E-drug: Doha, access to medicines and the EU
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In a Civil Society Dialogue Meeting with the Trade Commission of the
European Union on the Doha Development Agreement (DDA)
Negotiations an overview and the prospects of the Commission was
given at Brussels on Tuesday 1st July 2003.
(http://trade-info.cec.eu.int/civil_soc/meet.php?action=consult&critere
=113)
Lead Commission Participant, John Clarke clarified on the issue of
Access to Medicine that within the next seven weeks, before Cancun,
USA will recognize the importance of the Doha Declaration and EU is
highly hopeful that the USA will agree to it.
According to the EU commission, USTR (United States Trade
Representative) is working hard with the US based pharmaceutical
industry in trying to convince them the importance of the Doha
Declaration: If there are cheap generics produced under compulsory
licences it is less likely that there would be a diversion of expensive
branded products to rich countries.
When insisted on a question from NGO, if the EU policy would
change, as USA had so far shown only little signs of softening, the
Commission replied that its stand has NOT changed and that it is for
the USA to react positively now and will do so soon.
Reacting on a broad range of issues under the Doha Development
Agreement, the EU commissioner claimed that there is immense
degree of confidence that Cancun rounds of talks will be a great
success and that the media has unfortunately painted the wrong
picture. The EU position can be accessed from the URLs
http://europa.eu.int/comm/trade/issues/newround/doha_da/index_en.
htm
http://europa.eu.int/comm/trade/issues/newround/doha_da/cancun/in
dex_en.htm
EU claims there that "Further market access negotiations on services
should bring considerable market opportunities for business as well
as benefits to consumers world-wide". A clear reference to push the
controversial GATS which may allow for the privatisation of public
services. So even if the Commission is pushing for better access to
medicines there is a number of areas of conflict not to speak of the
regulations on agricultural trade which also have an impact on health
but are outside the scope of this message.
Dr Gopal Dabade
BUKO Pharma-Kampagne
August Bebel Str 62
D 33602 Bielefeld
Germany
www.bukopharma.de
info@bukopharma.de
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