Following a prolonged but successful negotiation with the EU Commission and Council, the European Parliament, led by rapporteur Gianluca Susta (ALDE/La Margherita), has finally endorsed an amendment to the TRIPS (Trade Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights) Agreement on Intellectual Property aimed at allowing developing countries to make or buy copycat versions of patented drugs to treat diseases like AIDS and malaria.

The EP vote had been delayed three times as MEPs did not want to give the green light to the modification without a prior strong commitment by the Council and Commission on the real application of the Trips Agreement by the EU, in particular, on the use of all the flexibility contained in the Agreement. The solution came only on Monday after a last minute statement by the Portuguese Presidency which commits the EU to really make access to medicines easier both on a bilateral and multilateral level.As regards the transfer of technology to facilitate and increase the production of pharmaceutical products by the developing countries themselves, the Portuguese Presidency has also endorsed the European Parliament's proposal to earmark funds from the next EU budget. Commenting, Gianluca Susta MEP, said:"We won this battle proving that it is crucial for the European Parliament to be united. However, the real struggle for access to medicines against HIV/AIDS is still not over. Bureaucracy and reluctance from most developed countries are often a major impediment. I am sure there will be other occasions when we have to return to this and reaffirm our stance".