EU, Three Countries Agree To Waive Covid Vaccines’ Intellectual Property

The United States, the European Union, India, and South Africa have reached a preliminary agreement on a limited waiver of intellectual property rights for COVID-19 vaccines, informed sources said Tuesday.

The sources said that the initial agreement between a smaller group of countries needs the approval of the capitals of the state parties, and will only apply to patents for Covid-19 vaccines, a much narrower scope than a broader waiver proposed by the World Trade Organization and backed by the United States.