Digital Rights, Health Concerns As TPP Talks Continue

By Kelly Burke for Intellectual Property Watch

As closed-door talks for the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) agreement progress this week, concerns have been raised about the proposed intellectual property chapter. Industry, public health and digital liberties groups urged negotiators to consider the possible impact on investment, digital rights, access to affordable medicines, and R&D for life-saving medicines.

The actual negotiating text of the TPP agreement is confidential, leading to speculation about what will emerge from the talks.

The 16th round of the TPP negotiations, which involve Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore, United States, and Vietnam, is taking place in Singapore from 4-13 March.

Among the groups that have expressed concern are:

Knowledge Ecology International; KEI also has posted material on the TPP here.

Electronic Frontier Foundation

Médecins Sans Frontières [pdf]

Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America

US Chamber of Commerce US-Taiwan Business Council [pdf]

Public Citizen [pdf]

Public Citizen has extended the concern to specific countries involved in the TPP negotiations, and its analysis can be found here.

The Washington, DC-based Center for Strategic and International Studies published a commentary on why Japan should join the TPP, available here.

William New contributed to this article.