Thailand group fights EU-ASEAN FTA

Thailand's Foundation for Consumers has attacked a proposed free-trade agreement between the European Union and the Association of Southeast  Asian Nations (ASEAN) that would effectively outlaw compulsory licensing  and prohibit the marketing of copy drugs, even without a locally-valid  patent. Jiraporn Limpananont, the Foundation's head, claims that Article  9 of the proposed EU-ASEAN FTA contains sweeping intellectual property  rights protection for R&D drugmakers that go beyond the World Trade  Organization's agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual  Property Rights (TRIPs; Marketletters passim).

The Bangkok Post reported that this issue could contribute to public  protests against the ASEAN's trade policy at the regional body's 14th  annual summit in late February. Other elements of the proposed deal  affecting agriculture are also considered controversial.