Nairobi, 09 February 2012
Gichinga Ndirangu, HAI Africa
Over 30 civil society activists working to promote access to medicines and the right to health met with the India High Commission and the EU Delegation in Nairobi on Thursday, February 9, 2012 to express concerns over the draft EU-India FTA.
At the Indian High Commission, the Economic Secretary, Mr. Rajiv, received the petition on behalf of the High Commissioner who was out of the country. The Indian High Commission expressed appreciation for the solidarity and undertook to fax the civil society letter to the Commerce Minister for further action and attention to the issues raised.
At the EU Commission offices on Upper Hill in Nairobi, the activists were received by Mr. Christophe de Vroey – Head of Trade Section and Mr. L.A.E Briet – Ambassador Head of Delegation Permanent Rep to UNEP and UN Habitat.
The two emphasized that:
- It was important that civil society organizations in Kenya were following the EU-FTA. The EU was conscious and aware that under the TRIPS agreement, access to medicines was important and there were safeguards to protect this.
- The officials reiterated that they did not see the FTA under consideration as one that would threaten access to generic medicines from India and said the EU is committed to the TRIPS agreement such as flexibilities on compulsory licensing which “must be respected.”
- The officials emphasized that it was important to safeguard the rights of innovators by ensuring that there were incentives for R&D within which context, the patent terms within the TRIPS agreement were important. But the EU emphasized that the EU-India FTA should not undermine access to generic medicines in Kenya.
- The concerns raised by the CSOs in Kenya would be notified to the EU headquarters and in particular, to the EU Trade Minister.
