Is a ban on indirect advertising not an infringement of the Paris Convention for the protection of industrial property?
• Following a request from Dr H. Nakajima, Director General of the World Health Organisation, Mr A. Bogsch Director General of the World Intellectual Property Organisation, has advised that the interpretation of the Paris Convention remains within the competence of the countries party to the Paris Convention (letter of 22 February 1995). The Paris Convention presents no impediment to Member States that wish to implement WHO recommendations calling for bans on direct and indirect tobacco advertising. It will be necessary, however, to construct legal requirements in such a way that they restrain only the use of trademarks but do not interfere with their registration (24).
