H.E. Ambassador Dr Walter Werner

European Union

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

472.   We would briefly like to reiterate what we also mentioned earlier in the intervention, that only to the extent that competition policy is relevant to the TRIPS Council, we should also discuss competition policy on a continuous basis, because many of the cases for example which we, as an information point mentioned here clearly show that the issue is not necessarily only related to IP, or probably to a large extent not related to IP, but simply to anti-competitive behaviours. I do not think that the TRIPS Council should venture into long and detailed discussions of competition policy, so we would urge the Members who request an ad hoc item for the next TRIPS Council to duly reflect also the clear linkages if they make that point.

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