WRITTEN QUESTION E-1791/03

by Claude Moraes (PSE) to the Commission

(28 May 2003)

Subject: Doha Round of multilateral trade talks

The Doha Round of multilateral trade talks set a deadline of 31 March for agreement on the scope of talks for freeing up trade in agriculture.

The Doha agenda also suggested agreement by the end of 2002 on improving access for developing countries to lower-cost generic drugs to combat HIV/Aids and other diseases.

What is the view of the Commission on the progress, or lack of progress, in the Doha trade talks, with particular reference to trade in agricultural produce and access to cheap generic drugs for developing countries?

Joint answerto Written questions E-1779/03, E-1784/03 and E-1791/03given by Mr Lamy on behalf of the Commission

(27 June 2003)

The Commission is disappointed that thus far no agreement has been reached to address the problems faced by developing countries with no or insufficient manufacturing capacities (Article 6 of the Doha Declaration on Public Health and TRIPs). It is working together with its World Trade Organisation (WTO) partners in order to secure a solution prior to the Cancun Ministerial in September 2003. Such a solution should under no circumstances undermine the content of the Doha Declaration on Public Health and TRIPs as agreed in November 2001.

Taking forward the access to medicines agenda is part of a broader and ambitious Commission strategy spelt out in our Community Programme for Action on Communicable Diseases. The Commission works jointly on the implementation of a series of actions eventually leading to the same objective: accelerated action and improved health outcomes, in particular in the area of Human Immunodeficiency Virus/Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (HIV/AIDS), malaria and tuberculosis (TB). In light of this, the Commission is fully committed to incorporating the Doha Declaration on Public Health and TRIPs into its trade policies, and with particular regard to technical assistance for the implementation of the TRIPs Agreement. It is the view of the Commission that proper implementation will improve access to medicines including antiretrovirals (ARVS) to treat HIV/AIDS. The Community recently adopted a Communication to the TRIPs Council: on the implementation of the Doha Declaration on the TRIPs Agreement and Public Health calling upon all technical assistance providers, and in particular multilateral organisations to join them in taking up this commitment, and thus fully integrate the Doha Declaration in their policies and practices. This communication was welcomed by developing country members of the WTO.

As to the Round Table on Access to Medicines hosted by the Member of the Commission responsible for Trade and the Member of the Commission responsible for Research and Technological Development on the 28 April 2003, the discussions were meant to inform the Commission's input

into the G8 Summit in Evian. The main conclusions of the Round Table noted that political will on all sides is essential in improving access to medicines. Tiered pricing of medicines was reconfirmed as being crucial and be pursued in conjunction with other policies, as developed in the Community Programme for Action. The need for genuine partnerships between developed and developing countries was emphasised in improving research and development in access to medicines.