Piyush appeals for exemption from IPR in G20 and removal of new trade barriers

Union Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal has appealed for exemption from Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) and removal of new trade barriers in the global fight against the COVID-19 pandemic. In his address to the G20 Trade and Investment Ministerial Meeting in Naples, Italy, Mr. Goyal said, “Our response to the pandemic has been enhanced by ensuring prompt resolution of supply side bottlenecks related to vaccines and COVID-19. There is a need to ensure equitable access to other health products. One way to demonstrate this is by accepting the Trips discount offer. Mr Goyal called for proactively addressing new trade barriers such as vaccine discrimination or COVID passports, which restrict mobility and impede the movement of personnel required to deliver critical services.
“The COVID-19 crisis has strongly underscored the need for our inter-connectedness and a coordinated strategy to overcome such an unprecedented public health situation,” he said. Shri Goyal stressed on the need for a universal vaccination against COVID 19 at the earliest. He said, “In addition to the focus on facilitating the free flow of goods, I encourage G20 countries to join efforts to make healthcare more convenient and more affordable for the world’s citizens by enabling the free flow of health services.” I invite you He also said, “As a quick response to the pandemic, I am happy to state that our telemedicine initiative ‘E Sanjeevani’ continues to serve millions of Indians. I am happy to present this to the whole world.
Calling for an equitable and balanced outcome for trade negotiations in the fisheries sector, Mr. Goyal called on fisheries countries to stop subsidizing their fishing in the high seas, and in particular overfished. Supported the gradual reduction of their fishing capacity for the stock. He said that in order to achieve balanced results in fisheries subsidies, a future policy space is essential which not only protects the livelihoods of poor and marginalized fishermen and addresses food security concerns but also helps in diversifying the fisheries sector, modernizing It is also necessary to create and develop it.
Shri Goyal also discussed settlement in joint multilateral situations in fisheries etc., in a separate interaction yesterday with the Trade Minister of Australia. In his G20 ministerial address, Shri Goyal also said that India is committed towards the United Nations 2030 Agenda on Sustainable Development and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). “India is one of the few countries that are on track to exceed the SDG commitments in line with the Paris Agreement. We urge members to meet their commitments with regard to technology transfer and climate finance from developed countries that have not yet been met by developed countries.
Shri Goyal said that sustainability cannot be viewed in isolation and should be linked to providing grant based, long term, low cost and affordable and affordable technologies. He said that India has always maintained that environmental/sustainable measures need to be carefully assessed to ensure that they do not become new trade barriers and the right forum for them is dedicated multilateral environmental agreements.

Tuesday was a busy day for the Commerce Minister during the G20 trade ministers meeting in Sorrento, Italy. He met with around 15 ministers and negotiated bilateral and multilateral agreements to further India’s trade position. Countries and dignitaries he met included the Director General of the WTO, the US, UK, EU, Brazil, China, Australia, South Africa, Indonesia, Canada, South Korea and Mexico.
Mr Goyal clearly articulated the position that India is working towards the success of the upcoming WTO 12th Ministerial Conference (WTO MC 12) next month, but the outcome must necessarily be fair and just. He said that the historical mistakes made towards developing countries should be rectified instead of being carried forward. During his meeting with the Canadian Minister, Mr. Goyal discussed steps to take the FTA negotiations forward with the newly elected government, while with the trade ministers of South Korea and the EU, he called for expediting the review of the FTA. With the Minister of Mexico, Mr. Goyal discussed cooperation in the health sector. Mr. Goyal also met with the Director General of the WTO to discuss the MC12 agenda.