India, Brazil denounce seizure of medicines by Dutch authorities

Commerce and industry minister Kamal Nath and Brazilian minister for external relations Celso Amorim today met on the fringes of the annual meeting of the World Economic Forum in Davos to discuss the issue of confiscation of an Indian drug consignment meant for Brazil by the Dutch authorities.

Authorities in the Netherlands had seized a consignment of generic medicines produced in India and imported by Brazil, while the shipment was in transit in Dutch territory.

The two ministers said they were both deeply concerned with the decision to seize material of strategic importance to public health, traded between developing countries in full conformity with international disciplines.

''This decision is also a serious setback for the principle of universal access to medicines, running against the spirit of resolution 2002-31 of the Commission on Human Rights on the right to enjoy the highest standards of physical and mental health,'' they noted.

The ministers also said measures of this nature have a highly negative systemic impact on legitimate trade of generic medicines, South-South commerce, and national public health policies.

Both the ministers agreed to denounce the seizure of the generic medicines by the Dutch authorities in the next meeting of the WTO General Council, scheduled for 3 February. The ministers also agreed that both the countries will act in close coordination, not only in the WTO but also in other relevant fora.

The two ministers also exchanged views on the current international economic situation, with an eye to, inter-alia, identifying possible ways for reactivating the multilateral trade negotiations of the Doha Round.