[e-farmacos] El Banco Mundial frente a globalizacion, cremimiento y pobreza

[e-farmacos@usa.healthnet.org]

E-farmacos: El Banco Mundial frente a globalizacion, cremimiento y
pobreza
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[Este mensaje de la lista de discusion 'e-drug' (gracias!) puede ser del
interes de los lectores de e-farmacos. El mensaje, a su vez, aparecio en
el foro 'ip-health', AF]

Los paises en desarrollo pueden conseguir un nuevo aliado de gran
importancia en su batalla frente a las restrictivas leyes de patentes.
David Dollar (un economista del Banco Mundial) ha escrito el borrador de
un documento que cita el TRIPS, junto con los estandares ambientales y
el trabajo como tipos de proteccionismo promovidos por los paises ricos
que podrian impedir la expansion del comercio. Este documento se esta
debatiendo en el Banco y, si se aprueba, constituira una posicion
oficial para la politica del Banco Mundial. El comentario adjunto es el
borrador de una nota que nosotros (el Center for Economic and Policy
Research) mandamos sobre dicho documento.
 
Dean Baker
Center for Economic and Policy Research
dean.baker@worldnet.att.net

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Para su difusion inmediata:

World Bank Breaks With the United States, WTO on TRIPS

In a sharp departure from its previous practice, the World Bank appears
to be opposing the United States government on one of its top trade
priorities. A draft document by David Dollar, a senior economist at the
World Bank, calls for separating rules governing intellectual property
rights, such as the TRIPS agreement, from the WTO.

This move runs directly counter to efforts by recent administrations,
including the Bush Administration, to apply more stringent patent and
copyright rules to developing nations. The United States has pushed for
these protections not only in TRIPS but in other pacts, such as NAFTA
and many bilateral agreements. If the World Bank adopts this draft as an
official document, it will be the first time that it has directly
opposed the United States government on a fundamental issue of
international commercial policy.

TRIPS has encountered widespread opposition throughout the developing
world. By imposing U.S.-style patent and copyright protections it will
raise the price of many products by several hundred percent above the
competitive market price. This contrasts with other forms of
protectionism, such as tariffs or quotas, which
rarely raise the price of goods by more than 20 or 30 percent.  

The impact of TRIPS on developing nations has drawn considerable
attention in the case of AIDS drugs, where the application of patent
protection will make many life-saving drugs unaffordable to people in
developing nations. With other products, such as software, seeds for
agricultural products, and recorded music and movies, TRIPS will lead to
the transfer of tens of billions of dollars in royalties and licensing
fees from developing countries to the high-income countries, and cause
enormous economic distortions. Given this
fact, opposing TRIPS would be consistent with the World Bank's stated
goal of eradicating world poverty.  

This new position for the World Bank appears in a draft document titled:
"Globalization, Growth, and Poverty: Facts, Fears, and An Agenda for
Action." According Bank documents, the paper was to be discussed by
Executive Directors at a meeting on August 23, 2001. At one point the
paper notes that "If the rich countries insist 
on institutional harmonization in areas such as intellectual property
rights and standards for health, labor, and the environment, then
prospects for greater trade between north and south will be greatly
diminished (page 8)." 

If the World Bank adopts this position -- that efforts to extend patent
and copyright protection to developing nations are an obstacle to
expanded trade -- in its final report, then it will place itself
squarely at odds with the Bush Administration's agenda in this area.
This will be the first time that the World Bank has opposed a U.S.
Administration on a major priority of its economic agenda. 


[NOTA: Mensaje sin acentos ni caracteres especiales.]
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