photo by cheesyfeet (CC-BY-ND-NC)
The eleven countries negotiating the TPP will hold negotiations in Singapore from March 4 through 13. The formal stakeholder outreach will take place on Wednesday the 6th.
Inside U.S. Trade has reported that industry sources expect the American negotiators to informally “verbalize” ideas related to new text on intellectual property and access to medicines. USTR’s earlier proposal for an “access window” met with strong opposition in previous rounds. It would grant TRIPS-Plus IP provisions on data exclusivity and linkage to firms conditional on their introduction of new products into national markets. (See analysis by Oxfam and Health GAP)
Dr. Unni Karunakara, International President of Médecins Sans Frontières, voiced concern over the TRIPS-Plus provisions in the agreement: “Too many people already die needlessly because the medicines they need are too expensive or do not exist, and we cannot stand by as the Trans-Pacific Partnership threatens to further restrict access to medicines in developing countries.”
However, the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America released a statement calling on the negotiators to “prioritize the protection of intellectual property, citing the critical importance of strong IP to develop innovative treatments for diseases ranging from Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s to cancer and diabetes. Additionally, as multiple studies have proven over time, IP is the lifeblood of innovation and directly contributes to job creation, worldwide economic growth and patient access to medicine..”
Last week, the Obama Administration published its annual trade review, in which it pledged to accelerate the negotiations, which it would like to conclude this year. It also said that “The United States and its negotiating partners share a vision for the TPP based on the long-term objective of expanding the group to additional countries across the Asia-Pacific. ” There is currently much speculation over the entry (or not) of Japan and Thailand into the TPP. (However, these countries will not be participating in this round of negotiations)
