REPORT (2019) OF THE Working group on trade and transfer

of technology TO THE GENERAL COUNCIL

1  introduction

1.1.  Ministers agreed, at the Fourth Ministerial Conference in Doha in November 2001, to "an examination, in a Working Group under the auspices of the General Council, of the relationship between trade and transfer of technology, and of any possible recommendations on steps that might be taken within the mandate of the WTO to increase flows of technology to developing countries".^[1] The Working Group has reported on its work at each WTO Ministerial Meeting, at which the Ministers had reaffirmed their commitment to advance the work of the Working Group on Trade and Transfer of Technology and instructed the General Council to further report to the Ministerial Sessions.

1.2.  The Working Group held three sessions during 2019. The reports of the meetings are contained in documents WT/WGTTT/M/60, WT/WGTTT/M/61/Rev.1 and WT/WGTTT/M/62.^[2] At these meetings, Members continued the analysis of the relationship between trade and transfer of technology, as well as considered any possible recommendations on steps that might be taken within the mandate of the WTO to increase flows of technology to developing countries.