SEE ALSO:

> Second meeting Sep 2001

> TRIPS issues: Pharmaceuticals and patents
> Fact sheet on TRIPS and pharmaceuticals
> A more technical explanation: Pharmaceutical patents and the TRIPS Agreement
> Høsbjør workshop on affordable medicines

WTO member governments have agreed to examine in greater detail the issues raised in their first special discussion on Intellectual Property and Access to Medicines on 20 June 2001, a meeting that the chairperson, Ambassador Boniface Chidyausiku of Zimbabwe described as “rich”.     > 22 June 2001 press release

 
Governments share interpretations on TRIPS and public health

Unusually frank and detailed interpretations of the WTO’s intellectual property agreement characterized the 20 June 2001 discussion on “Intellectual Property and Access to medicines” in WTO’s TRIPS Council.     > summary of discussion

 
Moore: countries must feel secure that they can use TRIPS’ flexibility

WTO Director-General Mike Moore says the special discussion on “Intellectual Property and Access to Medicines” should reinforce countries’ confidence in their right to use the flexibility written into the WTO Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights.     > statement

 
Countries’ papers

> European Union
> Africa Group, Barbados, Bolivia, Brazil, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Honduras, India, Indonesia, Jamaica, Pakistan, Paraguay, Philippines, Peru, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Venezuela