ORGANISATION MONDIALE ORGANIZACI ÓNMUNDIAL
DUCOMMERCE DEL COMERCIO
WORLD TRADE ORGANIZATION
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Télégramme: OMC/WTO, GENÈVE
Reference: 27February 1998
COMMITTEE ONTRADE AND ENVIRONMENT
Communication from theWorld Intellectual Property Organisation
Inaletter dated 23February addressed totheChairman oftheWTO Committee on
Trade andEnvironment (CTE), theDirector-General oftheWorld Intellectual Property
Organisation (WIPO) hasrequested thatWIPO begranted observer status intheCTE.
Theletter from theDirector-General ofWIPO setsoutthefollowing:
"Under thedraft WIPO Programme andBudget forthe1998-99 biennium, asetof
newinitiatives isproposed topromote better useof,andwhere needed, evolution ofthe
intellectual property system totakeintoaccount developments inother fora. Onesuch
initiative involves examination oftheroleofintellectual property inthepreservation,
conservation anddissemination ofglobal biological diversity andbiotechnology, andcalls
forWIPO 'sparticipation inforawhere these issues arediscussed, suchastheCTE. Anew
Division within WIPO, theGlobal Intellectual Property Issues Division, hasbeen created to
carry outthese initiatives.
Thecooperation between theWTO andWIPO iswellestablished, including aformal
cooperation agreement topromote andfacilitate implementation oftheAgreement onthe
Trade-Related Aspects ofIntellectual Property Rights. Thegrant ofobserver status inthe
CTEwould further thiscooperation intheinterest ofadvancing theinternational trade and
intellectual property systems."
Theoriginal letter fromtheDirector-General ofWIPO canbeconsulted inoffice 3025,
Centre William Rappard.
98-0807 WT/CTE/COM/4