CZECH REPUBLIC: REPLY TO DEMARCHE ON OBJECTIONS TO

UNCLAS PRAGUE 000612 SENSITIVE SIPDIS USTR FOR TANUJA GARDE AND DAWN SHACKLEFORD E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: KIPR ECON ETRD SUBJECT: CZECH REPUBLIC: REPLY TO DEMARCHE ON OBJECTIONS TO EC/SWISS POSITIONS ON GEOGRAPHICAL INDICATIONS, REGISTRY AND PRODUCT COVERAGE AND TRIPS AND THE CONVENTION ON BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITY, AND IMPLICATIONS FOR OVERALL DDA AGENDA. REF: STATE 104985 ¶1. (SBU) EconOff delivered reftel on October 13 to Ministry of Industry and Trade Bilateral Trade Policy and Common EU Trade Policy Director Alena Hnidkova. Hnidkova said she recognizes the significance of the Geographical Indications (GIs) and Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) issues. The Czech Republic, along with 110 other countries, supports document TN/C/W/52, which proposes specific modalities language for three TRIPS issues under the DDA. She welcomes the Director General's consultations on the issues of GI extension and TRIPS/CVD, and hopes for further progress on these issues. Hnidkova said that the Czech Republic disagrees that the European Commission's proposals on these topics are counterproductive. She explained that the position of the Commission is the result of a serious discussion among all EU member states, and that the Czech Republic sees no reason to change it at present. Thompson-Jones