Letter to the Delegation of Colombia to the WTO’s 14th Ministerial Conference (MC14)
Update: The moratorium on TRIPS non-violation complaints was allowed to lapse at the ministerial meeting that concluded on March 30, 2026. The MC14 Chair noted that the moratorium, along with several other items, may be finalized at the next General Council meeting in Geneva, reportedly planned for May 2026. As expressed in the letter below, civil society organizations are calling upon WTO members to support not only the renewal of this moratorium, but also to work towards its establishment permanently, as a necessary step to preserve the balance of the multilateral trading system and to ensure its continued responsiveness to the challenges of sustainable development.
In a letter (reproduced in Spanish and English below) to the Colombian delegation attending the 14th World Trade Organization (WTO) Ministerial Conference, civil society organizations express their appreciation for Colombia’s proposal to renew the moratorium on non-violation and situation complaints under Article 64 of the Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS).
A la Delegación de Colombia ante la Conferencia Ministerial de la OMC (MC14)
Las organizaciones de la sociedad civil firmantes expresamos nuestro reconocimiento a la delegación colombiana por su liderazgo al presentar la propuesta de renovación de la moratoria relativa a los denominados “reclamaciones no basadas en infracción” en el marco del artículo 64 del Acuerdo sobre los ADPIC.
Esta iniciativa es oportuna a la luz de las discusiones en curso dentro del sistema multilateral de Comercio sobre el equilibrio adecuado entre la protección de los derechos de propiedad intelectual y la garantía del interés público en materia de salud y acceso al conocimiento, entre otros, que siguen siendo objeto de debate.
La renovación de esta moratoria contribuye a preservar un espacio regulatorio necesario para los países en desarrollo, y favorece el desarrollo de principios fundamentales del sistema internacional manteniendo el equilibrio de derechos y obligaciones consagrados en el ADPIC.
Desde la sociedad civil, consideramos que la continuidad de esta moratoria es esencial para:
- Prevenir el uso injustificado de controversias en contra de los Estados miembros.
- Prevenir interpretaciones restrictivas que puedan limitar la capacidad de los países de adoptar medidas legítimas en favor del acceso a medicamentos, la innovación y el desarrollo.
- Promover la coherencia entre las normas comerciales y los compromisos internacionales en materia de derechos humanos, en particular el derecho a la salud y el derecho a la vida;
- Evitar la consolidación de prácticas o interpretaciones que generen barreras adicionales para los países miembros con menor capacidad regulatoria.
En este sentido, respaldamos la posición de Colombia y exhortamos a los demás Miembros de la OMC a apoyar no solo la renovación de esta moratoria, sino también su consolidación como una medida de carácter permanente, necesaria para preservar el equilibrio del sistema multilateral de comercio y garantizar que este continúe respondiendo a los desafíos del desarrollo sostenible.
Apoyan,
Acción Internacional para la Salud AIS
Fundación IFARMA
Global Humanitarian Progress Corp.
Medicinas para la Gente Capítulo LAC
Misión Salud
TTG Forum
To the Delegation of Colombia to the WTO Ministerial Conference (MC14)
The undersigned civil society organizations wish to express their appreciation for the leadership demonstrated by the Colombian delegation in advancing the proposal to renew the moratorium on non-violation and situation complaints under Article 64 of the Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS).
This initiative is particularly timely considering ongoing discussions within the multilateral trading system regarding the appropriate balance between the protection of intellectual property rights and the safeguarding of public interest objectives, including public health and access to knowledge.
The continued application of this moratorium plays a critical role in preserving the policy space available to developing countries and in upholding the balance of rights and obligations reflected in the TRIPS Agreement.
From a civil society perspective, the maintenance of this moratorium remains essential to:
- Prevent the unjustified initiation of disputes against Members in the absence of a violation of TRIPS obligations.
- Avoid expansive or uncertain interpretations that could constrain Members’ ability to adopt legitimate public interest measures, including those aimed at ensuring access to medicines, fostering innovation, and supporting development.
- Promote coherence between trade rules and international human rights commitments, in particular the right to health and the right to life.
- Prevent the emergence of interpretations or practices that may impose additional burdens on Members with more limited regulatory capacity.
In this regard, we express our support for Colombia’s position and respectfully call upon all WTO Members to support not only the renewal of this moratorium, but also to work towards its establishment permanently, as a necessary step to preserve the balance of the multilateral trading system and to ensure its continued responsiveness to the challenges of sustainable development.
Signatories,
Acción Internacional para la Salud AIS
Fundación IFARMA
Global Humanitarian Progress Corp.
Medicinas para la Gente Capítulo LAC
Misión Salud
TTG Forum