EU Summit to Discuss Vaccine Patent Waiver Proposed by U.S. By Raf Casert | May 7, 2021
BRUSSELS – European Union leaders said Thursday that in the wake of the U.S. backing patent waivers for COVID-19 vaccine technology, the 27-nation bloc immediately will start discussing whether they should join such a move.
The leaders’ first opportunity to mold a common view will come as soon as a two-day summit in Porto, Portugal, that starts Friday.
While many insist that waiving patents would only go part way toward making vaccines available and likely in the midterm only, French President Emmanuel Macron said he “completely” supports opening up intellectual property protections for COVID-19 vaccines as “a global public good.”
The time for TRIPS Waiver is now. The Left group in the European Parliament has been asking the European Commission to support the waiver of Covid-19 patents for months. Now that the Biden administration has declared its support, Von der Leyen cannot hold back.
“President Biden’s decision to support the TRIPS waiver at the WTO is a game-changer. The European Union is now the last place in the world to protect big pharmas’ profits over public health. Von der Leyen had to concede this morning she was ‘ready to discuss’ but this is not enough. Too much time has already been lost: we want immediate action!” Left Co-President
EU to discuss US vaccine patent plan at Friday summit
RAF CASERT, Associated Press
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1of6European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen removes her protective face mask prior to meeting with Jordan s King Abdullah II at EU headquarters in Brussels, Wednesday, May 5, 2021. (Yves Herman, Pool via AP)Yves Herman/APShow MoreShow Less
2of6French President Emmanuel Macron talks to the press as he visits a giant vaccination center against the Covid-19 during its inauguration at Porte de Versailles convention centre in Paris, Thursday, May 6, 2021. (Christophe Archambault, Pool Photo via AP)Christophe Archambault/APShow MoreShow Less
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4of6French President Emmanuel Macron speaks with a woman as he visits a giant vaccination center against the Covid-19 during its inauguration at Porte de Versailles convention centre in Paris, Thursday, May 6, 2021. (Christophe Archambault, Pool Photo via AP)Christophe Archambault/APShow MoreShow Less
The Left group in the European Parliament wrote to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen inviting her to attend their group meeting tomorrow to answer questions about the EU’s botched Covid-19 vaccination drive.
The Commission has been avoiding Parliament and public scrutiny over the contracts it has signed with pharmaceutical companies, resisting the publication of the contracts and refusing to lift Intellectual Property Rights to ramp up production.
Last night it emerged that von der Leyen has agreed to appear at closed-door meetings with some groups in the European Parliament while excluding others and still avoiding open scrutiny.