ISDS Case Map
intellectual property
A IATP report on on how the U.S. and its seeds companies use free trade agreements to undermine the policy space available for farmers to save, use, exchange, and sell farm-saved seeds.
Consumers' Association of Penang express strong disappointment over Malaysia's rushed signing of a trade agreement with the European Free Trade Association (EFTA) countries, criticizing the government's failure to address concerns about the intellectual property (IP) provisions.
The undersigned Swiss NGOs are urging the Swiss government to actively engage within EFTA to drop these provisions known as TRIPS+.
Consumers' Association of Penang submitted a Memorandum on June 2025 to strongly urge the Malaysian government not to rush to endorse and/or sign the trade deal with EFTA. If a deal is to be signed, such a deal must not contain any TRIPS-plus obligation.
The proposed Malaysia-EFTA Economic Partnership Agreement (MEEPA) could negatively affect public health, farmers' rights, and food security in Malaysia. It includes "TRIPS-plus" intellectual property provisions that extend patent monopolies, limit access to affordable generic medicines, and increase drug costs.
Malaysian negotiators have accepted intellectual property protections above those required by the WTO Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights, which will adversely affect affordable and equitable access to medicines in Malaysia for generations.
India and the European Union are likely to agree upon a comprehensive free trade agreement instead of an interim deal, an official said.
India safeguards its $25B generic drug industry by excluding data exclusivity from the UK FTA, ensuring affordable drug access and faster generic launches.
On January 14 this year, President William Ruto and His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), signed a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) between their respective countries.
