Category WTO/TRIPS

Ecuador Grants First Compulsory Licence, For HIV/AIDS Drug

Ecuador this month granted its first compulsory licence for a patented pharmaceutical since declaring last year that it would utilise international rules allowing it to do so.

The move has already brought the country substantial savings due to new competition, according to the Ecuadorean intellectual property office. Other Latin American countries might be drawn to the prospect of reduced drug prices, according to advocates. The rights owner said it is disappointed with the decision.

WIPO, WTO Requested To Advise On Anti-Counterfeiting Treaty

Several members of the European Parliament today sent letters to the directors general of the World Intellectual Property Organization and the World Trade Organization requesting technical assistance in the negotiation of an agreement that some are calling an attempt to circumvent global norms on intellectual property enforcement and related public interest flexibility.

The US-Cotton Case — The Truth Behind Brazil’s Cross-Retaliation Against US Intellectual Property

In a recent speech at the Export-Import Bank's annual conference, US President Obama said the US Trade Representative will use its "full arsenal" to combat "practices that blatantly harm" US businesses, and that includes "enforcing existing [US] agreements." The question is: will the US comply with its multilateral obligations under the WTO agreement in the US-Brazil cotton case, says Brazilian academic Pedro Paranaguá.