EU blocks generics for Third World countries

Home/Policies & Legislation | Posted 23/11/2009 post-comment0 Post your comment

Because of their behaviour against alleged patent infringements by Indian pharmaceutical manufacturers, according to the German Financial Times (FTD) the EU gets pressurised.

picture25

Several customs authorities, among them authorities in Germany and The Netherlands, seized several generics deliveries during the past months that had been produced in India and were meant for other developing countries. The suspicion existed that these medicines would hurt EU patients, was given as a reason. However, according to legal experts, the EU provisions in Third World countries producing ‘me too’ products infringe the regulations of the World Trade Organization (WTO).

India’s WTO representative, Mr Rati Bengar, also said that the authorities would not have been allowed to hinder the transit, because the generics were not intended for the EU market, but for other countries in South America and the like. India now threatens the EU with a suit at the WTO if she does not suppress this practice.

At the EU Committee they rate the legal position of the incident differently. A spokesman for Trade Commissioner Catherine Ashton said that they knew cases in which generics in transit had been seized temporarily. “According to EU Law, this is allowed—also in accordance with WTO rules—if a suspicion exists that the goods violate intellectual property rights or are even counterfeit or dangerous,” said the spokesman.

India and the EU now probably want to reach an agreement via negotiations. This way they would try to prevent a long WTO process, both sides said.

References:
Generika für Drittstaaten: EU-Zoll blockiert. Pharmazeutische Zeitung PZ-Nachrichten. 07.08.2009.
EU blockiert Arzneimittel für Dritte Welt. Financial Times Deutschland. 2009 Aug 07.

Source: Pharmazeutische Zeitung PZ-Nachrichten; Financial Times Deutschland

comment icon Comments (0)
Post your comment
Related content
China’s NMPA expands global ties with Netherlands and Indonesia
China CFDA NMPA
Home/Policies & Legislation Posted 04/09/2024
Japan's PMDA expands influence with new office in Thailand
Conference V14A17
Home/Policies & Legislation Posted 06/08/2024
Panama embraces international pharmacovigilance standards
Pharmacovigilance V13F21
Home/Policies & Legislation Posted 09/07/2024
FDA proposal to remove biosimilar interchangeability status in FY25
01 AA007239
Home/Policies & Legislation Posted 12/06/2024
Most viewed articles
About GaBI
Home/About GaBI Posted 06/08/2009
EU guidelines for biosimilars
EMA logo 1 V13C15
Home/Guidelines Posted 08/10/2010