Written answers

Tuesday, 27 July 2021

Photo of Holly CairnsHolly Cairns (Cork South West, Social Democrats)
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1739. To ask the Minister for Health his views on the Cork City Council motion calling on the Government to support the waiving of patents on the Covid-19 vaccine in the EU and worldwide; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35301/21]

Photo of Stephen DonnellyStephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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India and South Africa have presented a proposal to the World Trade Organisation (WTO) to allow all countries to choose to neither grant nor enforce any patents and other intellectual property rights related to COVID-19 drugs, vaccines and diagnostics for the duration of the pandemic. The proposers argue that this would allow countries to scale up the manufacture of such products.

International Trade is a competence of the EU under the Treaties and in exercising that competence, the European Commission engages fully with the Member States through a variety of Committees and Working Parties/Groups, including on Intellectual Property.

The EU’s current position on the proposed waiver is that the WTO international agreement on Trade Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (the TRIPS Agreement) allows countries the flexibility to respond to the concerns raised by India and South Africa. Specifically, the TRIPS agreement allows compulsory licensing which is when a government permits someone else to produce the patented product or process without the consent of the patent owner.

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 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 continues to be committed to an open and comprehensive dialogue with all WTO members to explore how the multilateral rules-based trading system can best support universal and equitable access to COVID-19 vaccines and treatments. Discussions on the proposed waiver are continuing at the WTO.

The EU considers that the COVAX Facility, the international initiative to ensure global access to COVID 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.

Ireland has consistently championed collaborative responses to the pandemic, with a focus on ensuring that the needs of the poorest and most vulnerable are served by our collective effort. As a member of the global health community, Ireland continues to play an active role in ensuring fair and equitable access to vaccines for all. This includes supporting the World Health Organization (WHO), the Global Vaccine Alliance and the Global Fund, to develop, produce and equitably distribute effective technologies in the COVID-19 global response.

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