13/09/2007 (Agence Europe) - On Wednesday 12 September, the parliamentary committee for international trade decided to postpone its vote on the assent for an amendment to the Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS). MEPs are linking the granting of assent from the European Parliament to a number of Council commitments when developing countries appeal for flexibility included in the TRIPS agreement for producing or importing generic medicine substitutes under patent. In a press release the Italian rapporteur, Gianluca Susta (La Margherita, Italy), speaking on behalf of all the different political groups, affirmed: “We need to make the question of flexibility clear in a joint EP and Council declaration”. In this resolution, the EP calls on the Council to affirm, in a common political declaration, that the member states are free to use all provisions on exceptions contained in the TRIPS agreement, for authorising production and exports “for public health requirements in importer member countries”. (oj)