RESTRICTED
WORLD TRADE IP/C/W/13
21September 1995
ORGANIZATION(95-2739)
Original: English Council forTrade-Related Aspects
ofIntellectual Property Rights
COMMUNICATION FROM THE SECRETARY-GENERAL OFTHE
INTERNATIONAL UNION FOR THE PROTECTION OFNEW
VARIETIES OFPLANTS ("UPOV")
The following communication, dated 8August 1995, hasbeen received from the
Secretary-General oftheInternational Union fortheProtection ofNewVarieties ofPlants ("UPOV").
_______________
Iacknowledge receipt ofandthank youforyourletter of19June1995, inwhich youhave
relayed totheInternational Union fortheProtection ofNewVarieties ofPlants ("UPOV") therequest
oftheTRIPSCouncilfortechnicalandfinancialcooperationfordevelopingcountriesoperatedbyUPOV.
Since yourletter isthefirstofficial communication which UPOV hasreceived fromtheWorld
Trade Organization ("theWTO"), Iwould liketotaketheopportunity ofmyreply toinform theTRIPS
Council, through you,thattheConsultative Committee ofUPOV (theCouncil ofUPOV meeting in
theabsence ofobservers) hasdiscussed thequestion ofthefuture relationship ofUPOV andtheWTO
ontwooccasions andhas,interalia,encouraged theoffice ofUPOV toexplore withtheWTO the
possibilities forcooperation. Iamaccordingly pleased torespond toyourletterbysupplying information
concerning activities ofUPOV which involve theprovision oftechnical assistance todeveloping
countries.1
Inthecourse ofitsdiscussions concerning future relations withtheWTO, theConsultative
Committee requested metoinvite WTO -asthesuccessor toGATT -toberepresented byobservers
atsessions oftheUPOV Council. WTO willaccordingly receive aninvitation tothenextCouncil
session which willtakeplace inGeneva on17October 1995.
Since itisclearthatUPOV andtheTRIPS Council will,fromtimetotime, haveinterests in
common, itwould beofinterest toUPOV tobesimilarly accorded observer status insessions ofthe
TRIPS Council. Iwould appreciate yourplacing thisrequest onafuture agenda ofyourCouncil.
1This information wascontained inanoteannexed totheletter andhasbeen distributed asdocument
IP/C/W/10/Add.4.