South Africa on fire: closing innings at the WTO TRIPS Council (10 December 2020)

UPDATE (16 December 2020): The WTO General Council is meeting from Wednesday, 16 December 2020 to Friday, 18 December 2020 to discuss a number of matters including e-commerce, cotton, and TRIPS Council matters. Under agenda item 13, the Chair of… Continue Reading

WTO TRIPS Council – 20 November 2020 – South Africa’s defense of the TRIPS waiver

On Friday, 20 November 2020, the World Trade Organization (WTO) convened an informal, virtual meeting of the TRIPS Council to discuss a proposal (IP/C/W/669) co-sponsored by Eswatini, India, Kenya, and South Africa for a waiver from certain provisions of the… Continue Reading

WTO TRIPS Council (informal): South Africa’s interventions on COVID-19, TRIPS flexibilities, and domestic manufacturing capacity

On Friday, 19 June 2020, the World Trade Organization (WTO) convened an informal virtual Open-ended Meeting of the TRIPS Council. . The following statements were delivered by South Africa at the virtual open-ended informal meeting of the TRIPS Council. In… Continue Reading

WTO TRIPS Council: Submission of the European Union, the United States and 9 other WTO members on Public-Private Collaborations in Innovation

On 8 February 2019, the World Trade Organization (WTO) published a submission (IP/C/W/652) by Australia; Canada; Chile; The European Union; Hong Kong, China; Japan; the Republic of Korea; Singapore; Switzerland; Chinese Taipei; and the United States to the TRIPS Council… Continue Reading

WTO TRIPS Council: South Africa considers strict patentability criteria to address abuses in the pharmaceutical industry

On 1 February 2019, the World Trade Organization (WTO) published a submission (IP/C/W/651) by South Africa to the TRIPS Council on Intellectual Property and the Public Interest: Promoting Public Health Through Competition Law and Policy. The South African paper endeavors… Continue Reading

TRIPS Council (November 2018): Statement of South Africa on Promoting Public Health Through Competition Law and Policy

On 9 November 2018, South Africa delivered the following statement on IP and competition policy at the WTO TRIPS Council under agenda item 13 on Intellectual Property and the Public Interest: Promoting Public Health Through Competition Law and Policy (an… Continue Reading

WTO TRIPS Council: South Africa asks WTO members to share best practices to address excessive prices

UPDATE: In November 2018, South Africa notified the WTO Secretariat that Brazil and India requested to co-sponsor this submission on Promoting Public Health Through Competition Law and Policy. On 29 October 2018, the World Trade Organization (WTO) published a submission… Continue Reading

Asia, compulsory licensing

India 2010 2010: India’s intervention to the WTO TRIPS Council: TRIPS plus enforcement trends, 2010-06-10 2011 2011: Karl De Gucht writes Andris Piebalgs on topic of European Union IPR demands on India and other developing countries, 2011-05-28 2011: WTO TRIPS… Continue Reading

Latin America, compulsory licensing

Brazil 1990-2000 Comments for the Working Group On Intellectual Property Rights, Third Trade Ministerial and Americas Business Forum, Belo Horizonte, Brazil, May 13-16,1997, 1997-05-16 2005 U.S. DoS Cable: U.S. PHARMA FIRMS THREATENED WITH LICENSING (Brazil), June 3, 2005. U.S. DoS… Continue Reading