Medicines Access Again Captures Attention at WTO as Progress Urged in Round
IP Watch, 30 October 2009
GENEVA, SWITZERLAND: Access to medicine and the so-called biodiversity amendment topped the agenda at the recently held TRIPS Council meeting. Some countries, including Australia, Canada and New Zealand, cited the new, stronger mandate on TK protection of the WIPO Intergovernmental Committee on Intellectual Property and Genetic Resources, Traditional Knowledge and Folklore (IGC) and suggested discussion on intellectual property and biodiversity issues be moved to WIPO. However, supporters of the TRIPS amendment noted the IGC may have its strongest mandate yet, but it is not yet clear whether the “international legal instrument” it has been tasked with creating will be equivalent to the legally binding nature of a TRIPS amendment. The WTO has a dispute settlement mechanism where members can seek redress for non-compliance with its agreements. Read the article …
