Row erupts over EU generic import controls

Published: 14-Aug-2009

A group of emerging market countries led by Brazil and India has complained at the World Trade Organisation (WTO) about allegations that the European Union (EU) has been unfairly detaining transit shipments of generic medicine exports.


A group of emerging market countries led by Brazil and India has complained at the World Trade Organisation (WTO) about allegations that the European Union (EU) has been unfairly detaining transit shipments of generic medicine exports.

Speaking to the WTO's trade related aspects of intellectual property rights (TRIPs) committee, Brazil and India (backed by China and others) said delays were common. They highlighted the detention of three million tablets of the antibiotic amoxicillin en route from India to Vanuatu.

The EU said detentions helped checks for fake medicines and in this case "German customs officials were checking for counterfeits, which are a fast-growing and dangerous problem".

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