In the United States, the failure of the World Trade Organization meeting in Cancun, Mexico, to reach a new agreement was seen as a 'debacle' that cast a shadow on the future of free trade.
The TRIPS Agreement allows the grant of compulsory licences (CL) to override patents, so that generic manufacturers may produce their cheaper versions of patented drugs.
Many governments as well as NGOs had called for the following principles to be adhered to with respect to the Draft Text: Different and divergent views of Members must be fully reflected in the Text that will form the basis for negotiations.
The WTO's 5th Ministerial Conference in Cancun faces many key issues and problems. The outcome will be crucial for people and communities around the world.
There is so much dissatisfaction and anger among so many developing countries that the usual attempt used at Ministerials by the major developed countries to bulldoze through a text at the last minute may not work this time.
