Third Quarter 2007: Rwanda and Canada Leading the Implementation of the August 2003 Decision for Import/Export of Pharmaceuticals Produced under Compulsory License

The document examines the first practical application of the August 2003 Decision under the WTO's Doha Declaration, where Rwanda notified its intent to import pharmaceutical products from a generic manufacturer in Canada. It highlights that as a Least-Developed Country (LDC), Rwanda is exempt from certain notification requirements under paragraph 1(b) of the Decision. The author argues that this specific case serves as a critical precedent for the future utility and functionality of the system designed to allow countries to access medicines during public health crises via compulsory licensing.

• The Doha Declaration on the TRIPS Agreement and Public Health established that countries have the freedom to define the grounds for granting compulsory licenses and determined that a public health crisis constitutes a national emergency.

APA

Center for International Environmental Law (2007). Third Quarter 2007: Rwanda and Canada Leading the Implementation of the August 2003 Decision for Import/Export of Pharmaceuticals Produced under Compulsory License. https://www.ciel.org/reports/third-quarter-2007-rwanda-and-canada-leading-the-implementation-of-the-august-2003-decision-for-importexport-of-pharmaceuticals-produced-under-compulsory-license-2/

Chicago

Center for International Environmental Law. Third Quarter 2007: Rwanda and Canada Leading the Implementation of the August 2003 Decision for Import/Export of Pharmaceuticals Produced under Compulsory License. 2007. https://www.ciel.org/reports/third-quarter-2007-rwanda-and-canada-leading-the-implementation-of-the-august-2003-decision-for-importexport-of-pharmaceuticals-produced-under-compulsory-license-2/.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Center for International Environmental Law |title=Third Quarter 2007: Rwanda and Canada Leading the Implementation of the August 2003 Decision for Import/Export of Pharmaceuticals Produced under Compulsory License |date=1 September 2007 |url=https://www.ciel.org/reports/third-quarter-2007-rwanda-and-canada-leading-the-implementation-of-the-august-2003-decision-for-importexport-of-pharmaceuticals-produced-under-compulsory-license-2/ |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{centerforinternationalenvironmentallaw2007third, author = {{Center for International Environmental Law}}, title = {{Third Quarter 2007: Rwanda and Canada Leading the Implementation of the August 2003 Decision for Import/Export of Pharmaceuticals Produced under Compulsory License}}, institution = {Center for International Environmental Law}, year = {2007}, month = sep, url = {https://www.ciel.org/reports/third-quarter-2007-rwanda-and-canada-leading-the-implementation-of-the-august-2003-decision-for-importexport-of-pharmaceuticals-produced-under-compulsory-license-2/}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }