WORLD TRADE
ORGANIZATIONWT/DS290/8
7 May 2003
(03-2422)
Original:  English
EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES – PROTECTION OF TRADEMARKS
AND GEOGRAPHICAL INDICATIONS FOR AGRICULTURAL
PRODUCTS AND FOODSTUFFS
Request to Join Consultations
Communication from New Zealand
The following communication, dated 2 May 2003, from the Permanent Mission of
New Zealand to the Permanent Delegation of the European Commission, the Permanent Mission ofAustralia and to the Chairman of the Dispute Settlement Body, is circulated in accordance with
Article 4.11 of the DSU.
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Pursuant to paragraph 11 of Article 4 of the Understanding on Rules and Procedures
Governing the Settlement of Disputes (DSU), th e Government of New Zealand hereby notifies the
consulting parties and the Dispute Settlement Body that New Zealand desires to be joined in the
consultations requested by Australia pursuant to Article 4 of the DSU, Article XXII of the General
Agreement on Tariffs and Trade 1994 (GATT 1994), Article 64 of the Agreement on Trade-Related
Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (the TRIPS Agreement) and Article 14 of the Agreement onTechnical Barriers to Trade (TBT Agreement) regarding the protection of trademarks and
geographical indications for agricultural products and foodstuffs in the European Communities.  The
Australian request for consultations was circulated on 23 April 2003 as WT/DS290/1.
New Zealand has a substantial trade interest in agricultural products and foodstuffs that are
the subject of the Australian request for consultations, and hence desires to be joined in these
consultations.  We look forward to the European Communities' confirmation of receipt and
acceptance of this request to join the consultations and advice regarding the timing and venue for the
consultations.
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