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

H.E. Ambassador Dr Lansana GBERIE
World Health Organization (WHO)
12 TECHNICAL COOPERATION AND CAPACITY-BUILDING

237.   I would like to briefly mention that our communication to the TRIPS Council summarizes the technical cooperation activities of the World Health Organization (WHO) in the area of public health, innovation and intellectual property that have taken place since the last report. The overall objective of WHO's technical cooperation is to strengthen the capacity of developing countries in the areas of health innovation, access to medicines and management of intellectual property. 238.   WHO's technical cooperation is based on its mandate derived from the Global Strategy and Plan of Action on Public Health, Innovation and Intellectual Property (GSPA-PHI) as well as other relevant resolutions of the World Health Assembly, including WHA resolution 72.8 on "Improving the transparency of markets for medicines, vaccines, and other health products",1 WHA resolution 73.1 on the "COVID-19 response,2 "WHA resolution 74.6 on "Strengthening local production of medicines and other health technologies to improve access3" and WHA resolution 75.14 on the extension of the time frame of the "Global Strategy and Plan of Action on Public Health, Innovation and Intellectual Property" from 2022 to 2030.4 239.   In resolution 74.6, the Seventy-fourth World Health Assembly emphasized the need to improve access to quality, safe, effective and affordable medicines and other health technologies, inter alia, through cooperation with, support to and development of voluntary patent pools and other voluntary initiatives, such as the WHO COVID-19 Technology Access Pool (C-TAP). The resolution requested by Dr Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General to continue to provide technical support, as appropriate, upon request, in collaboration with other competent international organizations, in particular World Intellectual Property Organization and World Trade Organization, including to policy processes and to countries that intend to make use of the provisions contained in the TRIPS Agreement, including the flexibilities affirmed by the Doha Declaration on the TRIPS Agreement and Public Health in order to promote access to pharmaceutical products.5 240.   WHO, through its Headquarters, Regional and Country Offices collaborates closely with relevant international organizations on topics related to the interface between public health, innovation and intellectual property. We remains committed to provide technical assistance to member States at their request.

The Council took note of the statements made and agreed to revert to the matter at its next meeting.
53. The Chair recalled that in July 2022, the Council had agreed to hold the annual review of technical cooperation at the present meeting.
54. Developed country Members had been requested to update information on their technical and financial cooperation activities relevant to the implementation of the TRIPS Agreement. Other Members who also made available technical cooperation were encouraged to share information on these activities. The Secretariat had issued an Airgram on 11 July 2022 reminding developed country Members of this request. Intergovernmental organizations observers to the Council and the WTO Secretariat had also been invited to provide information.
55. The Council had received information from the following developed country Members: Switzerland, New Zealand, Australia, Norway, Japan, the United Kingdom, Canada, and the United States. Since the circulation of the revised draft agenda the European Union has also submitted information in this regard. These reports are being circulated under the new dedicated document series with the symbol where "R" stands for "Reports" and "TC" stands for "Technical Cooperation".
56. Intergovernmental organizations had also submitted updated information: the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), the World Health Organization (WHO), the World Customs Organization (WCO), and the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO). Since the circulation of the revised draft agenda, had also submitted information in this regard. Their reports were being circulated in the same document series .
57. The report of the WTO Secretariat on technical cooperation activities in the TRIPS area was available in document .
58. The representatives of the European Union; the United Kingdom; the United States of America; Australia; Switzerland; Canada; New Zealand; Japan; Bangladesh, on behalf of the LDC Group; the WTO Secretariat; the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC); the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO); and the World Health Organization (WHO) took the floor.
59. The Chair noted that most of the valuable information provided by Members and IGO observers had been received only very recently. He would provide delegations an opportunity at the next regular meeting to make further comments on the information submitted.
60. The Council took note of the statements made and agreed to revert to the matter at its next meeting.
IP/C/M/106, IP/C/M/106/Add.1

1 https://apps.who.int/gb/ebwha/pdf_files/WHA72/A72_R8-en.pdf

2 https://apps.who.int/gb/ebwha/pdf_files/WHA73/A73_R1-en.pdf

3 https://apps.who.int/gb/ebwha/pdf_files/WHA74/A74_R6-en.pdf

4 https://apps.who.int/gb/ebwha/pdf_files/WHA75/A75_R14-en.pdf

5 https://apps.who.int/gb/ebwha/pdf_files/WHA74/A74_R6-en.pdf