Minutes - TRIPS Council - View details of the intervention/statement

H.E. Ambassador Xolelwa Mlumbi-Peter (South Africa)
14 DULY MOTIVATED REQUEST BY LDCS TO EXTEND THE TRANSITION PERIOD UNDER ARTICLE 66.1 OF THE TRIPS AGREEMENT FOR LEAST DEVELOPED COUNTRY MEMBERS

780.   Cambodia associates itself with Chad's statement. LDCs are continuing to face many difficulties and challenges including weak health systems, lack of domestic financial resources, limited human capacity, innovation, technology, administrative constraints, and so on and so forth. 781.   Further to this, the COVID-19 pandemic has substantially affected LDCs in many sectors, in particular the supply and demand sides. Indeed, the impact of COVID-19 is one of the causes for a slow-down in progress in achieving our development goals and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, with only ten years left. 782.   To that, we need to build greater resilience and work together to find a good solution through the development of trade – both at national and international levels. We also need to make sure that LDCs have maximum policy space, among others, to access various technologies, educational resources, and other tools necessary for development. We also need to implement the existing mandates to assist LDCs in coping with difficulties and challenges, including the mandate set out in Article 66.1 of the TRIPS Agreement. 783.   Cambodia, therefore, requests Members to support the adoption of the proposal contained in document IP/C/W/668 submitted by Chad on behalf of the LDC Group, for an extension of the transition period under Article 66.1 of the TRIPS Agreement.

The Council took note of the statements made and agreed to revert to the matter at its next meeting.
78. The Chair said that the agenda item had been requested by Chad, on behalf of the LDC Group; and a communication had been circulated. She recalled that the transition period for LDC Members had been extended twice: Most recently, by the TRIPS Council Decision of 11 June 2013. Regarding extensions of the transition period, the second sentence of Article 66.1 of the TRIPS Agreement provided that "The Council for TRIPS shall, upon duly motivated request by a least developed country Member, accord extensions of this period." She invited the LDC Group to introduce the request.
79. The representative of Chad, on behalf of the LDC Group took the floor.
80. The Chair invited Members to take the floor.
81. The representatives of Bangladesh; Bangladesh, on behalf of the LDC Group, Nepal; Mali; Cambodia; Angola; Afghanistan; Senegal; Jamaica, on behalf of the ACP Group; China; South Africa; Argentina; Egypt; Tanzania, on behalf of the African Group; Indonesia; Turkey; the United States of America; the European Union; Oman; India; Japan; Nigeria; the United Kingdom; Switzerland; and the World Health Organization (WHO) took the floor.
82. The Chair proposed that the LDC Group consult with the Members, that had intervened at the present meeting, to bridge the differences. She would also be available to consult with Members. Considering the time-sensitivity due to the upcoming deadline in 2021, she proposed to revert to the request at the next meeting.
83. The Council took note of the statements made and agreed to revert to the matter at its next meeting.
IP/C/M/96, IP/C/M/96/Add.1