Emerging markets given more time to adopt WTO IP rules

The world’s 49 least developed countries have been given another eight years to implement the intellectual property protection rules demanded by the World Trade Organisation (WTO).

This means that their governments have the freedom to choose whether to protect trademarks, patents, copyright, industrial designs, geographical indications and other rights, potentially harming pharma companies.

WTO Director General Pascal Lamy welcomed the move, saying it was a sign that the organisation can make compromises and ‘get things done’.

The WTO least developed country bloc coordinator, Nepal, also welcomed the decision, which was approved by the WTO trade-related aspects of intellectual property rights (TRIPs) council.

India (which is not a least developed state) was less happy and called for countries to apply WTO intellectual property rules as soon as the UN agreed they were too rich to be considered ‘least developed’.

Current countries within this bloc include Bangladesh, Laos, Afghanistan, Haiti, Angola, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ethiopia, Mozambique, Tanzania and Uganda, for instance.

TRIPs council members also agreed that there might be a further extension of the exemption for such poor countries in eight years’ time. South Africa expressed reservations and while the agreement was supported by Brazil and China, they said preparatory talks should have covered more ground.