The outcome helped form the basis of negotiating proposals submitted by several least developed and net food-importing developing countries. The challenge we face now is to ensure that those concerns become an integral part not only of the negotiations but of their results. The second expert meeting invited experts to share their national experiences on regulations and liberalization in the construction services sector and its contribution to development. Experts stressed the importance of participation in such projects resulting in an effective transfer of technology, and urged the assistance of multilateral financial institutions and bilateral donors. Several proposals made good use of ideas discussed in the meeting for consideration at WTO negotiations.
Traditional knowledge is often undervalued and underutilized.
Problems examined by the experts were not only about how to preserve traditional knowledge but also how to make better use of it in the development process, and how to prevent its inappropriate use. Different protection options were considered, including the applicability of classic intellectual property rights instruments. At the national level, experts recommended strengthening customary laws and developing sui generis systems for the protection of traditional knowledge. They also called for exploring minimum standards of an international sui generis system for traditional knowledge protection. The fourth expert meeting analysed the impact of anti-dumping and countervailing duties .