在奥克兰谈判前公民社会致参与区域全面经济伙伴关系（RCEP）谈判国家的信

信已被发送到印度、印度尼西亚、缅甸、泰国、马来西亚、新西兰、老挝、菲律宾、越南、澳大利亚、文莱、新加坡、柬埔寨、日本、韩国

知识产权和最不发达国家（LDCs）：保护最不发达国家的过渡期

鉴于公民社会组织对药品可获得性、教育资源、环境友好技术（EST），和其他公共产品、文化创造的关注，以及对农民权利、粮食安全和产业发展更进一步的担忧，我们呼吁参与RCEP谈判的国家，保护最不发达国家（LDCs）享有的世贸组织（WTO）TRIPS协定给予的灵活性。

在影响方面，RCEP将覆盖近50％的世界人口 – 包括最弱势、边缘化和贫穷的 – 正如生活在最不发达国家的人们（LDCs）。

最不发达国家享有WTO TRIPS协定给予的在知识产权的延长过渡期，在此期间，最不发达国家没有实施TRIPS在知识产权（IP） 方面规定的义务。这是基于他们的特殊需求，其经济，财政和行政管理的局限，以及必要的灵活性，使他们能够创建出可行的技术基础，保护他们可以制造或购买低价仿制药的能力。

我们想提请你们注意知识产权章节草案现有谈判案文，其会使LDCs过早承担知识产权的义务（详细分析见下英文附件I）。

我们请求RCEP参与国政府指定的谈判人员认识到最不发达国家在IP方面的需求和特殊关注，以及他们需要保留的制定国内知识产权制度的政策空间。

对于最不发达国家成员和他们的公民，任何试图以任何方式削弱他们的过渡期权利或知识产权方面的灵活性都将是灾难性的。这也将损害东盟国家和贸易伙伴的信誉，显示他们完全漠视国际社会中最贫穷和最脆弱群体的社会及经济局限性和需求。

如需任何其他信息，请不要犹豫，马上联系Ms. Sangeeta Shashikant (sangeeta@twnetwork.org）和/或Ms. Leena Menghaney (leena.menghaney@msf.org）。

签署方

Global Networks & Organizations

LDC Watch

Third World Network

Medecins Sans Frontieres – Access Campaign

International Treatment Preparedness Coalition -South Asia

International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC)

Electronic Frontier Foundation

Inter-regional and Regional Networks

Asia Pacific Network (APN+)

Asian Network of People who Use Drugs (ANPUD)

The South East Asia Regional Initiatives for Community Empowerment (SEARICE)

TREAT Asia/amfAR - The Foundation for AIDS Research

National Organizations and Networks

FTA Watch, Thailand

Indonesian AIDS Coalition, Indonesia

Positive Malaysian Treatment Access & Advocacy Group (MTAAG+), Malaysia

All India Drug Action Network (AIDAN), India

Initiative for Health & Equity in Society, India

Thai Treatment Action Group (TTAG), Thailand

S Srinivasan, LOCOST, India

Thai Network of People Living with HIV/AIDS (TNP+), Thailand

AIDS Access Foundation, Thailand

Education International, Belgium

Research Foundation for Science Technology & Ecology, India

UNION C, Nepal

Lawyers Collective, India

Shalini Bhutani, Legal Researcher & Policy Analyst, India

AIDS Care China, China

Indian Drug User?s Forum (IDUF), India

Public Health Association of Australia, Australia

Delhi Network of Positive People (DNP+), India

Vietnam network of people living with HIV (VNP+), Vietnam

National Association of People Living with HIV/AIDS in Nepal (NAP+N), Nepal

Italian Labour Union (UIL), Italy

Positive Women Network? (PWN+), Sri Lanka

Myanmar Positive Group (MPG), Myanmar

Lanka Plus Organization, Sri Lanka

Lhak-Sam (Bhutan Positive Network), Bhutan

Association of people living with HIV in Pakistan, Pakistan

Cambodian Network of People Living with HIV (CPN+), Cambodia

Professor Brook Baker, Health GAP, USA

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Annexure 1

LDCs and Intellectual Property obligations in Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP)negotiations critique

In terms of impact, RCEP will cover nearly 50% of the world’s population - including the most vulnerable, marginalised and impoverished - such as people living in Least Developed Countries (LDCs).

