   
  
WT/L/1122  
 
23 November 2021  
(21-8819) Page: 1/1 
  Original: English  
 
AMENDMENT OF THE TRIPS AGREEMENT – EIGHTH EXTENSION OF THE PERIOD  
FOR THE  ACCEPTANCE BY MEMBERS OF THE PROTOCOL AMENDING  
THE TRIPS AGREEMENT  
DECISION OF 22 NOVEMBER 2021  
 The General  Council,  
 Conducting  the functions of the Ministerial  Conference in the interval between meetings  
pursuant to paragraph  2 of Article  IV of the Marrakesh Agreement establishing the World Trade 
Organization (the  "WTO  Agreement");  
 Having regard to paragraph  2 of the Decision of  the General  Council of 6  December  2005 on 
the Amendment of the TRIPS  Agreement (the  "TRIPS  Amendment  Decision") and paragraph  3 of the 
Protocol Amending the TRIPS  Agreement (the  "Protocol")1, which provide that the Protocol shall be 
open for acceptance b y Members until 1  December  2007 or such later date as may be decided by 
the Ministerial  Conference;  
 Recalling that the General Council, by its decision of 10  December  2019 (the  "2019  Extension 
Decision")2, extended the period for acceptances of the Proto col by Members for the  seventh time 
until 31  December  2021 or such later date as may be decided by the  Ministerial  Conference;  
 Recalling also that, pursuant to paragraph  3 of the TRIPS  Amendment  Decision and 
paragraph  4 of the Protocol, the Protocol took effect and entered into force on 23  January  2017 upon 
acceptance by two thirds of Members who had accepted it on or before that date in  accordance with 
the provisions of paragraph  3 of Article  X of the WTO  Agreement;  
 Noting that the Protocol takes effect for each other Member upon acceptance by it pursuant 
to paragraph 3 of Article X of the WTO Agreement;  
 Noting also  that a number of Members are yet to accept the Protocol and that this is taking 
them longer than initially foreseen;  
 Having considered the proposal to further extend the period for acceptances of the  Protocol 
submitted by the Council for TRIPS (IP/C /89); 
 Decides  as follows:  
 The period for acceptances by Members of the Protocol Amending the TRIPS Agreement 
referred to in paragraph  2 of the T RIPS Amendment  Decision and paragraph  3 of the Protocol, 
and extended by the 2019  Extension  Decision, shall be further extended until 31  December  2023 
or such later date as may be decided by the Ministerial  Conference.  
__________  
 
 
1 WT/L/641.  
2 WT/L/1081.  