The EU's TRIPS Plus Proposal in I-EU CEPA: Implications for Drug Access in Indonesia

The European Union is proposing intellectual property protection provisions in a special chapter of the Indonesia-European Union Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (I-EU CEPA) trade agreement that contain standards above the minimum TRIPS (Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights) provisions, otherwise known as TRIPS Plus. The proposed clauses include patent term extension, data and market exclusivity, patent linkage to marketing agreements, and parallel import restrictions. This article aims to analyze the implications of the proposal on access to medicines in Indonesia. Using a qualitative approach through a descriptive-exploratory method, this study relies on secondary data from negotiation documents, policy reports, and academic publications. The findings show that the implementation of TRIPS Plus provisions has the potential to extend drug monopolies and limit the availability of generics, which in turn may hinder people's access to affordable medicines