WASHINGTON – United States Trade Representative Katherine Tai today met virtually with advocacy organizations to discuss the proposed waiver of certain provisions of the World Trade Organization’s (WTO) Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) for the COVID-19 pandemic. The organizations shared their view of the waiver proposal and the Ambassador conveyed the Biden Administration’s commitment to saving lives and ending the pandemic in the United States and around the world by increasing COVID-19 vaccine production and distribution, including investing in COVAX and working with global partners. The Ambassador also emphasized USTR’s goal of using trade agreements to fight for better public health outcomes.
Meeting attendees included:
• Public Citizen
• Oxfam America
• Partners in Health
• American Friends Service Committee
• Doctors without Borders
• Health GAP
• Human Rights Watch
• NETWORK Lobby for Catholic Social Justice
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