PM seeks G7 support for TRIPS waiver

India on Saturday sought support of the G-7 forum for TRIPS (Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights) waiver and expressed appreciation for the support extended by the G7 and other countries during second wave of Covid hereThese views were expressed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the first Outreach Session of the G7 Summit. Modi also explained India’s successful use of open source digital tools for contact tracing and vaccine management, and conveyed India's willingness to share its experience and expertise with other developing countries.The session, titled ‘Building Back Stronger - Health’, focused on global recovery from the coronavirus pandemic and on strengthening resilience against future pandemics. During the session, the Prime Minister expressed appreciation for the support extended by the G7 and other guest countries during the recent wave of COVID infections in India, ET has learnt. He highlighted India's ‘whole of society’ approach to fight the pandemic, synergising the efforts of all levels of the government, industry and civil society. The Prime Minister committed India's support for collective endeavours to improve global health governance and sought the G7's support for the proposal moved at the WTO by India and South Africa, for a TRIPS waiver on COVID related technologies. Calling for global unity, leadership, and solidarity to prevent future pandemics, Prime Minister emphasized the special responsibility of democratic and transparent societies in this regard.The PM will participate in the final day of the G7 Summit on Sunday and will speak in two Sessions.TRIPS Council, a WTO panel focusing on intellectual property, which includes patents on technological know-how like vaccines and the processes to manufacture them, wrapped up a two-day meeting on Wednesday with an agreement to start a text-based process to pull together proposals about improving the fight against Covid-19.New, informal talks will start next week among members of the panel, with an eye to pulling together a report for a meeting of WTO ambassadors on July 21-22. Last fall, India and South Africa had floated the proposal for a temporary easing of patent protections for Covid-19 vaccines, therapies and tests--known as an IP waiver--and later revised the proposal which is now backed by over 60 countries.

from Economic Times https://bit.ly/3xizjdX
via IFTTT