Objective
The general objective of the research is to analyse how the application of the Marrakech agreements (conclusion of the GATT/TRIPS and creation of the WTO in 1994) can reconcile respecting the terms of these agreements on the one hand and developing local pharmaceutical production on the other, while at the same time, satisfying the needs of the population.
Specific objectives consists mainly for each country in:
* measuring the potential impact of the GATT/TRIPS agreements on the local pharmaceutical industrial sector and drugs availability, prices and affordability,
* observing the dynamics induced by these international agreements and the project of creating a free trade zone in the Mediterranean countries,
* outlining different scenarios of the possible evolution of the pharmaceutical sector after complete implementation of these agreements,
* proposing measures to develop new partnerships in the pharmaceutical field between the European Union and North African countries (Egypt, Algeria, Morocco, Tunisia).
Expected Outcome
The project aims, in general, at :
* strengthening the capacity of researchers and decision-makers to conduct multi-disciplinary research on an issue at the cross-roads of public health, pharmaceutical industry and financial policy.
* proposing possible alternatives and, if possible, selecting out the solutions that have given the best results.
Three sets of reports will come out of this research :
First phase: reports by country to assess the performances of the pharmaceutical sector.
* Reports of countries of the South : the reports will make it possible to measure in each country of the South, the capacity of the pharmaceutical sector to meet the population's basic needs in drugs on the one hand, and, on the other hand, to take up challenges brought about by an altered international and regional context.
* Reports of countries of the North (France, Italy, Spain) are aimed at assessing the ongoing dynamics concerning relations between Italy, France and Spain (the major European trade partners of North Africa) and countries of the South selected by the survey : what is the situation in the following areas : government and trade accords, exports, cooperation, technology transfer, trade and industrial strategies, financial flows ...
Second phase: the impact of GATT/TRIPS on the pharmaceutical sector and of accords with the European Union
Reports on each country will have to answer the following questions :
* What are the efforts already recorded of the Marrakech agreements or of the negotiations with the European Union on the production, trade, prices, range and technology related issues?
After completion of the preliminary phase (definition of research tools and methods, inventory of regional and international experiences and analysis of the international literature), the research will consist of 3 main phases, followed by a final phase (writing of the final report) :
1st phase (September, 1997 - June, 1998) : Assessment of the situation concerning pharmaceutical channels in each country. How does the pharmaceutical sector organize itself and how does it answer to needs? To what degree does it fit into the regional and international context?
2nd phase (July, 1998 - April, 1999) : what is the impact of the Marrakech agreements? What perceptions do the different actors have of the strategies elaborated and current policies?
3rd phase (April, 1999 - May, 2000) : hypotheses, change scenarios, and proposals towards a new partnership between Southern and Northern Mediterranean countries.
Four coordination seminars will be held. The research problems will be elaborated in common, the research tools and methods will be defined and the work carried out, presented and discussed. Each Southern Team will be responsible for the research in its own country; the Northern Teams will study the factors originating in their countries that influence the countries in the South. In each country in the South, a steering committee bringing together managers, industrialists and researchers, will facilitate and support the research.
Fields of science
Not validated
Not validated
Call for proposal
Data not availableFunding Scheme
CSC - Cost-sharing contractsCoordinator
20001 Casablanca
Morocco