US-Germany rift as Berlin opposes plan to ditch Covid vaccine patents
by Julian Borger in Washington and Patrick Wintour Di from World news | The Guardian on (#5HHG4)
- Germany says waiver would inhibit private sector research
- Opposition to Biden plan threatens to deadlock WTO talks
The US and Germany are at odds on the issue of waivers for patents on Covid-19 vaccines, as Berlin argued that a waiver would not increase production and would inhibit future private sector research.
The disagreement is the first major rift between the two economic powers since Joe Biden took office, and threatens to deadlock discussions at the World Trade Organization (WTO) and sour relations within the G7 group of major industrialised democracies.
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