The negotiating text of the IP chapter was leaked online on 19 April 2016 and is now available http://keionline.org/node/2472. The leaked text reveals that the draft IP chapter proposes the premature adoption of intellectual property obligations by LDCs.

Article 5.7[1] of the draft RCEP IP chapter undermines the transition period LDCs are entitled to under the TRIPS Agreement, as the exemption is limited only to patentable subject matter and electronic registration regime and does not apply to all intellectual property. Article 12.1 contains some elements supporting the LDCs transition periods, though a footnote suggests that LDCs may still be required to implement some provisions in the draft RCEP IP Chapter.

Article 66.1 of the TRIPS Agreement guarantees[2]LDC Members of the WTO a renewable exemption from TRIPS obligations (except for Articles 3, 4 and 5 of the TRIPS Agreement) in view of their special needs and requirements (for e.g public health), economic, financial and administrative constraints and their need for flexibility to create a viable technological base. The TRIPS Agreement in its preamble also recognizes the need for LDCs to enjoy maximum flexibility in the domestic implementation of laws and regulations in order to enable them to create a sound and viable technological base.

In view of the above, we stress that countries negotiating RCEP should recognize and uphold the current transition periods and waivers granted to LDCs as well as any further extensions of the same by the WTO, and to adapt below proposed amendments to RCEP text:

Article 5.7 should be amended to read: The Parties agree that the least-developed country parties will not be obligated to implement intellectual property protections as provided for by TRIPS Council Decision (IP/C/64) dated 11th June 2013 until 2021 or any further extension thereof, whichever occurs later nor to implement intellectual property protections on pharmaceutical products as provided in TRIPS Council Decision (IP/C/73) dated 6th November 2015 and WTO General Council Decision WT/L/971 dated 2nd?December 2015 until 2033 or any further extension thereof, whichever occurs later.

Article 12.1 of the draft text should be amended accordingly and provisions that undermine LDCs? flexibilities or that obligate or locks-in LDCs implementation of intellectual property should be deleted.

In accordance with Article 66.1 of the TRIPS Agreement, LDCs enjoy a number of exemptions and waivers to the implementation of TRIPS Agreement which are listed below for reference:

1. Pursuant to extension of transition period granted to LDCs in accordance with Article 66.1 of the TRIPS Agreement, LDCs are exempted from applying all TRIPS standards until 1 July 2021.[3]This period must be extended by the TRIPS Council on LDCs submitting a duly motivated request.[4]Thus far this transition period has been extended twice.

2. Further, LDCs have been granted a specific pharmaceutical transition period wherein LDCs do not have to apply or enforce TRIPS provisions concerning patents[5] as well as test data protection[6] in relation to pharmaceutical products until 1 January 2033.[7] This period must also be extended pursuant to a duly motivated requested.

3. In addition, the WTO General Council has granted LDCs waivers until 1 January 2033 from obligations to make available a mechanism for filing patent applications for pharmaceutical products (mailbox) or to grant exclusive marketing rights to such applications.[8]

In view of the above, we stress that countries and their negotiators should recognize and uphold the current transition periods and waivers vis-a-vis intellectual property granted to LDCs as well as any further extensions of the same by the WTO. In fact, the text should encourage LDCs to fully utilize these transition periods. In addition, countries negotiating RCEP should not impose TRIPS-plus obligations on LDCs.

 

Note

 

[1] [ASN/IN/NZ/CN propose: The Parties agree that the least-developed country Parties will not be obliged, with respect to pharmaceutical products, to implement or apply Paragraphs 1(a) of Article 4 (Patentable Subject Matter) and Paragraph 4 of Article 4 (Electronic Registration Regime) or to enforce rights provided for under these Paragraphs until 1 July 2021, without prejudice to the right of least-developed country Parties to seek other extensions of the transition periods as provided for in Article 66.1 of the TRIPS Agreement.]

[2]Pursuant to Article 66.1, such duly motivated requests shall be accorded.

[3]TRIPS Council Decision (IP/C/64) dated 11thJune 2013. This exemption has been extended twice so far upon LDCs submission of requests.

[4]Article 66.1 of the TRIPS Agreement

[5]Section 5 of the TRIPS Agreement

[6]Section 7 of the TRIPS Agreement

[7]TRIPS Council Decision (IP/C/73) dated 6thNovember 2015

[8]WTO General Council Decision WT/L/971