-The Hindu They write to Prime Minister asking him to renegotiate the draft proposal to waive intellectual property rights on vaccines and highlight the need for active engagement to improve it A group of non governmental organisations has written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, to prod the Union Commerce Ministry into “proactively engaging” with a draft proposal at the World Trade Organisation-TRIPS in Geneva to waive intellectual property rights, mostly controlled by...

-Down to Earth Tough new conditions emerge in the compromise deal to ease WTO intellectual property barriers to production of COVID-19 medical tools We are back to square one. Back to the beginning after 18 months of a wearying, tortuous series of negotiations that carried on while millions of lives hung in the balance — and still do. The waiver of intellectual property (IP) rights on medicines, vaccines and diagnostics to fight the...

-The Hindu Business Line Says small fishers need government protection; advanced nations must stop subsidising high-sea fishing India has rejected the latest draft text on curbing fishery subsidies floated by the WTO earlier this week for not adequately addressing its concerns on food security and livelihood of small fishers while including provisions that could help advanced countries perpetuate their huge doles for long-distance fishing. Please click here to read more.  ...

-The Hindu Business Line Maharashtra farmers seek concret exim policy Pune: The US and Japan have dragged India to the World Trade Organization over the frequent ban it imposes on onion exports. Both countries have alleged that the export ban without prior notice create problems for importing countries. This, in turn, has resulted in Maharashtra onion growers demanding that the Centre draft a comprehensive policy on the import and export of onion, instead...

-The Indian Express The United States will pursue negotiations at WTO to waive intellectual property for Covid-19 vaccines. This can allow large-scale production in middle-income countries, but there are arguments against the move. The United States on Wednesday announced support for waiving intellectual property protection for Covid-19 vaccines, saying extraordinary circumstances call for extraordinary measures. United States Trade Representative Katherine Tai said the US will pursue “text-based negotiations” on the waiver at...