Description

In the aftermath of Doha, the implementation and review of provisions of the TRIPs Agreement on continue to be among the most controversial and complex issues in WTO negotiations. Many developing countries believe that the Agreement, especially the patenting regime, will adversely impact the pursuit of sustainable development strategies. Similar concerns were also raised in the preparatory process for WSSD and will again be addressed in Johannesburg in the context of discussions on a possible legal regime for benefit-sharing. On IPRs and access to medicine, negotiations continue at the WTO on unresolved issues in the Doha Declaration on TRIPs and Public Health, in particular regarding countries that lack the capacity to produce drugs and thus will find it difficult to make effective use of compulsory licensing. Language on TRIPs and public health also still needs to be finalised in Johannesburg.

The International Center for Trade and Sustainable Development in collaboration with IUCN's Commission on Environmental, Economic and Social Policy (CEESP) held a workshop on 25 August in Johannesburg, South Africa, which aimed to confront delegates participating in the World Summit on Sustainable Development with the crucial role intellectual property-related decisions at WSSD can play in the pursuit of equity, sustainable economic growth and environmental integrity, including the potential repercussions of related developments in parallel process such as the WTO, WIPO or FAO. The workshop thus aimed to challenge policy-makers to integrate the various pieces of the puzzle, thereby promoting policy coherence in the ongoing negotiations at WSSD, the WTO and other relevant fora at the international, regional and national levels.