The EU’s trade commissioner is pushing for more Covid jab than patent exemptions

The European trade chief wants the rapid increase in global vaccination is the best way to fight the epidemic, arguing ahead of next week’s talks against US-sponsored anti-patent interest.

Valdis Dombrovskis told FT that the EU approach had established “vaccine responses”, and insisted that “the biggest problem at the moment is related to a lack of capacity for production”, rather than to patents.

EU, which has exported the 250m vaccine as opposed to the 25m that the US has so far agreed to, covered last month while Washington he announced was moving back to call for a certificate revocation to help develop a global vaccine and save lives.

This US approach would allow every manufacturer in the world to make a “copycat” vaccine without having to be arrested for violating a copyright. This is being implemented in India and South Africa, with the support of many other countries including China, Argentina and Indonesia.

But Dombrovskis said there were “no false impressions from the US on the table and we have no idea it’s coming”. Instead, “we are presenting a concrete idea from the EU on the table, on how we think we can achieve this goal of global vaccination,” he said.

The EU approach, which Brussels will present to the World Trade Organization next week, looks at three aspects. In a document reviewed by FT, it is stated that the removal of restrictions on exports and help to increase production, including through resources.

And, thirdly, instead of granting the permit, Brussels believes that there is a complete change in the competent laws, through a treaty called Travels, to make the permit possible.

“Intellectual property should not be a barrier to accessing Covid-19 vaccine during the epidemic,” the documents said. “Doing less, finding raw materials and other inputs is very difficult.”

Although patent exemptions are a major infringement on property protection, vaccination permits allow patents to be protected against certain prohibited items.

Brussels has been arguing against the dispute Removing a patent can be frustrating from practical means of encouraging production. The controversy also affects the EU, which is home to Covid-19 vaccine manufacturers such as BioNTech.

At a WTO meeting earlier this week, the US said it was ready to hold a series of talks, while urging other countries to come up with ideas that they could agree on. The EU framework is set to facilitate negotiations at a WTO summit focusing on Covid on June 8-9.

Dombrovskis said, meanwhile, it urges EU drug companies “to participate in voluntary licenses and to enter into joint ventures with partner countries in developing countries to have more manufacturing capacity”.

The EU trade watchdog said the main objective of the final plan to be developed in the WTO was to “strive for equal access to the Covid-19 vaccine”.

“Currently we are the only area where we can say we have achieved this since the crisis began,” he said.

Referring to other countries developing vaccines such as the US, he added: “We are pleased to see now some are starting to work, but they need to do so urgently.”