WORLD TRADE
ORGANIZATIONTN/IP/2
9 July 2002
(02-3815)
Council for Trade-Related Aspects
of Intellectual Property RightsSpecial Session
SECOND SPECIAL SESSION OF THE COUNCIL FOR TRIPS
Report by the Chairman, Ambassador Eui-yong Chung, to the Trade Negotiations Committee
1. The Special Session of the Council for TRIPS held its second meeting on 28 June 2002 on the
basis of the agenda as set out in WTO/AIR/1817.  The agenda items were:  negotiation of the
establishment of a multilateral system of notification and registration of geographical indications for
wines and spirits;  observer status for intergovernmental organizations;  and other business.
2. As announced at the first Special Session in March 2002, the Chairperson circulated, on his
own responsibility and without prejudice to delegations’ positions, a list of points and issues for
discussion (document JOB(02)/49 of 4 June 2002).  Two new communications were tabled before the
session:  the first one was co-sponsored by Bulgaria, Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Estonia, the
European Communities and their member States, Georgia, Hungary, Iceland, Malta, Mauritius,Moldova, Nigeria, Romania, the Slovak Republic, Slovenia, Sri Lanka, Switzerland and Turkey
(document TN/IP/W/3 of 24 June 2002);  the second one, tabled by the European Communities and
their member States, was an informal note on “Issues for Discussion at the Special Session of the
TRIPS Council of 28 June 2002” (document JOB(02)/70 of 24 June 2002).
3. The Special Session took up in turn the four cate gories of issues identified in the Chair's note:
(1) definition of the term “geographical indications” and eligibility of geographical indications for
inclusion in the system;  (2) the purpose of the notification and registration system;  (3) what is meant
by a “system of notification and registration”;  and (4) participation.  There was an extensive
exchange of views.   While it was possible to detect some common thinking on a few points, there
were still diverging views on several points.  With rega rd to the third category of issues  (multilateral
system of notification and registration), the Special Session agreed to ask the WTO Secretariat, with
the assistance of the International Bureau of WIPO, to prepare a factual background paper on the
existing international systems of notification and registration.
4. The Chairperson reminded participants that the suggested target date for the submission of
proposals was the September 2002 meeting.   He sugge sted that, at this meeting, the Special Session
go into issues of “mechanics” in greater detail, in cluding such matters as procedures related to the
multilateral system of notification and registration, having regard to the various proposals alreadymade and new or modified proposals.  The Specia l Session could also continue discussion of the four
categories of issues identified in the Chair's informal note (document JOB(02)/49) as well as have a
first look at any new or modified proposals.  At the November meeting, a further discussion of the
issues taken up at the June and September meetings as well as a detailed examination of the proposals
could be envisaged.  As indicated in paragraphs 3 and 8 of the Chair's informal note, the suggestionswere not intended to prevent any delegation from addressing any relevant matter at each meeting.
5. In regard to observer status for intergovernmental organizations, there were no developments.
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