Council for Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights - Amendment of the TRIPS Agreement - Proposal for a decision on a fifth extension of the period for the acceptance by Members of the Protocol amending the TRIPS Agreement

 

amendment of the trips agreement

Proposal for a Decision on a fifth Extension of the Period for the Acceptance
by Members of the Protocol Amending the TRIPS Agreement

 

 

At its meeting of 15-16 October 2015, the Council for TRIPS decided to submit to the General Council the attached proposal for a decision on a fifth extension of the period for the acceptance by Members of the Protocol Amending the TRIPS Agreement.

 

 

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WT/L/..

 

 

(15-0000)

Page: ../..

 

 

amendment of the TRIPS agreement – fifth extension of the period for the acceptance by Members of the protocol amending

the trips agreement

Draft Decision of [date]

 

            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 by 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 26 November 2013 (the "2013 Extension Decision")[2], extended the period for acceptances of the Protocol by Members for the fourth time until 31 December 2015 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 shall take effect and enter into force in accordance with the provisions of paragraph 3 of Article X of the WTO Agreement;

 

            Noting that acceptance of the Protocol by two thirds of the Members in accordance with paragraph 3 of Article X of the WTO Agreement is taking 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/70);

 

            Decides as follows:

 

        The period for acceptances by Members of the Protocol Amending the TRIPS Agreement referred to in paragraph 2 of the TRIPS Amendment Decision and paragraph 3 of the Protocol, and extended by the 2013 Extension Decision, shall be further extended until 31 December 2017 or such later date as may be decided by the Ministerial Conference.

 

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[1] WT/L/641.

[2] WT/L/899.