WTO members met again as the intellectual property council today, both formally and informally.
BOTTOM LINE:
One year after it was proposed, NO CHANGE IN POSITIONS on the proposal to waive some intellectual property protection for COVID-19,
#TRIPSWaiver stalemate
1/7
Stalemate should come as no surprise.
FOR—suspending protection will allow countries to copy vaccines and other products
AGAINST—other solutions are effective, protection is needed as incentives for innovation, no evidence that a #TRIPSWaiver will help transfer technology
2/7
More interesting (1)—the US
According to sources: US said
• it appreciated both sides’ efforts
• members should focus only on vaccines to ensure consensus
• seek solutions likely to gain consensus
Does that signal the US’ own position?
3/7 #TRIPSWaiver
More interesting (2)—chairs versus members
Chair Amb. Dagfinn Sørli (Norway) asked for members’ advice on how to break the stalemate.
Some of them had a suggestion …
4/7 #TRIPSWaiver (WTO photo)
… Some delegations said Sørli should talk to Amb. David Walker (NZ, coordinating work on a broader response to COVID-19) and Amb. Dacio Castillo (Honduras, WTO General Council chair)
He replied that this missed the point: it’s up to the members and no one else
5/7 #TRIPSWaiver
Sørli will report on the stalemate to the General Council later this week.
Small group meetings involving key players are often used to try to break a deadlock. Most recently Sørli held small group meetings on Sept 23 and 29
6/7 #TRIPSwaiver
WTO news on intellectual property, health, the waiver and other issues: wto.org/english/news_e…
What is in the “revised waiver request”? See this⬇️, which includes some analysis and assessments
7/7 #TRIPSWaiver
tradebetablog.wordpress.com/2021/05/25/wto…
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