Preamble
1. Rule 1(1) of the Draft Rules of Procedure of the Diplomatic Conference--which apply as Provisional Rules of Procedure until the Diplomatic Conference adopts them (with possible changes)--defines the objective of the Diplomatic Conference to be held in Washington, D.C., from May 8 to 26, 1989, as follows:
2.
Rule.
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"(1) The objective of the Diplomatic Conference for the Conclusion of a Treaty on the Protection of Intellectual Property in Respect of Integrated Circuits (hereinafter referred to as 'the Conference') is to negotiate and adopt, on the basis of the draft prepared by the Director General of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) and any substantive or other amendments thereto, a Treaty on the Protection of Intellectual Property in Respect of Integrated Circuits (hereinafter referred to as 'the Treaty')." (Document IPIC/DC/2 Corr.)
The present document contains the draft referred to in the above-quoted
Each provision of the draft is accompanied by explanatory notes.
Previous versions of the draft Treaty have been considered at four sessions of a Committee of Experts, held respectively in November 1985, June 1986, April 1987 and November 1988. In addition to the four sessions of the Committee of Experts, previous versions of the draft Treaty, as well as general and technical questions relating to the protection of intellectual property in respect of integrated circuits, have been considered in a series of consultations with experts held in February 1986, January 1988 and May 1988. 4. The text of the draft Treaty contained in the present document takes into account the discussions of the four sessions of the Committee of Experts and the consultations with experts, most notably the discussions of, and proposals ́ made during, the fourth session of the Committee of Experts, held from
November 7 to 22, 1988.
5. While all of the proposals made during previous meetings, particularly those presented during the fourth session of the Committee of Experts, have been studied, not all of those proposals are reflected by way of alternatives in the draft Treaty. In several places, in preparing the draft Treaty, an attempt has been made to reconcile proposals through the presentation of a new text that it is believed may be conducive to compromise. In cases where such a new text has been introduced into the draft Treaty, the alternative proposals on which the compromise text is based have been set out in the explanatory notes. In addition, where a proposal was made at the fourth session of the Committee of Experts that received considerable support in that session but which is not fully covered in the draft contained in this document, it is generally covered in the explanatory notes.
6. The text of the draft Treaty is contained on the right-hand pages of the present document, with the corresponding explanatory notes set out on the left-hand pages. The purpose of the explanatory notes is threefold:
(a) to provide, where necessary, a brief explanation of the corresponding provisions of the draft Treaty;