It’s busy in Geneva these days. An overview of some of the latest developments by Robert Francis and Iana Dreyer.
Intellectual property
European Union to table new counterproposals on trade, health, vaccines at WTO
The European Union wants to be seen as a solutions-provider in the ongoing World Trade Organization’s health-related dealings. This comes after having been caught unawares by a recent decision by the United States to drop its long-held belief in the unassailability of pharmaceutical patents and negotiate a waiver on TRIPS …
Week in Brussels: TRIPS, EU-India summit, ISDS reform
Overview of key news items this week in EU trade by Iana Dreyer and Nikos Lavranos.
WTO TRIPS waiver: EU puts vaccination production and exports first
The global news cycle is dominated today by the decision by the United States to support the idea of a waiver on intellectual property rules enshrined in the World Trade Organization.
Week in Brussels: China, Dutch Mercosur vote, Australia, Myanmar, Bangladesh
This week has been dominated by news and gossip surrounding the nomintion of a successor for the WTO’s outgoing director general. Today, Nigeria announced it was planning to nominate former finance minister and World Bank official Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala – a high profile nomination to say the least. The nomination period …
INTA committee: pharma IP, enforcement regulation, steel, chief enforcement officer
Today the international trade committee met for a somewhat longer session than the one held at the end of April at the height of Europe’s lockdown. Here some highlights of what’s been said. Pharma intellectual property The pharmaceutical intellectual property space is one to watch very closely post COVID-19. It …
Week in Brussels: Breton data localisation statements, EU US, Vietnam FTA, IP
This week was mainly about the EU getting back into business mode. The main focus has been on preparing the ground for trade negotiations starting next month with the United Kingdom and managing transatlantic relations. More below. Commissioner Breton toys with idea of a data localisation obligations for business data …
EU-Mercosur endgame: The quest for beefed-up final offers
After 20 years of negotiations, the stars really do seem to be aligning for the EU and Mercosur to conclude a free trade agreement in the coming days.
Member states want to be consulted ahead of any EU-US negotiation suspension
The Council’s negotiating directives to the European Commission aim to ease the way towards negotiations with the United States on elimination of tariffs on goods and on conformity assessment. But will they make life easier for transatlantic negotiators? Not really. Member states mainly made amendments to the mandate on elimination …
EU sues India and Turkey at WTO over tariffs and intellectual property violations
The European Union is suing India over recent tariff increases above its bound rates in the World Trade Organization. Brussels is also filing a case against Turkey due to what the EU thinks is WTO-inconsistent treatment of its pharmaceutical companies. India tariffs Since 2014, India has been gradually increasing import …
