WTO : US turns upside down MC12 decision on TRIPS, fisheries & mandate (PRIV)
(D. Ravi Kanth, Geneva)
The much-touted "ministerial decision on the TRIPS Agreement" of the WTO's 12th ministerial conference (MC12) faced headwinds on 26 July, after the United States apparently declared that paragraph eight to decide on its extension to cover the production and supply of COVID-19 diagnostics and therapeutics "no later than six months" from the date of the decision, is only a deadline for discussions and is not a mandate, said people familiar with the development.

Trade : Arbitrators rule in favour of EU in pharma dispute with Turkey (PRIV)
(Kanaga Raja, Geneva)
A panel of three arbitrators has generally upheld the findings of a dispute panel against Turkey in a dispute raised by the European Union over certain measures imposed by Turkey concerning the production, importation and marketing of pharmaceutical products.

UN : Achieving the SDGs in extraordinary times (PRIV)
(IPS, Bangkok)
The start of the "Decade of Action" to achieve the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) has also marked the start of an unprecedented period of overlapping crises.