To ensure adequate production, availability and distribution of crucial medicines and vaccines globally during the on-going Covid-19 pandemic, India and South Africa have asked the World Trade Organisation (WTO) to provide members with a waiver from intellectual property obligations under the Trade Related Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) agreement for a limited period.
“Internationally, there is an urgent call for global solidarity, and the unhindered global sharing of technology and know-how in order that rapid responses for the handling of COVID-19 can be put in place on a real time basis,” a joint communication submitted by India and South Africa to the WTO on Friday pointed out.
In these exceptional circumstances, the duo said that the Council for TRIPS should recommend, as early as possible, to the General Council a waiver from the implementation, application and…