Cian O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay North, Social Democrats)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

122. To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment his views on the waiving of intellectual property rights of Covid-19 vaccines in view of the current situation in many countries in the global south that are struggling with combating the pandemic; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23202/21]

Seán Crowe (Dublin South West, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

123. To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the position of the Government in relation to the Covid-19 vaccine patent waiver proposal put forward by South Africa and India. [22588/21]

Louise O'Reilly (Dublin Fingal, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

127. To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if he has engaged at European Union level regarding the waiving of intellectual property rights on Covid-19 vaccines in order to speed up vaccination production and distribution across Europe and the wider world. [22791/21]

Damien English (Meath West, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I propose to take Questions Nos. 122, 123 and 127 together.

I think it is clear that universal and equitable access to safe, effective and affordable diagnostics, treatments and vaccines is very important in the global fight against COVID-19.

International Trade is a competence of the EU under the Treaties. In exercising that competence at the WTO, the European Commission engages with Member States, including Ireland through a variety of Committees and Working Parties/Groups, including on intellectual property.

The EU position is that the challenges raised by the proponents of the Trade Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (the TRIPS Agreement) waiver can be addressed through the existing flexibilities within the WTO TRIPS Agreement which allows governments to grant compulsory licences without the permission of the patent holder. The EU Commission also points out that the IP system incentivises and enables the stakeholders to share their innovations, to exchange knowledge and data, and to license.

The EU position is that manufacturing capacity, access to raw materials and distribution networks are the main obstacles that need to be overcome in the supply of vaccines and that increasing manufacturing capacity may be better attained through voluntary licensing arrangements by disseminating the technology and know-how of those who developed the vaccines. The EU Commission has set up a Task Force for Industrial Scale-up of COVID-19 vaccine production which aims to support the ramp-up of production capacity and address supply chain bottlenecks.

The EU is committed and open to trying to reach agreement with all members of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) on how to achieve the shared goal of providing timely and secure access to safe and affordable vaccines and medicines for all through the multilateral rules-based trading system. Discussions are continuing at the WTO, including in relation to how the TRIPS Agreement can support fast and effective vaccine availability. Ireland is represented in those discussions by the EU Commission.

The EU Commission considers that the COVAX Facility, the international initiative to ensure global supply and access to COVID-19 vaccines, is the mechanism that is best placed to ensure that high-income countries finance the vaccines and support the developing countries to secure their share of global supply.