Pascal Lamy
Trade Commissioner
European Commission
Rue de la Loi 200
Brussels
Belgium

Dear Mr. Lamy,

Every year 15 million people die from infectious diseases and 40 million people live with HIV/AIDS. Some of this could be prevented if poor people had access to affordable medicines. WTO patent rules, by raising prices, prevent millions from being able to afford life-saving drugs.

In November 2001, WTO ministers declared that patent rules should not prevent countries from taking measures to protect public health or promote access to medicines for all. Ministers also agreed to correct an absurd and damaging rule that allows developing countries to import cheaper generic medicines, but restricts producer countries from exporting them.

With this letter I ask you to actively support a solution that allows developing countries to obtain affordable generic versions of vital new medicines.

I ask you to agree to a solution, in line with developing country proposals and in the spirit and letter of the Doha Declaration. This solution has to:

• Lift the WTO restrictions on exports of cheaper generic medicines by the agreed deadline of December 2002
• be permanent, sustainable and economically viable
• be fair, quick and simple to implement
• benefit all developing countries and not be restricted to only the poorest countries, certain diseases, products or medicines;
• and not impose new restrictions on developing countries that go beyond existing WTO patent rules
  

I thank you for the attention you will give to this essential topic.

Sincerely,