WTO talks face deadlock over decision on patent waiver, fisheries subsidies

The four-day ministerial conference that started on June 12 was extended by a day to give negotiators more time to iron out differences and strike the deal

Talks at the World Trade Organisation conference hit a fresh hurdle late on Thursday with a group of countries blocking a decision on two crucial issues, temporary patent waiver for COVID-19 vaccines and eliminating harmful subsidies to promote sustainable fishing, sources said.

The countries are still arguing over small details holding up a decision on these crucial issues, they said.

While the UK and Switzerland are said to be obstructing an agreement on TRIPS (Trade related aspects of Intellectual Priority Rights) waiver for COVID-19 vaccines, a group of small nations has raised concerns over the current negotiations on fisheries subsidies, they added.

Despite these differences, hectic negotiations are still going on to iron out issues.

"India always wants to find solutions but certain countries are stuck on fewer words here and there," they added.

The negotiations, at the 12th ministerial conference which entered the fifth day on Thursday, were looking to finalise decisions on granting temporary patent waiver to manufacture COVID-19 vaccines.

Agreement on fisheries subsidies could have been reached by the WTO after a gap of nine years. It was in 2013 at the Bali ministerial conference of the WTO, the member countries sealed the trade facilitation agreement to promote seamless movement of goods across the global borders.