IP/C/W/644/Rev.1 21 September 2018 (18-5885) Page: 1/3 Council for Trade-Related Aspects of Original: English Intellectual Property Rights TECHNICAL COOPERATION ACTIVITIES: INFORMATION FROM OTHER INTERGOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS GULF COOPERATION COUNCIL (GCC) Revision* At its meeting of 4-5 June 2018, the Council for TRIPS agreed to invite intergovernmental organization observers to the Council to update the information on their technical and financial cooperation programmes relating to the implementation of the TRIPS Agreement. The present document reproduces the information which has been received from the Secretariat General of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) by means of a communication dated 18 September 2018. Communications from other intergovernmental organizations will be circulated as addenda to this document. _______________ 1. GCC is an intergovernmental organization with membership of the following States: United Arab Emirates, Kingdom of Bahrain, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Sultanate of Oman, State of Qatar, and State of Kuwait. 2. Pursuant to Article (20) of the GCC Economic Agreement which states that "member States shall develop programmes encouraging talented individuals and supporting innovation and invention; cooperate in the field of intellectual property and develop regulations and procedures ensuring protection of intellectual property rights; and coordinate their relevant policies towards other countries, regional blocs and international and regional organizations", the GCC Secretariat General directs most of its technical cooperation activities to its member States. 3. This document presents a report on main technical cooperation activities undertaken by the Secretariat General of the GCC from 14 October 2017 to 10 October 2018, which are relevant to intellectual property issues, following the invitation of the Chairman of the WTO Council for TRIPS to provide updated information on such activities. 4. The most part of the technical assistance activities undertaken by the GCC Secretariat General during the above-mentioned period are on patent-related aspects, arbitration in the field of IP, litigation on intellectual property rights, strengthening of innovation and enhancing awareness about IP issues. These activities are organized in the form of workshops on-job training, secondment and through supporting the participation in conferences or in international IP exhibitions. These activities are listed in the Annex. _______________ * In English only. ANNEX Activity Date Location Attendance Summary One-year Employee 14 October 2017 – 14 Oman IP Office Patent Examiners of Oman Sharing knowledge with Oman IP Office Examiners and secondment October 2018 National IP Office examining a number of patent applications filed at Oman IP Office including Applications filed under PCT Assistance in Patent - 10 – 19 October 2017 Kuwait IP Office Patent Examiners of Kuwait - Formal examination of all patent applications filed at Kuwait IP Examination - 15 October – 11 IP Office Office. November 2017 - Substantive examination of all patent applications filed at - 12 November -7 Kuwait IP Office. December 2017 - Providing training for examiners of Kuwait IP Office. - 26 November – 10 December 2017 - 10 -21 December 2017 - 10 – 14 December I 2017 P/C/W/644 International Ideas, 2-5 November 2017 Nuremberg Public International exhibition held annually in Germany in which the Inventions, Novelties Germany GCC Patent Office participates along with inventors from the Exhibition GCC States to open up doors for communications with those - 2 (IENA) concerned in Germany and in the whole world. The GCC Patent - Office hosting and supporting participation of all inventors from /Rev.1 the GCC States in this exhibition. Workshop on Strategic 5 -8 November 2017 Kuwait Examiners from GCC Patent Strategic Examination Procedure Examination Procedure by GCC IP Training office and GCC National IP In cooperation with USPTO USTPO Centre Offices On Job training in Patent 12-19 November 2017 Bahrain Examiners of the Bahrain Providing training for examiners of Bahrain IP Office and Examination 19-26 November 2017 IP Office National IP Office examining a number of patent applications filed at Bahrain Patent Office. Cooperation in IT System 19-23 November 2017 Bahrain IT Experts of the Bahrain Enhancing electronic systems and infrastructure of Bahrain 07 December 2017 IP Office National IP Office Patent Office "E-filling". On Job Training Program by 19 November - 18 Saudi Arabia Examiners from the GCC Providing training for examiners of the GCC Patent Office and SIPO in Patent Examination December 2017 GCC-SG Patent Office and GCC examining a number of patent applications in cooperation with Headquarters National Patent Offices SIPO. Workshop on Classification, 20-23 November 2017 Saudi Arabia Specialists from the GCC Classification, Analysis, and Search of Patent Analysis, and Search of GCC-SG Patent office and GCC In Cooperation with WIPO and Kuwait National IP Office and Patent Applications by KIPO Headquarters National IP Office KIPO Launching of Web Search 29 December 2017 Saudi Arabia Officials and specialists of Enabling specialists of the GCC Patent Office to have access to "WIPO Publish" GCC-SG the GCC Patent office the published documents and facilitating exchange of published Headquarters documents and data between the GCC Patent Office and GCC national patent offices and other patent offices Activity Date Location Attendance Summary Arbitration Mechanism 23 December 2017 Kuwait Specialists from GCC Arbitration in the field of IP Conference in the Field of IP GCC IP Training member States In Cooperation with WIPO and Kuwait Arbitration Centre and Issues Centre GCC IPTC One- year Employee 08 January 2018- Oman Patent Examiners of Oman Examining of patent applications filed at the Oman IP Office Secondment 08 January 2019 IP Office National IP Office including Applications filed under PCT and sharing knowledge with the Examiners of the Oman IP Office Middle East International 28-31 January 2018 Kuwait Inventors from GCC member International exhibition held annually in the State of Kuwait in Exhibition States and from other which the GCC Patent Office presents a yearly award of 50,000 (IIFME countries Members. SAR for the top three GCC inventions, as well as hosting and supporting inventors from the GCC member States Workshop on PCT National 28 January 2018- Saudi Arabia Examiners from the GCC Training on PCT National Phase Examination and Utilization of Phase Examination and 01 February 2018 GCC-SG Patent Office and the GCC External Examination work products Utilization of External Headquarters National IP Offices In cooperation with WIPO and EPO Examination work products Cooperation in Patent 04 March 2018 Kuwait Examiners of Kuwait IP Conducting substantive examination of all patent applications Examination IP Office Office filed at Kuwait IP office by the examiners of the GCC Patent Office I Cooperation in IT System 04-17 March 2018 Bahrain Experts of Bahrain National Working on developing electronic systems at the Bahrain IP P/C/W/644 IP Office IP Office Office and launching E-filing system by IT experts of the GCC Patent Office - IP Day Celebration 26 April 2018 Rabigh- Public Enhancing awareness of IP and its important role 3 Saudi Arabia - King Abdulaziz /Rev.1 University IP Day Celebration 26 April 2018 Muscat- Public Enhancing awareness of IP and its important role Oman Scientific Research Council IP Day Celebration 29 April 2018 Saudi Arabia Public Enhancing awareness of IP and its important role GCC-SG Headquarters Utilizing the GCC Patent Oman IT Experts of the Oman IP Utilizing GCCPO E-systems and re-designing such systems in 01-03 July 2018 Office E-Systems IP Office Office conformity with Oman Patent Law. Training program on the 30 July – 02 August United States Judges and consultants from Litigation on Intellectual In cooperation between the GCC IP Training Centre and USPTO 2018 USPTO GCC states Property right Workshop on Strengthening Kuwait Innovation Through Better Strengthening Innovation Through Better IP Management 9-10 October 2018 GCC IP Training Public IP Management in the GCC In cooperation with WIPO Centre Region __________ .