Global Trade Body Takes First Step In Patent Waiver Talks For Covid Jabs

On Wednesday at the World Trade Organization, all countries backed launching a process towards drafting an agreement over the patent waiver of Covid vaccines, said an official.

After months of debate, World Trade Organization (WTO) members on Wednesday took a first, small step towards a deal aimed at boosting production of Covid vaccines and treatments through patent waivers or compulsory licensing deals. The WTO has struggled to move forward on the hotly-debated issue, since all decisions at the global trade body must be reached by consensus of all 164 member states. But during a meeting on Wednesday, countries finally backed launching a process towards drafting an agreement, and "agreed on the urgency of this discussion", a Geneva-based trade official said. Views on the matter, meanwhile, remain far apart, the trade official said, adding that an initial report on progress in the text-based discussions was expected around July 21-22.