In a discussion with several experts in the European Parliament’s Committee on International Trade (INTA), MEPs from several groups supported, on Monday 30 November, the lifting of intellectual property rights for vaccines against Covid-19.
This request was made in October by India and South Africa at a meeting of the WTO and subsequently supported by 99 other countries. This provision would allow developing countries to produce vaccines and medicines themselves.
The European Commission has taken a stand against this mechanism. “We are open to dialogue, but do not believe that what has been requested by South Africa and India is the best approach”, said Ignacio Garcia Bercero, Trade Advisor to the EU institution. However, he clarified that the Commission would not object to Member States granting compulsory licences. It is a waiver of intellectual property rights that a government may grant to a company.
Several political groups in the European Parliament claim, on the contrary, that the lifting of intellectual property rights is essential for the proper distribution of vaccines worldwide. Kathleen Van Brempt (S&D, Netherlands) asked the Commission to give a clear justification for its refusal. “Are we favouring our own companies at the expense of human lives in the rest of the world?”, she asked.
The Greens/EFA and GUE/NGL groups supported it, as did Carlos Correa, who heads the South Centre intergovernmental organisation of developing countries, who was present as an expert. Like Ms Van Brempt, he warned that the procedure for granting compulsory licences to circumvent intellectual property rules was too long in this situation. (Original version in French by Léa Marchal)