Digital Sequence Information (DSI) and national measures: approaches and perspectives
By Jorge Cabrera Medaglia
Digital sequence information (DSI, or genetic sequence data) is an emerging aspect of synthetic biology which involves certain functional genetic sequences being shared by different means. The genetic sequences from plants, animals or micro-organisms could be used to support conservation and sustainable use of biological diversity, to develop and commercialize new products and processes, or for other purposes. The regulation of the use of DSI for both commercial and non-commercial entities may have huge implications for the access and benefit-sharing (ABS) regimen established in the international instruments, ongoing processes and regional and national legislation that implement these conventions. International guidance is needed to promote a coordinated approach to secure fair and equitable sharing of benefits while avoiding a negative impact on the non-commercial benefits arising from the genetic data.
Request for Proposals: National Communications Firm – Lebanon’s Green Climate Fund Readiness Project
The Green Climate Fund (GCF) is the world’s largest dedicated multilateral fund helping developing countries to act on climate change. It was established by the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) in 2010. By channeling climate finance to developing countries, the GCF plays a crucial role in serving the goals of the Paris Agreement on climate change, adopted in 2015, and supporting such countries in meeting their climate change targets.
Objectives of the consultancy:
– Design and implement a public communication strategy to enhance and disseminate awareness, knowledge and understanding on GCF and climate finance among relevant stakeholders and mainstream GCF across the wider audience.
– Increase the Readiness Project’s exposure and its efficiency in engaging national and international stakeholders.
Propriété Intellectuelle et Accès aux Médicaments : Une Introduction aux Grandes Problématiques – Quelques Termes et Concepts de Base
Par Germán Velásquez
La propriété intellectuelle et les brevets en particulier sont devenus l’une des questions les plus débattues sur l’accès aux médicaments, depuis la création de l’Organisation mondiale du commerce (OMC) et l’entrée en vigueur de l’Accord sur les aspects des droits de propriété intellectuelle qui touchent au commerce (ADPIC). Les brevets ne sont nullement les seuls obstacles à l’accès aux médicaments qui sauvent des vies, mais ils peuvent jouer un rôle important, voire déterminant. Pendant la durée de protection d’un brevet, la capacité du titulaire du brevet à déterminer les prix, en l’absence de concurrence, peut faire en sorte que le médicament soit inabordable pour la majorité des personnes vivant dans les pays en développement. Ce premier numéro du “South Centre Training Papers” vise, dans sa première partie, à fournir une introduction aux questions clés dans le domaine de l’accès aux médicaments et de la propriété intellectuelle. La deuxième partie décrit et définit certains termes et concepts de base de ce domaine relativement nouveau des politiques pharmaceutiques, qui sont les aspects liés au commerce des droits de propriété intellectuelle qui régissent la recherche, le développement et la fourniture de médicaments et les technologies de la santé en général.
The TRIPS Agreement Article 73 Security Exceptions and the COVID-19 Pandemic
By Frederick Abbott
The COVID-19 pandemic has caused Governments to contemplate measures to override patents and other intellectual property rights (IPRs) in order to facilitate production and distribution of vaccines, treatments, diagnostics and medical devices. This paper discusses whether the COVID-19 pandemic may be considered an “emergency in international relations” and how WTO Member States may invoke Article 73 (“Security Exceptions”) of the TRIPS Agreement as the legal basis for overriding IPRs otherwise required to be made available or enforced. It concludes that the pandemic constitutes an emergency in international relations within the meaning of Article 73(b)(iii) and that this provision allows Governments to take actions necessary to protect their essential security interests.
United States: An Obsolete Trade Practice Undermines Access to the Most Expensive Drugs at More Affordable Prices
By Maria Fabiana Jorge
Access to affordable drugs is a top policy priority for the United States with real bipartisan support but it increasingly seems to be an unreachable goal, in part, due to conflicting government policies. While the Administration’s Blueprint to Lower Drug Prices and Reduce Out-of-Pocket Costs highlighted the importance of competition to ensure lower drug prices, U.S. trade policy in general, and the Special 301 Annual Review in particular, do exactly the opposite: broaden and lengthen the monopolies granted to pharmaceutical companies thus delaying or deterring the launch of generic and biosimilar drugs and with that, the chances of lowering drug prices. The pharmaceutical industry has changed a great deal in the past 30 years, among other things by developing complex biotechnology drugs that while critical for the treatment of illnesses such as cancer, are out of reach for many patients. While some parts of the government are trying to increase access to medicines through competition provided by generic and biosimilar drugs, their efforts are being undermined by a trade policy that was defined 30 years ago. It is time to adjust U.S. trade policy to the realities of 2020 and stop acting as if it was still 1989.
