Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 14 June 2022
187. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment his position on the TRIPS waiver, ahead of the World Trade Organisation’s Ministerial Conference; the engagements he has had with the European Union regarding its position; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30785/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe WTO Ministerial Conference is currently underway in Geneva from 12th to 15th June. This is the major decision-making forum for the WTO and the intention is that the intellectual property related aspects can be agreed as part of the broader WTO trade related response to the pandemic. A draft Ministerial Decision on the TRIPS is under intense discussion by Ministers with the aim of finding a solution that will be acceptable to all WTO Members. This draft Decision offers the most promising path towards achieving a meaningful outcome that will contribute to ensuring access to safe and effective vaccines across the globe.
The draft Decision provides for a waiver and clarification of some of the flexibilities within the Trade Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) Agreement. If agreed, the proposal will address the concerns of South Africa and developing countries and will allow them to immediately authorise the manufacture, import and export of COVID-19 vaccines without the consent of the patent owners. At the same time, the solution maintains a functioning intellectual property framework which is crucial to incentivise investment and research that is necessary for the development of new vaccines and medicines.
As a member of the EU, Ireland has been fully engaged in the overall EU response in relation to the intellectual property aspects of the trade related response to the pandemic and will continue to engage constructively with the European Commission and other member states on the EU position for the discussions at the Ministerial Conference.
