Business-Managed Democracy

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Business-Managed Government

Trade Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS)

Transnational pharmacuetical company Pfizer used the GATT negotiations to advance rules about intellectual property because it was a forum where the US could exercise its muscle  to overcome developing country opposition.

The final Trade Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) agreement ensured that patents last for at least 20 years and copyright for 50 years, very generous given that most companies would have recouped their R&D costs in a much shorter time than this.

 

Links

• 'Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights', Wikipedia
• 'WTO & "Intellectual Property"', Global Trade Watch