The Covid-19 Pandemic and Liability under Investment Treaties
By Muthucumaraswamy Sornarajah
COVID-19 can increase liability for countries under international investment treaties. Professor M. Sornarajah, Emeritus Professor at the National University of Singapore, discusses in this SouthViews the imminent challenges faced under such treaties by developing countries. The text isbased on his presentation at the South Centre webinar on “Responsible Investment for Development and Human Rights: Assessing Different Mechanisms to Face Possible Investor-State Disputes from COVID-19 Related Measures” held on 30th July 2020. The recording of the webinar is available here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yXPswKuywvA
Modulos de Introduccion a la Propiedad Intelectual y Salud Pública
Descripción:
Este libro contiene cuatro módulos para la capacitación en materia de propiedad intelectual y salud pública. Su objetivo es presentar una introducción a las diversas categorías de derechos de propiedad intelectual y, en particular, ilustrar sobre los derechos aplicables a la producción y comercialización de medicamentos en el marco de las llamadas ‘flexibilidades’ contenidas en el Acuerdo sobre los Aspectos de los Derechos de Propiedad Intelectual relacionados con el Comercio de la Organización Mundial del Comercio. Los módulos proporcionan elementos para comprender el alcance y las implicaciones de los derechos de propiedad intelectual, especialmente las patentes de invención, en el acceso a los medicamentos. Ellos brindan asimismo pautas para el diseño y la aplicación de esos derechos en una manera consistente con dicho Acuerdo y con políticas de protección de la salud pública. Los módulos contienen información general y enfoques prácticos para orientar a los encargados de formular y aplicar políticas públicas en el tratamiento del tema, tanto en el campo administrativo como judicial.
RE-ADVERTISEMENT – Request for Proposals: Strengthening and enhancing Lebanon’s institutional arrangements and capacity to enable and optimize access to the Green Climate Fund
(Open to Lebanese firms only)
The Green Climate Fund (GCF) is the world’s largest dedicated fund helping developing countries to act on climate change. It was established by the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) in 2010. By channeling climate finance to developing countries, the GCF plays a crucial role in serving the goals of the Paris Agreement on climate change, adopted in 2015. The Ministry of Environment in Lebanon is currently leading the implementation of the “Strengthening and enhancing Lebanon’s institutional arrangements and capacity to enable and optimize access to the Green Climate Fund” project (2020-2022) which aims at supporting Lebanon to efficiently tap into the fund.
The consultancy has one primary objective, and one secondary objective:
– The primary objective is to design an effective and efficient No-Objection Procedure for Lebanon as per GCF guidelines and requirements and based on international best practices and lessons learned.
– The secondary objective is to backstop the project management unit by undertaking specific assessments and analysis that will support the drafting of the Gap Assessment Report.
Vacancy Announcement: Consultant – International ESS, Gender and Climate Expert (Lebanon’s Green Climate Fund Readiness Project)
The Green Climate Fund (GCF) is the world’s largest dedicated fund helping developing countries to act on climate change. It was established by the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) in 2010. By channeling climate finance to developing countries, the GCF plays a crucial role in serving the goals of the Paris Agreement on climate change, adopted in 2015.
The Ministry of Environment in Lebanon is currently leading the implementation of the “Strengthening and enhancing Lebanon’s institutional arrangements and capacity to enable and optimize access to the Green Climate Fund” project (2020-2022) which aims at supporting Lebanon to efficiently tap into the fund.
The International ESS, Gender and Climate Expert will be engaged in a fixed-price consultancy contract for a one-year duration, with the possibility for continuation for the second year depending on agreement and progress with deliverables. Once selected, a Special Services Agreement (SSA) will be signed with the awarded consultant in accordance with the regulations in force for the South Centre for such Special Services Agreements.
The selected candidate will work under the direct supervision of the National Technical Coordinator at the Ministry of Environment and the Coordinator of the Sustainable Development Climate Change and Gender Programme at the South Centre.
Application should be sent in English at applications@southcentre.int (stating ‘ESS & Gender – Lebanon’ in the subject) no later than CET 24.00 hrs. on 12 August 2020.
Coronavirus pandemic: the vaccine as exit strategy
A GLOBAL HURDLE RACE AGAINST TIME WITH A SPLIT JURY
By Francisco Colman Sercovich
Sars-CoV-2, a novel pathogen, submits a stern warning, a clarion call, on the huge human costs of shortsightedness, inaction and lessons lost in the face of common predicaments at the global level. Yet, a number of key actors remain oblivious, including ethically-challenged politicians seeking to elbow their way to the front of the queue at the expense of the poorest and most vulnerable nations and communities. Contrary to expectations being formed, a safe and effective vaccine for the Covid-19 strain once, if ever, attained, is the best way out but unlikely to do as a silver bullet in the midst of the complexities and unknowns at play.
As a result of the harmful impact of the pandemic and ensuing policy aftermath, the world runs the risk of squandering the gains barely made in the fight against poverty over the last few decades – a looming scenario of egregious global governance failure, in view of the eight close calls recently received (three flu epidemics or near-flu epidemics, two Sars episodes, one Mers episode, Zika & Ebola). A promptly and universally distributed vaccine promises to prevent future disease outbreaks. However, many scientific, economic and distributional hurdles stand in the way. Whilst each day counts, the survival of hundreds of millions of lives hangs in the balance as health issues and those pertaining to livelihoods, nutrition, schooling and deprivation are so closely interdependent. Can we rule out the need to resort to internationally sanctioned legal remedies as an inescapable response?
Pathways for leapfrogging to reconcile development and climate change imperatives in Africa
By Smail Khennas and Youba Sokona
A just energy transition toward low carbon emissions pathways is increasingly a priority not only to cope with the adverse impacts of climate change but also for achieving more sustainable economic and social development of the African continent. Fortunately, to optimize its energy mix for development according to sustainability criteria, Africa can take advantage of a rapid energy transition, thanks to its huge and largely untapped renewable energy potential and its abundance of a less polluting fossil fuel, namely, natural gas. Moreover, the fact that most of the infrastructure for energy systems in Africa is not yet built, particularly in sub-Saharan countries, offers these countries a good opportunity for leapfrogging. This Policy Brief explores guiding principles and pathways for a low carbon energy transition, including leapfrogging opportunities, energy system design and social innovation.
