Press Release: EU welcomes permanent WTO solution on generic medicines

The EU welcomed the decision taken on 6 December 2005 in the World Trade Organisation to amend the WTO Agreement on Intellectual Property with a view to improving access to medicines for developing countries. The EU had called on WTO Members to adopt such measures as part of a development package for the Hong Kong Ministerial. This decision was to allow poor countries without manufacturing capacities in the pharmaceutical sector to import generic medicines for humanitarian purposes.