Intellectual property rules removed by EC to grant better access in least developed countries

The European Commission has introduced an indefinite exemption from World Trade Organization (WTO) intellectual property (IP) rules for pharmaceuticals.

The Commission’s exemption allows generics to be imported and produced locally, whether or not there are patents in place, for example, where licenses are available. Producers of generics can supply drugs such as HIV treatment in the least developed countries (LDCs) without falling foul of patent infringement lawsuits.

The WTO had already granted a time-limited extension before to these countries, but the Commission has extended it indefinitely in the pursuit of legal certainty for long-term supply.