Alongside other developed countries that are members of the World Trade Organization (WTO), the EU once again took a stand against the lifting of intellectual property rights on vaccines at a meeting of the WTO’s Council for Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) on 4 February.
The request to lift the ban was made in October by South Africa and India to allow developing countries to produce vaccines. It has faced strong opposition within the WTO. In December, some MEPs had, in turn, made this request, despite the reluctance of the European Commission (see EUROPE 12613/29).
According to a Geneva trade official, South Africa reiterated its desire at the WTO meeting on 4 February, this time calling for formal action. It was supported by Egypt, India, Jamaica, Kenya, Nigeria, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Venezuela and Zimbabwe.
These countries have also sharply criticised the EU’s new restrictions on vaccine exports. The latter replied that the controls would not delay the trade of vaccines to non-Member States.
Portugal’s Minister of Health, Marta Temido, was also questioned on the lifting of intellectual property rights, as she presented the priorities of the Portuguese Presidency of the EU Council to the European Parliament’s Environment Committee (ENVI) on Thursday 4 February. She recalled that compulsory licences existed in order to circumvent intellectual property rights. It is a waiver of intellectual property rights that a government may grant to a company. (Original version in French by Léa Marchal)