H.E. Ambassador Dr Walter Werner

Australia

13 INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY AND THE PUBLIC INTEREST: PROMOTING PUBLIC HEALTH THROUGH COMPETITION LAW AND POLICY

460.   Australia notes the communication regarding Intellectual Property and the Public Interest: Promoting Public Health through Competition Law and Policy. Australia has a number of policies and procedures in place to achieve public health outcomes, including in relation to intellectual property and competition law and policy. For example, Australian law provides statutory provisions to allow free access to patented inventions for the purpose of research and experimental use, introduced through the Intellectual Property Laws Amendment (Raising the Bar) Act 2012. The introduction of this measure provides researchers with a freedom to experiment and maximises the potential for research in Australia, including to support public health outcomes.

44.   The Chair said that China and South Africa had initially requested the agenda item on Intellectual Property and the Public Interest: Promoting Public Health through Competition Law and Policy". It had also been cosponsored by Brazil and India. A communication had been circulated in document IP/C/W/643 and its addendum.
45.   The representatives of South Africa; Brazil; China; India; Indonesia; the United States; the European Union; Switzerland; the Republic of Korea; Australia; Japan; New Zealand; and UNCTAD took the floor.
46.   The Council took note of the statements made.

IP/C/M/89, IP/C/M/89/Add.1