Looking back at our work over the past quarter century, it is apparent that there has been a major evolution in thinking on technology. In the 1970s and early-eighties, the attention of countries was on the asymmetries in technology development, and on the weak bargaining position of developing-country enterprises vis-à-vis large corporations in negotiating fair and equitable terms and conditions for technology transfer. In the drive for rapid industrialisation, a frequent strategic question was whether to import turnkey plants or to unbundle technology packages and only import the essentials. Countries were also concerned of the development impact of patent system, which was considered inappropriate for local needs. Policy responses to these concerns included national screening mechanisms for technology agreements; and, at the international level, reform of the Paris Convention and negotiation of the Code of Conduct on Transfer of Technology.
