countries. One delegation expressed the view that further work in that area should be explored. 100. In responding to issues raised in the discussion, the Executive Director assured delegations that the Centre always undertook its research work in close co-ordination with other international organizations in order to avoid duplication and overlap, particularly in areas where negotiations were currently under way in those other organizations. With regard to the focus of the work on TRIPs, the Executive Director emphasized that the Centre's concentration on investment issues was dictated by the need to avoid interfering in the trade negotiations, as well as to verify the investment impact of adequate or inadequate levels of intellectual property protection. On the latter point, the Centre's main interest was to provide empirical data which might clarify the actual role of intellectual property protection in investment and technology flows, a subject on which there were obviously differences of opinion in the international community. Action taken by the Commission 101. The Commission took note of the reports of the Secretary-General on trade-related aspects of intellectual property rights and trade-related investment measures (E/C.l0/1990/13) and on non-conventional transnational corporations (E/C.10/1990/18), and requested the Secretary-General to report to it at the next session on the Centre's ongoing and future research efforts. -36-Chapter IX STRENGTHENING THE NEGOTIATING CAPACITY OF DEVELOPING COUNTRIES IN THEIR DEALINGS WITH TRANSNATIONAL CORPORATIONS 102. The Commission considered agenda 1.'tem 10 t 't 7 h a 1. s t meeting, on 6 April 1990. It had before it the following documents: (a) Report of the Secretary-General on foreign direct investment in Africa ~nd strat~gies to encourage transnational corporations to respond positively to the 1mproved 1.nvestment climate (E/C.l0/1990/9); (b) Report of the Secretary-General on experience gained in technical co-operation activities with respect to the formulation and implementation of foreign investment policies (E/C.l0/1990/14); 
**Analysis**
The text appears to focus on international trade and investment, with discussions on intellectual property rights, trade-related investment measures, and strategies for encouraging transnational corporations to invest in developing countries. The reports presented to the Commission also seem to be related to foreign direct investment and technical cooperation activities.

**Category**
International trade