WTO TRIPS Council: UK statement on an exemption for Least Developed Countries
UK statement during the WTO Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) Council on 29 June 2021.
The United Kingdom would like to thank delegations once again for their contributions to advance progress in reaching a consensus on an extension of the LDC transition period to implement the TRIPS Agreement.
We would like to thank you, Chair, for sharing the revised proposal following negotiations throughout past weeks. The UK supports this solution which we believe adequately meets the needs of LDCs without losing the momentum of TRIPS implementation and the many successes that have already been achieved thus far. We thank Least Developed Country members and other WTO members for their sustained cooperation throughout this process to reach an agreement. We stand ready to assist least developed country members to continue implementing the TRIPS agreement, and by that building a balanced domestic Intellectual Property framework that supports economic, social and cultural development.
Thank you, Chair.