RESISTING PATENT WAIVERS, EU GIVES NEW PLAN TO WTO

BRUSSELS: The European Union on Friday submitted a plan to the World Trade Organization (WTO) that it believes will more effectively broaden supply of Covid-19 vaccines than the intellectual property rights waiver.

India, South Africa and dozens of developing countries are demanding the IPR waiver to address what they argue is a “staggering inequity” in access to vaccines and various Covid-19 treatment.

The EU says a waiver won’t boost production and presented an alternate three-part plan that instead focuses on limits on export restrictions.