Commissioner-designate De Gucht questioned on Generic Medicine

Commissioner-designate De Gucht questioned on generic medicine

Karel De Gucht, the current European Commissioner for Development Assistance, is due to take over the trade portfolio in February. During his hearing, David Martin (S&D, UK) asked whether the Commissioner-designate planned to facilitate trade in generic medicines to developing countries in need by applying TRIPS-plus provisions in free trade agreements. UK Socialist Martin stated that, "we spend millions tackling AIDS and other diseases in the developing world, but trade policy sometimes denies medicines to people."

Mr. De Gucht tried to provide a balanced reply. He affirmed that he is "a strong believer that every human being has a fundamental right to medicines." In his opinion, the question is complicated because it involves intellectual property rights, which should also be respected.

Mr. De Gucht made a commitment to review EU regulations that have been used at time by brand name pharmaceutical manufacturers to impede the trade of generic medicines through the EU. Last year a consignment of Indian generics bound for Brazil were impounded by Dutch customs authorities when they passed through Rotterdam, at the instigation of companies claiming breaches of intellectual property rights. Mr. De Gucht emphasised that it will take time to implement changes.

Three organisations, Oxfam, Médecins Sans Frontières and Health Action International, expressed their concerns in a letter to De Gucht on 12 January 2010. The organisations claim that EU trade agreements with developing countries limit access to medicines, which contradicts broader EU commitments to development.

The letter to the Commissioner-designate states: "European Union trade policies consistently threaten access to affordable essential medicines by seeking to entrench overreaching intellectual property rules."

For Further Information

A summary of De Gucht`s hearing can be found here.

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