Re: [wg-b] WIPO Committee of Experts

["Philip Sheppard" <philip.sheppard@aim.be>]

Status of WIPO and the resolution on well known marks

The WIPO document "Joint recommendation concerning provisions on the
protection of well-known marks " was recommended by a Committee of experts
working within the Standing Committee on the Law of trademarks, Industrial
Designs and Geographical Indications (SCT).

That Committee comprises true experts with real world experience in this
field. The thrust of the recommendation has been debated for some
considerable time by parties who are not only conscious of the need to
protect the trust role of famous names but also are aware of the competitive
nature of brands and so have a reason not to confer too wide protection less
it confer unfair competitive advantage. The WIPO secretariat, like any
secretariat, is responsibly for the drafting of the documents of the
committee.

The recommendation was indeed adopted by the 156 member states of the Paris
Union and the WIPO 171 member states (as some are not in the Paris Union) on
September 29 1999.

The joint recommendation itself is available at the WIPO SCT site (as
information for its subsequent meeting)  in Word or PDF at:
http://www.wipo.org/eng/document/sct/index_3.htm

Philip Sheppard
AIM - European Brands Association
9  av. des Gaulois  B-1040 Brussels
Tel +322 736 0305 Fax +322 734 6702