[Ip-health] Worldwide student competition brings WTO debate battle to Geneva

Tue May 1 11:07:05 2007

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Worldwide Student Competition Brings Wto Debate Battle To Geneva

Annual WTO global moot court competition tackles the compulsory licensing of
pharmaceutical patents.

Geneva, Switzerland – May 1 2007 – After months of qualifying rounds, the
European Law Students’ Association (ELSA) is hosting the final round of
their global moot competition in Geneva this week. The moot court
competition brings together students from around the world to contest one of
the key issues underpinning WTO trade negotiations – commitment to public
health. Eighteen teams from Europe, North America, Latin America and
Asia-Pacific have made it to the finals.

The 2001 WTO Doha Declaration on TRIPS and Public Health was a vital step in
increasing access to medicines in health emergencies. It provided
flexibility to governments to temporarily set aside patents on specific
medicines to protect the health of their people. Many of the key arguments
of the WTO negotiations on this matter as well as the issues surrounding
free trade agreements (FTAs) between WTO members will be used by the
students as they debate the issues at hand.

The competition, EMC2, simulates the courtroom experience for the young
lawyers and explores the core positions on each side of the current rules in
the highly contentious public health sector.  Having succeeded in worldwide
regional rounds, students will play out a dispute between two WTO members –
one setting aside a pharmaceutical patent, the other challenging this on
behalf of its industry – in front of a distinguished panel of judges,
including many WTO luminaries.

Giorgio Sacerdoti, Chairman, WTO Appellate Body, said: “The WTO dispute
settlement system fulfils at least two important systemic functions in today
world society: it provides speedy resolution of disputes in an impartial
way, based on the rule of law and ensures implementation of those decisions.
Lawyers are called to play an increasing role in this mechanism and ELSA has
to be commended for preparing students to this challenge and opportunity on
a worldwide basis.”

Law students from Colombia and India – WTO members and developing countries
– will compete against teams from developed countries over the issues of
access to essential medicines. The involvement of the Colombian and Indian
teams is particularly pertinent as compulsory licensing of pharmaceutical
patents is the issue that continues to pit developed against developing
countries in the WTO negotiations.

Maria Catalina Carmona, Participant, Colombian team, said: “We are honoured
to be representing Colombia and Latin America in this prestigious
competition. This competition has given Colombia the thrust it needed to
prepare qualified trade lawyers, especially now that our country is looking
for new ways to exploit all of its commercial potential. We are very much
looking forward to this competition which we are sure that is going to
surpass our expectations.”

The Semi Finalists will be announced at the Hotel Warwick Geneva on Thursday
3 May at 1800 CET. The Grand Final winners will be announced directly after
the Grand Final at the WTO Centre William Rappard on Saturday 5 May which is
starting at 1000 CET and at the Hotel Warwick Geneva during the awards
ceremony on 5 May at 1830 CET. The results will also be posted on
<http://www.elsamootcourt.org/> www.elsamootcourt.org soon afterwards.

Best regards,

Maria Moguilnaia
Responsible for Public Relations
International Organising Committee
ELSA Moot Court Competition on the WTO Law (EMC²)
___________________________________________________

ELSA International
239, Blvd. General Jacques, 1050, Brussels, Belgium
Tel: +32 2 646 2626 Fax: +32 2 646 2923

Direct Tel: +44 77 7963 2383
Direct E-mail:  <mailto:pr@elsamootcourt.org> pr@elsamootcourt.org
Homepage:  <http://www.elsamootcourt.org/> http://www.elsamootcourt.org

EMC² Partner
World Trade Institute

EMC² Sponsors
O’Connor and Company – European Lawyers * Sidley Austin LLP *
White & Case LLP * Baker & McKenzie LLP

EMC² Publishing Partner
Cameron May

EMC² Supporters
WorldTradeLaw.net * International Chamber of Commerce

European Commission Grant Beneficiary

ELSA International’s Partners

Cambridge ILEC * CMS * Deloitte * Microsoft
L-Soft * Alternet
__________________________________________________

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