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EU Backs Compulsory Licensing & Production Boost For COVID-19 Vaccines

IP Waiver Proposal Fails To Find Favor

 
• By Ian Schofield

The European Commission is to present the World Health Organization with a set of proposals to tackle the barriers to the global rollout of COVID-19 vaccines. They include allowing the issue of compulsory licenses without consulting the rights holder, encouraging vaccine companies to expand production through licensing deals and contract manufacturing, and eliminating vaccine export restrictions.

hand with glove holds a syringe with the text sars cov 2 vaccine
Equitable vaccine access requires a global effort • Source: Alamy

The prospects of a waiver of intellectual property rights for COVID-19 products are looking increasingly shaky after the European Commission and the Council of the EU said they would prefer less drastic action, such as voluntary or compulsory licensing, knowledge sharing and expanding vaccine production facilities.

On 19 May, the day that the EU passed the 200 million vaccination mark, the commission outlined a set of proposals that it has drafted and intends to present to the World Trade

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