E-DRUG: European Parliament's call to the use of TRIPS flexibilities
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FYI please find below two Resolutions adopted by the European Parliament
on Access to medicines and TRIPS (use of the TRIPS flexibilities).
1- The European Parliament Resolution on Trade and economic relation with
the Association of South Est Asian Nations (ASEAN)- Paragraph 13 and above
all 14 below.
http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?pubRef=-//EP//TEXT+TA+P6-TA-2008-0195+0+DOC+XML+V0//EN&language=EN
"13. Attaches particular importance to the fight against counterfeit
pharmaceuticals which represent unfair competition and a danger to
consumers; at the same time, points out that nothing in the agreement
should create legal or practical obstacles to the maximum use of
flexibilities set out in the Declaration amending the Trade-Related
Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights Agreement (TRIPS agreement) and
access to medicines and calls on the Commission negotiators to take full
account of the points set out in its above mentioned resolution of 12 July
2007 on this topic;
14. Recalls the EU commitment to support the Doha Declaration and the use
of TRIPS flexibilities in favour of public health and of access to
medicines in developing countries; therefore calls on the Commission to do
nothing that could undermine the Thai government's efforts to ensure
access to medicines for all its residents;"
2- The Euro-Latin American Parliamentary Assembly's Resolution adopted
May 1, in Lima. Paragraph 5
http://www.europarl.europa.eu/intcoop/eurolat/assembly/plenary_sessions/lima_2008_htm/adopted_docs/resolution_trade_committee_en.pdf
"5. Supports the developing countries which use the ‘flexibilities’ built
into the TRIPS Agreement and recognised by the Doha Declaration in order
to be able to provide essential medicines at affordable prices under their
domestic public health programmes; notes with concern that they are not
being put into practice and asks industrialised countries to refrain from
including in bilateral agreements any provision that restricts access to
medicines; calls for the Doha Declaration commitments to be honoured in
order to facilitate the production and import of generic medicines;"
Alexandra Heumber
EU Advocacy Liaison Officer
Médecins Sans Frontières
Access to Essential Medicines Campaign
Rue Dupré, 94. 1090 Brussels
++32 (0) 2 474 75 09 (Dir off)
++ 32 (0) 479 514 900 (Mob)
++ 32 (0) 2 474 75 75 (Fax)
<Alexandra.HEUMBER@brussels.msf.org>