WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION  TN/IP/17 
23 July 2007 
 
 (07-3126) 
Council for Trade-Related Aspects 
of Intellectual Property Rights Special Session  
 
  
SPECIAL SESSION OF THE COUNCIL FOR TRIPS 
 
Report by the Chairman, Ambassador Manzoor Ahmad,
 
to the Trade Negotiations Committee  
  1. This report on the negotiations on the establis hment of a multilateral system of notification 
and registration of geographical indications for wines and spirits is submitted on my own 
responsibility and is without prejudice to the positions  of delegations.  This report covers the work 
since my last report of 26 July 2006 (TN/IP/16), during which period I have  had open-ended informal 
meetings and consultations in a variety of formats. 
2. No new proposals have been made and the thr ee proposals set out side by side in document 
TN/IP/W/12 of September 2005 continue to be  those on the table in the Special Session.
1  In the light 
of consultations that I held in December 2006 a nd February 2007, an addendum to this document, 
dated 4 May 2007, has been circulated compiling the points raised and views expressed in the Special 
Sessions' discussions of these proposals (TN/IP/W/12/A dd.1 and Corr.1).  This is intended to facilitate 
the further consideration by participants of the issues under negotiation by setting out in one place the 
issues raised and views expressed. 
3. While there is little to report in regard to work  of a formal nature, the last few months have 
seen more sign than had been evident earlier of consultations among certain delegations aimed at 
ensuring a proper understanding of each other's positi ons and concerns and exploring possible ways 
forward.  I consider this to be a positive developm ent.  Nonetheless, it is my understanding that the 
major differences dividing delegations remain essentia lly unchanged, in particular in regard to the 
questions of the legal effects of a registration of  a geographical indication and participation.  The 
negotiations on the register are of course affected by the overall state of the negotiations in the Round 
as a whole and the linkages that some delegations are making, as well as by the existence of other 
initiatives regarding the protecti on of geographical indications. 
4. I believe that the considerable amount of tec hnical work that has been done so far and the 
mutual understanding of each other's positions and concerns that has been generated will stand the 
negotiators in good stead in making progress once the ne cessary conditions are met.  I intend to keep 
in close contact with delegations with a view to resuming work aimed at bridging the main differences 
as soon as possible.  In order to make progress towards establishing a common basis for the final 
negotiating phase, it will be necessary for all delegati ons to be creative in finding new flexibility, in 
particular with regard to the issues of legal effects and participation. 
__________ 
                                                      
1 Proposal by Hong Kong, China in TN/IP/W/8;  "Joint Proposal" by Argentina, Australia, Canada, 
Chile, Costa Rica, the Dominican Repub lic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Japan, Mexico, New 
Zealand, Nicaragua, Paraguay, Chinese Taipei and the United States in TN/IP/W/10, Add.1, 2 and 3;  and 
proposal by the European Communities in TN/IP/W/11.