULTILATERAL ACTIVITIES 
A. APEC-IPEG 
23. IP Australia is actively involved with APEC IPEG, which coordinates and delivers a range of 
initiatives aimed at deepening dialogue on IP policy and enforcement of IP rights in the region, and 
facilitating implementation of the TRIPS Agreement. 
24. In 2005/06, IP Australia continued its invol vement in delivering public education and 
awareness programmes for IP Offices in Thailand, Viet Nam, Chile and Mexico.  IP Australia is also 
working jointly with the IP Offices in Singa pore and Hong Kong on a new initiative to improve 
accessibility to public education and awareness resour ces and enhance the expertise of IP officials in 
all 21 APEC member economies.  
B. P
ACIFIC ISLANDS FORUM COUNTRIES  
25. IP Australia continues to support the developm ent of IP systems and resources in Pacific 
Islands Forum Countries (FICs).  The strategy, a jo int effort between IP Australia and WIPO, builds 
upon previous work in the FICs.  A meeting of Paci fic Island IP officials, hosted by IP Australia 
with funding from AusAID's Pacific Governance Support Program, was held in Fiji from 6 to 10 March 2006.  Discussion focused on establishing a regional mechanism for processing 
trademark applications in the region. 
26. The inaugural Asia Pacific IP Office Forum was held in New Zealand 
from 9 to 11 November 2005.  Presentations and di scussions covered several topics including quality 
systems and performance measurement.  IP Australia delivered a range of presentations at the Forum.  
27. In 2005/06, IP Australia assisted developing countries through the provision of patent search 
and examination services, including in the Pacific region Fiji, Papua New Guinea and Tonga. 
C. ASEAN 
28. Under the ASEAN Australia Development C ooperation Program – Regional Partnership 
Scheme, IP Australia delivered an Advanced Trai ning Course in Trademark and Patent Examination 
in Singapore during November 2005 and February 2006.  The course attracted over 60 participants, 
with trademark representatives from each of the 10 ASEAN countries.  
29. A senior IP Australia official represented IP Australia at the ASEAN IP Experts Group 
meeting from 27 February to 3 March 2006 in Ho Chi Minh City, Viet Nam. 
D. UPOV 
30. Australia tutors participants in the UPOV long distance training academy.  The course was 
established by UPOV in 2005 and is open to examiner s as well as individuals who are interested in 
learning more about UPOV.  Participants have to  complete 13 progressive modules after which there 
is an online examination.  The course provides par ticipants with formalized training on UPOV matters 
as well as access to a tutor for follow up questions on plant breeder's rights and UPOV.  In 2005, 
Australia tutored examiners from South Africa, the Republic of Korea and Trinidad and Tobago.  At  IP/C/W/476/Add.4 
 Page 5 
 
 
  present, Australia is involved in  the tutoring of participants  from Brazil, Indonesia and the 
Philippines. 
III. PAPERS PRESENTED 
31. Australian officials and non-government repr esentatives presented papers at the following 
regional and international fora: 
• Taipei Trademark Symposium, 19 to 22 October 2005. 
• ASEAN – USPTO workshop on IP Office Ad ministration and Enforcement, Bangkok, 
Thailand, 25 to 27 October 2005.  
• PATINEX 2005, an IP expo organized by the Korea Institute of Patent Information, Seoul, 
Korea, 2 and 3 November 2005. 
• Asia Pacific IP Office Regional Conference, New Zealand, 9 to 11 November 2005.   
• 23rd Meeting of the APEC IPEG in Hanoi , Vietnam, 21 and 22 February 2006.  
• Diplomatic Conference for the Adoption of a Revised Trademark Law Treaty in Singapore, 
13 to 31 March 2006. 
• Australia – New Zealand – ASEAN official s IP workshop, Rotorua, New Zealand, 
4 and 5 April 2006. 
• WIPO Advisory Committee on Enforcement, Geneva, Switzerland 15 to 17 May 2006. 
• Pacific region Workshops on Plant and Animal Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture 
in Fiji, 22 to 24 May 2006.  
• Joint ASEAN – WIPO Workshop on the Automation of IP Offices and the Development of IP 
Databases, Jakarta, Indonesia, 5 to 7 July 2006. 
• 24th Meeting of the APEC IPEG in Guadalajara, Mexico, 15 and 16 August 2006. 
 
__________