World Trade Organization address TRIPS implementation review

By IDEAS

Under Article 71.1 of the TRIPS Agreement, the TRIPS Council is required to conduct a review of the implementation of the Agreement after two years and at periodic intervals thereafter. However, the initial review in 1999 was never completed and no other review has subsequently been initiated. 

After a first trial period, members would then evaluate the modalities for the rest of the review and agree any necessary changes before moving forward. The review would mainly involve input from members, who would provide information on their implementation of the sections under review, including their experiences, challenges and best practices.

The Council also discussed a paper titled “Intellectual Property and Innovation: Education on IP”. Introduced by the European Union, the paper invites members to discuss policies, programmes, good practices and challenges of incorporating knowledge about IP into various levels and types of education. These discussions should encompass, among other things, the level of education and how to best include IP in curricula. Members are also invited to discuss which fields of study — for example, business, engineering or arts — could most benefit from deeper IP knowledge.

Members took the floor to share information about successful IP education programmes and initiatives as well as available online tools, resources and platforms. They also provided examples of how to effectively integrate intellectual property education into curricula and the importance of focusing on the best design and implementation strategies.

Enhancing IP education through strong cooperation among public authorities, IP experts, educators and other stakeholders, and fostering partnerships that can improve educational outreach and impact was also part of the discussion. Members highlighted that ensuring IP teaching materials, resources and tools remain effective, up-to-date and grounded in relevant data was essential for fostering a well-informed understanding of IP.