[Ip-health] HIV, TRIPS and Canada's trade agenda at WTO
Richard Elliott
relliott@aidslaw.ca
Thu, 25 Oct 2001 12:14:09 -0400
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FYI
Pasted below is what Canada's Minister for International Trade, Pierre=20
Pettigrew, had to say to the House of Commons yesterday (Oct 24) about=20
Canada's agenda for the 4th WTO Ministerial Conference.
It contains some statements about TRIPS and access to medicines for=20
HIV/AIDS and other illnesses. Statements which so far seem to be at odds=20
with the obstructionist role that Canada is playing at the WTO in the=20
negotiations over TRIPS.
If people would like to express their views to the Minister for=20
International Trade, you can e-mail him at:
Pettigrew.P@parl.gc.ca
The full text of this document is available on-line at:
http://www.dfait-maeci.gc.ca/tna-nac/WTO-obj-e.asp
Canada's Objectives for the Fourth WTO Ministerial Conference
Tabled by The Honourable Pierre Pettigrew, Minister for International Trade,
to the House of Commons Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and=20
International Trade
October 24, 2001
<snip>
V. Growth and Development Theme
Growth and development will be an overarching theme of the fourth WTO=20
Ministerial Conference. Developing countries generally will not support=20
launching new negotiations without assurances that these will assist their=
=20
development efforts and address their concerns about the implementation of=
=20
Uruguay Round results.
In broad terms, developing countries seek: a political commitment that a=20
new round of trade negotiations will take development considerations into=20
account in practical ways; a round that is narrow in scope (so as not to=20
overload countries with new commitments); better market access for goods in=
=20
which some developing countries have a comparative advantage (agricultural=
=20
products, textiles and apparel exports, in particular); and real progress=20
on their implementation concerns. Developing countries want more effective=
=20
delivery on existing Special and Differential Treatment provisions in WTO=20
agreements (e.g., longer transition periods and greater flexibility on=20
certain commitments), including more specific obligations for better funded=
=20
and co-ordinated trade-related technical assistance to their governments=20
and capacity building within their economies. They are seeking the=20
reduction or elimination of export subsidies in agriculture. They are also=
=20
seeking a recognition that nothing in the Agreement on Trade-Related=20
Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) shall prevent members from=
=20
taking measures to protect public health, in particular in the context of=20
access to essential medicines for handling pandemics such as HIV/AIDS,=20
malaria and tuberculosis.
We believe trade negotiations must be consistent with and contribute to=20
development goals. Canada supports a new round that will be focussed on=20
growth and development for all participants. We support new negotiations=20
that will provide for meaningful progress on agriculture, non-agricultural=
=20
market access, implementation issues and trade rules that support economic=
=20
development (e.g., trade facilitation, investment). With respect to Special=
=20
and Differential Treatment provisions, Canada intends to keep the focus on=
=20
making existing provisions more effective, as there are provisions that=20
members have not fully used. The provisions in the TRIPS Agreement=20
establish a minimum standard of Intellectual Property Rights and therefore=
=20
provide members with an opportunity to cultivate an environment that=20
encourages and rewards innovation in order to facilitate economic progress.=
=20
We believe that the TRIPS Agreement also provides members with sufficient=20
flexibility to address public health crises such as HIV/AIDS and other=20
pandemics and we support the ongoing work to clarify the relevant TRIPS=20
provisions. As the provision of HIV/AIDS drug therapies is a complex=20
question that involves broader issues than just patent rights and costs,=20
discussions on these issues are taking place across many institutions such=
=20
as: the WTO TRIPS Council; the UN General Assembly Special Session on=20
HIV/AIDS; relevant UN agencies, including the World Health Organization and=
=20
UNAIDS; and the G8.
<snip>
Richard Elliott
Director, Policy & Research / Directeur, politiques et recherche
Canadian HIV/AIDS Legal Network / R=E9seau juridique canadien VIH/sida
890 Yonge Street, Suite 700, Toronto, Canada M4W 3P4
Tel : +1 (416) 595-1666 Fax +1 (416) 595-0094
E-mail: relliott@aidslaw.ca Web: www.aidslaw.ca
The Canadian HIV/AIDS Legal Network is a partner organisation of the
AIDS Law Project of South Africa. -- Le R=E9seau juridique canadien=
VIH/sida
est un organisme partenaire du AIDS Law Project de l'Afrique du Sud.
