WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION  IP/C/W/426/Add.6 
4 March 2005 
 
 (05-0897) 
Council for Trade-Related Aspects 
of Intellectual Property Rights Original:   English 
 
 
 
TECHNICAL COOPERATION ACTIVITIES: 
INFORMATION FROM MEMBERS 
 
AUSTRALIA 
 
Addendum  
   The following communication, dated 25 November 2004, is being circulated at the request of 
the Delegation of Australia.  It was circulated  as an advance copy for the Council's meeting on 
1-2 December 2004.  
_______________ 
 
 
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) and 2003 
(IP/C/W/408/Add.7). 
2. Australia fulfils its Article 67 technical coopera tion commitments at the bilateral, regional and 
multilateral levels.  Its cooperation activities are largely 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 Gove rnment.  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/www/securitylawHome.nsf/Head ingPagesDisplay/Copyright+Law+Branch?O
penDocument) and www.dcita.gov.au /ip), and the DFAT website wh ich covers international IP 
developments (www.dfat.gov.au/ip). IP/C/W/426/Add.6 
Page 2  
 
 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 the 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 Chinese 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. 
 
11. In May 2004, an Australian delegation comprisi ng an officer of the Attorney-General's 
Department and officers of the copyright collecting society, Copyright Agency Limited, visited China 
and held discussions with officers of the National Copyright Administration of China on a range of 
copyright issues including collection ad ministration and traditional knowledge.   
 
India 
12. 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 
13. During the financial year 2003 to 2004, the In donesia-Australia Specialised Training Project 
provided training to 59 participants  on IPRs.  Two courses were delivered between 7 to 25 July 2003 
in Jogjakarta and Semarang to increase the in tellectual property law awareness and skills of  IP/C/W/426/Add.6 
 Page 3 
 
 
 Indonesian officials. Both courses were designed to complement and extend the IPR Elementary 
Courses delivered in 1999-2002.  The main themes were introducing Indone sian and International 
legal systems and introducing basic concepts of IP R and enforcement.  Specific topics covered in the 
training included international protection of IPR, copyright, trademarks, patents, industrial designs, 
layout design of integrated circuits, protection of  plant varieties, modified genetic organisms, 
protection of trade secrets and undisclosed informa tion, unfair competition and general enforcement.  
 
Japan 
14. Dr Ian Heath, Director General, IP Australia  attended the Japan Institute of Invention and 
Innovation (JIII) 100th Anniversary Commemorative Ceremony  and International Symposium in 
Tokyo from 23 to 27 May 2004.  Dr Heath also visited with Deputy Commissioner, Mr Shinjiro Ono of the Japanese Patent Office.  Th ey discussed the exchange of information on patent issues, future 
cooperative activities and cooperation on techni cal assistance to developing countries. 
Korea 
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. 
 
17. 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. 
Malaysia 
18. 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 enhanced cooperation 
arrangements on IP between the two countries. 
 
Nepal 
19. 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 TRI PS 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 
20. From 30 June to 4 July 2003, an official from the PNG IP Office visited IP Australia to study 
the Australian designs examination system.  IP/C/W/426/Add.6 
Page 4  
 
 Singapore 
21. 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.  
22. 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.  23. 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 
24. 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.  25. From 18-21 May 2004, an official from the Attorney-General's Department and Justice 
Michael Moore, Federal Court of Australia, particip ated in the Workshop fo r Public Prosecutors and 
Judiciary on Enforcement of Intellectual Property Rights organized by the ASEAN Working Group 
on Intellectual Property Cooperation, IP Australia , and the United States Patent and Trademark 
Office.  
Bhutan, Sri Lanka and Nepal 
26. 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. 
 
Viet Nam 
 27. From 11 to 14 May 2004, Philip Griffith, Professor of Law, Faculty of Law at the University 
of Technology Sydney, attended the IPR Enforcem ent Workshop in Viet Nam on behalf of IP 
Australia. 
 
II. REGIONAL/MULTILATERAL ACTIVITIES 
WTO 28. 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 
29. 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 economi es.  The participants were provi ded 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.  IP/C/W/426/Add.6 
 Page 5 
 
 
 30. In March 2004, an Australian team of govern ment officials and a consultant conducted a 
seminar and training workshop on enforcement and border control aspects of IPRs in Hong Kong, 
China.  The workshop was attended by APEC As ian developing economy Members and addressed  
awareness and potential strategies for enforcem ent and border risks in those economies. 
 31. In July 2004, an Australian team of govern ment officials conducted workshops in the 
Philippines and Viet Nam.  The objectives of th ese workshops included deve loping implementation 
strategies for public education and awareness t ools, scoping future APEC funded work and the 
presentation of final outcomes to the APEC Secretariat. 
 
APEC-IPEG 
32. 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 a nd 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 
33. On 5 and 6 December 2002 in Samoa, officials from IP Australia attended the WIPO-
Australia-Forum Secretariat High-Level Meeting of  Intellectual Property Officials of Forum Island 
Countries.  They gave presentations on issues involved in the implementation of the three-year RFAP for intellectual property development for the Forum Island Countries. 
 
34. 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 Nadi , 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. 
 35. 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 
36. 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. 
 
• WIPO National Intellectual Property Trainers ' Course, held in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, 
16 to 17 September 2002. 
 IP/C/W/426/Add.6 
Page 6  
 
 • 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. 
 
• 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. 
  
__________