Hopeful for early decision on TRIPS waiver proposal at WTO: Commerce Secretary
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Last Updated: May 14, 2021, 08:33 PM IST
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In October 2020, India and South Africa submitted a proposal suggesting a waiver for all World Trade Organization (WTO) members on the implementation of certain provisions of the TRIPS Agreement in relation to the prevention, containment or treatment of COVID-19.
Agencies
Commerce Secretary Anup Wadhawan said the proposal had received support from several countries.
India on Friday expressed hope for an early decision in the WTO on a proposal of India and South Africa for a temporary waiver of certain intellectual property rights provisions in the TRIPS agreement to deal with the COVID-19 pandemic. In October 2020, India and South Africa submitted a proposal suggesting a waiver for all World Trade Organization (WTO) members on the implementation of certain provisions of the TRIPS Agreement in relation to the prevention, containment or
Supply chains for the vaccine manufacturers must be kept open and unbridled as the entire world is in dire need of the shots, union commerce and industry minister Piyush Goyal told US Trade Representative (USTR) Katherine Tai in a virtual meeting. A week after the US backed a temporary waiver of intellectual property protection for Covid-19 vaccines to help end the global pandemic, Goyal and Tai discussed measures to increase vaccine availability in an inclusive and equitable manner to fight the pandemic. “Had a fruitful discussion with US Trade Representative AmbassadorTai focusing on India & US working together on Trade-Related aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) waiver. This will ensure affordable COVID-19 vaccines for all,” Goyal said in a tweet on Friday.
India’s overall exports merchandise and services are estimated to have grown 93.21 per cent to $51.79 billion in April on a low year-on-year (YoY) base, according to the latest data released by the Commerce and Industry Ministry on Friday. Merchandise exports nearly tripled in April to $30.63 billion compared to the same period last year. The growth was on account of a low base of last year as the country went into a lockdown, but was also supported by demand from external markets. Compared to April 2019, exports grew 17.62 per cent.
Services exports are estimated to have grown 28.68 per cent YoY to $21.17 billion in April. The estimated value is $13 billion, up 39.75 per cent YoY.
US Trade Representative Tai meets WHO chief
ANI
15 May 2021, 05:37 GMT+10
Washington [US], May 15 (ANI): US trade Representative Katherine Tai on Friday virtually met World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus to discuss increasing vaccine production and the Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) waiver on COVID-19 vaccines for the pandemic.
According to a readout from her office, Tai explained the Biden-Harris administration s support for the waiver of intellectual property protections for COVID-19 vaccines and explained that this fits the United States comprehensive effort to expand vaccine manufacturing and distribution around the world.
She also asked Ghebreyesus for his views on the immediate steps to collectively increase access to vaccines.
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