Please help fight world hunger. One click a day sends FREE FOOD to
fight malnutrition, AIDS and other diseases. See:=
http://www.thehungersite.com
____________________________________________________________________
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<br>
FYI<br><br>
Pasted below is what Canada's Minister for International Trade, Pierre
Pettigrew, had to say to the House of Commons yesterday (Oct 24) about
Canada's agenda for the 4th WTO Ministerial Conference.<br><br>
It contains some statements about TRIPS and access to medicines for
HIV/AIDS and other illnesses. Statements which so far seem to be at
odds with the obstructionist role that Canada is playing at the WTO in
the negotiations over TRIPS.<br><br>
If people would like to express their views to the Minister for
International Trade, you can e-mail him at:<br><br>
Pettigrew.P@parl.gc.ca<br><br>
The full text of this document is available on-line at: <br>
<a href=3D"http://www.dfait-maeci.gc.ca/tna-nac/WTO-obj-e.asp"=
eudora=3D"autourl">http://www.dfait-maeci.gc.ca/tna-nac/WTO-obj-e.asp</a><b=
r><br>
<br>
<font size=3D3><b>Canada's Objectives for the Fourth WTO Ministerial
Conference<br><br>
Tabled by The Honourable Pierre Pettigrew, Minister for International
Trade,<br>
to the House of Commons Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and
International Trade <br><br>
October 24, 2001<br><br>
</b></font><snip><br><br>
<font size=3D3><b>V. Growth and Development Theme <br><br>
</b>Growth and development will be an overarching theme of the fourth WTO
Ministerial Conference. Developing countries generally will not support
launching new negotiations without assurances that these will assist
their development efforts and address their concerns about the
implementation of Uruguay Round results.<br><br>
In broad terms, developing countries seek: a political commitment that a
new round of trade negotiations will take development considerations into
account in practical ways; a round that is narrow in scope (so as not to
overload countries with new commitments); better market access for goods
in which some developing countries have a comparative advantage
(agricultural products, textiles and apparel exports, in particular); and
real progress on their implementation concerns. Developing countries want
more effective delivery on existing Special and Differential Treatment
provisions in WTO agreements (e.g., longer transition periods and greater
flexibility on certain commitments), including more specific obligations
for better funded and co-ordinated trade-related technical assistance to
their governments and capacity building within their economies. They are
seeking the reduction or elimination of export subsidies in agriculture.
<b>They are also seeking a recognition that nothing in the Agreement on
Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) shall
prevent members from taking measures to protect public health, in
particular in the context of access to essential medicines for handling
pandemics such as HIV/AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis.<br><br>
</b>We believe trade negotiations must be consistent with and contribute
to development goals. Canada supports a new round that will be focussed
on growth and development for all participants. We support new
negotiations that will provide for meaningful progress on agriculture,
non-agricultural market access, implementation issues and trade rules
that support economic development (e.g., trade facilitation, investment).
<b>With respect to Special and Differential Treatment provisions, Canada
intends to keep the focus on making existing provisions more effective,
as there are provisions that members have not fully used. The provisions
in the TRIPS Agreement establish a minimum standard of Intellectual
Property Rights and therefore provide members with an opportunity to
cultivate an environment that encourages and rewards innovation in order
to facilitate economic progress. We believe that the TRIPS Agreement also
provides members with sufficient flexibility to address public health
crises such as HIV/AIDS and other pandemics and we support the ongoing
work to clarify the relevant TRIPS provisions. As the provision of
HIV/AIDS drug therapies is a complex question that involves broader
issues than just patent rights and costs, discussions on these issues are
taking place across many institutions such as: the WTO TRIPS Council; the
UN General Assembly Special Session on HIV/AIDS; relevant UN agencies,
including the World Health Organization and UNAIDS; and the G8.</b>
<br><br>
</font><snip><br><br>
<br>
<x-sigsep><p></x-sigsep>
<font size=3D2>Richard Elliott<br>
Director, Policy & Research / Directeur, politiques et=20
recherche<br>
Canadian HIV/AIDS Legal Network / R=E9seau juridique canadien=20
VIH/sida<br>
890 Yonge Street, Suite 700, Toronto, Canada M4W 3P4<br>
Tel : +1 (416) 595-1666
<x-tab> </x-tab><x-tab> =
</x-tab>Fax
+1 (416) 595-0094<br>
E-mail:
relliott@aidslaw.ca<x-tab> </x-tab>Web:
<a href=3D"http://www.aidslaw.ca/"=
eudora=3D"autourl">www.aidslaw.ca</a><br><br>
The Canadian HIV/AIDS Legal Network is a partner organisation of=20
the<br>
AIDS Law Project of South Africa. -- Le R=E9seau juridique canadien
VIH/sida<br>
est un organisme partenaire du AIDS Law Project de l'Afrique du
Sud.<br><br>
Please help fight world hunger. One click a day sends FREE FOOD
to<br>
fight malnutrition, AIDS and other diseases. See:
<a href=3D"http://www.thehungersite.com/"=
eudora=3D"autourl">http://www.thehungersite.com</a><br>
____________________________________________________________________</font><=
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