TRIPS

The TRIPS Council adopted  6th December 2005 changes to the Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights making permanent a decision on patent and publig health adopted by the General Council in august 2003.  The WTO Members have until 1 December 2007 to ratify the changes.   The waiver remains in force until than.  Norway, has already adopted changes to the national legislation, in line with the adopted changes.  The relevant texts are attached.  See also below a reference to the Norwegian legislation.

Norway implemented the General Council Decision of 30 August 2003 into Norwegian legislation the 14th of May 2004.  The legislation entered into force 1. June 2004 and we were, with this decision, the first country that had a fully operational system in place.  A detailed description of the system with a copy of the legislation attached is set out in IP/C/W/427.  The adopted set of regulations aim at setting out as closely as possible the content of the General Council Decision of August 2003. A copy of the notification to the WTO can be found below.