[Ip-health] EU to ask WTO to rule on Thailand's drug licensing- The Nation

[Alexandra HEUMBER]

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EU to ask wTO to rule on Thailand's drug licensing

The EU will likely ask the World Trade Organisation (WTO) to rule on
Thailand's imposition of compulsory licensing on its drug-makers, but the
Intellectual Property (IP) Department is not cowering.

Published on March 10, 2008

The Nation



"Thailand should win the case if there's any petition. The case will also b=
e
evidence that Thailand has not breached any international regulations for o=
ur
compulsory licensing," director-general Puangrat Asavapisit said yesterday.

The EU, pushed particularly by Germany and France, recently said it would f=
ile
a complaint against Thailand for breaking the international agreement on
compulsory licensing.

Puangrat insisted Thailand was committed to following the WTO's Trade Relat=
ed
Intellectual Property regulations and had already negotiated prices with
owners of drug patents.

The department is also working hard to convince the US to upgrade Thailand'=
s
trade status.

In a last-ditch effort, it recently sent a report to the office of the US
Trade Representative (USTR) underscoring Thailand's progress in protecting =
IP
rights.

Puangrat said the department was closely monitoring the USTR's consideratio=
n
of upgrading or downgrading Thailand's trade status this year.

It expects the USTR not to include the compulsory-licensing issue in its
analysis.

The USTR will announce its annual review of trade partners' status next mon=
th.

"Thailand should be upgraded to the 'Watch List', because of our success in
suppressing IP abuses over the past year," she said.

Thailand was downgraded last year to the "Priority Watch List", which is fo=
r
countries weak in safeguarding IP.

Petchanet Pratruangkrai The Nation
Alexandra Heumber
EU Advocacy Liaison Officer
M=E9decins Sans Fronti=E8res
Access to Essential Medicines Campaign
Rue Dupr=E9, 94. 1090 Brussels
++32 (0) 2 474 75 09 (Dir off)
++ 32 (0) 479 514 900 (Mob)
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