ISDS Case Map
intellectual property
Consolidated negotiating COVID intellectual property text as of 25/5/2022
In this ever-unfolding but unpredictable world and regional situation, Malaysia should remain “non-aligned” — albeit as appropriate for these new times. It should not take sides between the dominant West and its adversaries — led by China, the region’s major trading partner by far.
With a handful of free trade agreements (FTA) with key trade partners under negotiation, the Ministry of Commerce and Industry will seek stakeholder views on intellectual property rights (IPR) related issues to firm up its position during such discussions in the coming months.
Mr. Mene said, concluding the outstanding negotiations and protocols -phases I and II in full, would create robust implementation of the Agreement. while significant progress had been made with agreement of 87.7 per cent of tariff lines.
The new legal framework for intellectual property rights will meet the standards set out in the CPTPP free trade agreement, and is expected to help in the country's negotiations to join the 11-member trade bloc.
The African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) is the world’s newest and most ambitious trade bloc, after the World Trade Organisation, its biggest, covering 1.2bn consumers in 55 countries that together generate annual GDP in excess of $3 trillion.
India is trying to persuade the European Union to come to the negotiating table to work out the contours of the proposed bilateral free trade agreement instead of putting in place numerous preconditions for starting the talks.
Even without an IP waiver from the WTO, China and India are leading the challenge to the West’s vaccine monopoly.
The preparations for the negotiations of the Investment Protocol under the AfCFTA agreement (The Agreement) are already underway though still in the early stages.
Talks on a possible COVID-19-related TRIPS decision aimed at scaling up vaccine and therapeutics production and equitable distribution continue but investment agreements are absent from them.
